Skip to main content
eScholarship
Open Access Publications from the University of California

Strategic Information Acquisition and Mixed Judicial Panels (co-authored with Matthew Spitzer of USC Law School)

Abstract

In the last fifteen years, a number of empirical studies of multi-member judicial panels have documented a phenomenon popularly known as "panel effects." Two principal findings of this literature are: (1) the inclusion of even a single (non-pivotal) member from outside the dominant ideological on the panel can induce induces the panel to reverse "like minded" administrative agencies more frequently than would a panel dominated wholly by the majority ideology; and (2) when mixed panels do not reverse, they frequently issue unanimous decisions. These apparently moderating effects of mixed panel composition pose a challenge to conventional median voter theory. In the face of this challenge, many scholars have offered their own explanation for panel effects (including collegiality; deliberation, whistle-blowing, and others). In this paper, we propose a general model that (among other things) predicts panel effects as a byproduct of strategic information acquisition. The kernel of our argument is that (non-pivotal) minority members of mixed panels have incentives to engage in costly searches for information in cases where the majority members would rationally choose not to do so. As a result, the inclusion of minority members may induce greater information production in a way that increases the likelihood that a mixed panel will overturn ideologically allied agency actors. Our informational account -- if true -- has normative implications for the composition of judicial panels in particular, and for deliberative groups more generally.

Main Content
For improved accessibility of PDF content, download the file to your device.
Current View