Judicial Institutions in a Post-Conflict Society: Gaining Legitimacy through a Holistic Reform
This paper focuses on how judiciaries in post-conflict societies can gain legitimacy through reformation. Legitimacy plays a pivotal role in shaping people’s behavior to submit to the law and verifies the rightfulness of an organ for taking binding decisions. Among various dynamics, judicial independence, access to justice and behavioral changes of the judicial officials broadly contribute to legitimation of judiciary in general, and the courts in particular. Increasing independence of judiciary through reform limits, inter alia, government interference in judicial issues and protects basic rights of the citizens. Judicial independence does not only matter in institutional terms, individual independence also influences the impartiality and integrity of judges, which can be increased through education and better administration of justice. Finally, access to justice as an intertwined concept both at the legal and moral spectrum of judicial reform avails justice to the citizens and increases the level of public trust and confidence. Efficient legal decisions on fostering such elements through holistic reform create a rule of law atmosphere. Citizens neither accept an illegitimate judiciary nor do they trust its decisions. Lack of such tolerance and confidence deters the rule of law and thus, undermines the democratic development of a society.
[1] Agreement on provisional arrangements in afghanistan pending the reestablishment
of permanent government institutions ("Bonn
Agreement", December 5, 2001) (s.n.), 2001.
[2] A. Hyde, The concept of legitimation in the sociology of law, Wisconsin
law review Wisconsin law review, vol. 1983, 1983.
[3] Angeline Lewis, Judicial Reconstruction and the Rule of Law:
Reassessing Military Intervention in Iraq, NIJHOFF Publishers, 2012, p.
83.
[4] Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Corruption, legitimacy and human rights : the
dialectic of the relationship, Connecticut journal of international law
Connecticut journal of international law, vol. 14, (1999).
[5] Caroline Sage and Michael Woolcock Leila Chirayath, Customary Law
and Policy Reform: Engaging with the Plurality of Justice Systems,
World Bank, 2005.
[6] D. Beetham, The legitimation of power, Humanities Press International,
1991, p. 6, 16.
[7] D. Shestowsky, The Psychology of Procedural preference: How
Litigants Evaluate legal Procedures ex ante, Iowa Law Review, vol. 99,
2014, p. 7.
[8] E. Rasmusen, Judicial Legitimacy as a Repeated Game, Journals of
Law. Economic & Organization, vol. 10, 1994.
[9] D. Freestone, A. C. Dakolias Maria, P. Kyle, Legal and judicial reform :
strategic directions, The World Bank 2003, p. 732.
[10] G. W. Lindquist S. A. Bradbury M. D. Dougherty, Evaluating
Performance in State Judicial Institutions: Trust and Confidence in the
Georgia Judiciary, State & local government review, vol. 38, 2006, Pp.
179-181.
[11] G. Andrew, Legitimacy Matters: Managing the Democratization
Paradox of Foreign State Building in Bosnia Herzegovina, Southeast
Europe. Journal of Politics and Society,vol. n.a, 2012.
[12] R. Grafstein, The Legitimacy of Political Institutions, Polity, vol. 14, p.
51, 1981.
[13] International Crisis Group, Afghanistan: judicial reform and transitional
justice, International Crisis Group, 2003, p. 12-14.
[14] B.Gulley, The Meaning and Measure of State legitimacy: Results for
Countries, European Jouran lof Political Research, vol. 72, Pp. n.a,
2006.
[15] H. E. Chodosh, Reforming Judicial Reform Inspired by U.S. Models, 52
De Paul law review, vol. 52, 2002, p. 361.
[16] I. F.I. Shihata, Complementary Reform: Essays on Legal, Judicial and
Other Institutional Reforms Supported by the World Bankc, Kluwer
Law Interntional. 1997).
[17] I. R. Kaufman, Judicial Reform in the Next Century, 29 Stanlawrevi
Stanford Law Review, vol. 1976, Pp. 2-17.
[18] J. O. N. Garthoff, Legitimacy Is Not Authority, Lawphilosophy Law and
Philosophy, vol. 29 (2010).
[19] J.L.M. Gribnau, Legitimacy of the Judicary, 6 Journal of Comparative
Law, vol. 6, 2002.
[20] J. L. Caldeira Gregory A. Baird Vanessa A. Gibson, On the Legitimacy
of National High Courts, 92 The American political science review, vol.
92, 1998, p. 343.
[21] J. L. Caldeira Gregory A. Gibson, Judicial Impartiality, Campaign
Contributions, and Recusals: Results from a National Survey, 10 JELS
Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, vol. 10, 2013.
