Judicial Action, Independence and Integrity Entering a New Decade

Having entered a new decade, novel challenges require heightened judicial activity by domestic and international courts. Judicial institutions monitor the legality of political responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, are forced to settle disputes over the electoral outcome in the US, and have become mediators as populism rises worldwide. The nature of these issues draws courts in a politically polarized environment where politicians attack judicial independence; especially, as the trend of democratic backsliding continues. While current events increase the demand for a fair and just judiciary, they also increase the risk of undermining judicial integrity. The implications of these developments require looking at the judiciary's role in different regimes and shed light on the judicial interaction with political players, other courts and society at large. To do so, this section invites scholarship using a wide variety of theories, methods and cases to assess ongoing dynamics in judicial politics.