In the Shadow of the Judge: The Involvement of Judicial Assistants in Dutch District Courts

In the last decades the notion of the judge as an autonomous decision-maker has been challenged, and the scope of research on judicial decision-making has broadened to study various other actors who may affect judges’ decision-making. Nonetheless, some actors remain scarcely studied.  In the Shadow of the Judge focusses on such a position: the judicial assistant, an actor that as of today still receives little academic attention.

Based on fieldwork conducted at two Dutch district courts, this book discusses the involvement of judicial assistants in judicial decision-making and the possible consequences that their involvement have on the manner in which adjudication takes place. This study makes clear that it is not justifiable that little research (particularly in a civil law context) has been conducted on this topic, as the research shows how judicial assistants’ involvement is multifaceted, affecting judicial decision-making in various ways.

This book helps to understand the dynamics in judicial decision-making as it occurs behind the closed doors of court houses. Both court personnel and researchers of courts will benefit from the insights in this book.