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The Sources Of Public Confidence In State Courts

Experience and Institutions

University of Texas–Pan American

Shaun Bowler

University of California, Riverside

David J. Lanoue

University of Alabama

Although much is known about public attitudes toward the U.S. Supreme Court, there is very little information about how citizens feel about courts in their own communities. This article hypothesizes that attitudes toward local courts are based primarily on four factors: (a) the actual experiences people have with these courts, (b) the methods by which local judges are selected, (c) the role of the mass media, and (d) various demographic factors. The authors find strong evidence that personal experience matters: Criminal jurors are more supportive of local courts, whereas defendants and those who have participated on either side of a civil case are not. Judicial selection methods, on the other hand, have no effect on citizens’ attitudes, except among some educated citizens. Finally, no media effects are apparent.

Key Words: state courts • public opinion • confidence • trust

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