Judicial Systems Institutional Frameworks: An Overview of the Interplay Between Self-Governance and Independence

Abstract

This paper is an overview of judicial system governance mechanisms in various countries, and the extent to which they either promote the achievement or hinder their respective systems from achieving self-governance and institutional independence. The overview includes a comparative examination of constitutional provisions that reference judicial system structures. It also reviews key accountability factors that help to ensure that judicial systems earn the trust, both of the general public and other institutional elements of government, essential to earning and retaining institutional independence.

Keywords: judicial governance, judicial systems, judicial system independence, judicial self-governance