The Judgment of the Boss on Bossing the Judges: Bruce Springsteen, Judicial Independence, and the Rule of Law

22 Pages Posted: 31 Oct 2009

See all articles by Charles G. Geyh

Charles G. Geyh

Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington

Date Written: 2005

Abstract

In this piece, which was written for a symposium on Bruce Springsteen and the law, I begin by setting the political stage with a brief description of the theoretical foundation for the rule of law and an independent judiciary, before summarizing recent developments that have eroded that foundation. I then correlate the phases of Mr. Springsteen’s work to three ideological movements spanning the twentieth century that have led us to our present state, in an effort to better understand the rising tide of opposition to judicial independence and the rule of law as it is traditionally conceived. I conclude with an analysis of Mr. Springsteen’s most recent work and find that it offers alternative solutions to the current conundrum, one of which holds considerable promise.

Keywords: judicial independence, judicial accountability, judges, Rule of Law, Legal realism, courts, Formalism, institutional legitimacy, Bruce Springsteen

Suggested Citation

Geyh, Charles G., The Judgment of the Boss on Bossing the Judges: Bruce Springsteen, Judicial Independence, and the Rule of Law (2005). Widener Law Journal, Vol. 14, 2005, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1496969

Charles G. Geyh (Contact Author)

Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington ( email )

211 S. Indiana Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405
United States

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