Socio-Legal Perspectives on Litigation

Who uses courts to resolve disputes? For what kinds of problems? And how does this vary by country? This course examines the politics, culture, sociology and economics of filing claims in court, as well as the processes and outcome of litigation in various countries. We explore the actors and institutions of the legal process through the lens of empirical and theoretical scholarship on litigation.  Topics we will explore include access to courts, the selection of disputes for litigation, negotiation and settlement, juries, trial court judges, specialized courts, the decision to appeal, political trials, and empirical trends in litigation