[22] J. L. Gibson, Challenges to the Impartiality of State Supreme Courts:
Legitimacy Theory and "New-Style" Judicial Campaigns, 102 The
American Political Science Review, vol. 102, 2008.
[23] J. L. Gibson, Understandings of Justice: Institutional Legitimacy,
Procedural Justice, and Political Tolerance, 23 Law and Society
Review, vol 23, Pp. n.a, 1989.
[24] J. P. Vergne, Toward a New Measure of Organizational Legitimacy:
Method, Validation, and Illustration, Organizational Research Methods,
vol. 14, p. 484, 2011.
[25] J. Fagan, Legitimacy and Criminal Justice, Ohio State Journal of
Criminal Law, vol. 6, p. 123, 2008-2009.
[26] J. M. Ngugi, Policing Neo-Liberal Reforms: The Rule of Law as an
Enabling and Restrictive Discourse, 26 University of Pennsylvania
journal of international economic law, vol. 26, 2005, Pp. 540-541.
[27] J. J. Mike Hough, B. Bradford, A. Myhill and Paul Quinton, Procedural
Justice, Trust, and Institutional Legitimacy, Policing, vol. 4, 2010, p. 4.
[28] Jr. R. H. Fallon, Legitimacy and the Constitution, Harvard Law Review,
vol. 118, 2005, Pp. 1794-1795.
[29] L. Grenfell, Promoting the rule of law in post-conflict states, 2013, Pp.
5-6, 20-21.
[30] L. B. Solum, Articles & Commentary - Procedural Justice, 78 Southern
California law review, vol. 78, 2004.
[31] L. A. Hammergren, Envisioning reform improving judicial performance
in Latin America, Pennsylvania State University Press (2007), available
at
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nle
bk&db=nlabk&AN=189854.
[32] M. E. Fellow J. Monnet, European University Institute Law Department
Cain, Beyond informal justice, European University Institute, 1984.
[33] M. Nollkaemper, A. Peerenboom & R. P. Zürn, Rule of law dynamics:
in an era of international and transnational governance, Cambridge
University Press, 2012, p. 113, 243, 115, 116, 6.
[34] P. C. Magalhaes, The Politics of Judicial Reform in Eastern Europe, 32
Comparative Politics -New York, 1999, p. 46.
[35] Programme United Nations Development, National human development
report, National human development report, 2007, p. 6.
[36] R. E. Messick, Judicial reform and economic development: a survey of
the issues, World Bank research observer, vol. 14, 1999, p.118.
[37] R. Sannerholm, Legal, Judicial and Administrative Reforms in PostConflict
Societies: Beyond the Rule of Law Template, Journal of Conflict
& Security Law, Vol. 12, 2007, Pp. 67-76.
[38] R. C. Laver, The World Bank and Judicial Reform: Overcoming Blind
Spots in the Approach to Judicial Independence, Duke journal of
comparative & international law, vol. 22, 2012, Pp. 192, 196.
[39] R. Wolfrum & R. Volker, Legitimacy in international law, ed., Springer,
2008, p. 23, papa. 4.
[40] Schaeffer W. G., Management in the Judiciary, American Society for
Public Administration, vol. 13, 1953.
[41] S. O. Hogan, The Judicial Branch of the Government: People, Process,
and Politics, ABC CLIO, 2006.
[42] Secretary-General United Nations Security Council United Nations, The
rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies:
report of the Secretary-General, 2004.
[43] S. I. Oseguera, Judicial Reform in Mexico: Political Insurance or the
Search for Political Legitimacy?, Political Research Quarterly, vol. 62,
2009, p. 754.
[44] S. Robert S., Principles of Rule of Law, Notre Dame Law Review, vo.
74, 1999.
[45] T. R. Tyler, Procedural Justice, Legitimacy, and the Effective Rule of
Law, Crime and justice, vol. 30, 2003, Pp. 283-357.
[46] The Rule of Law at the National and International Level, 2009, retrieved
on June 19, 2015, http://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/68/RuleOfLaw.shtml.
[47] The UN General Assembly, 2005 World Summit Outcome, The United
Nations, ed., 2005.
[48] T. Carothers, Rule-of-law Temptations, Global perspectives on the rule
of law Global Perspectives on the Rule of Law / ed. by James J.
Heckman, Robert L. Nelson, and Lee Cabatingan, ISBN 0415499550,
2010.
[49] T. R. Tyler, Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: The Benefits of SelfRegulation,
Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 7, 2009.
[50] T. R. Tyler, Procedural Justice, Legitimacy, and the Effective Rule of
Law, Crime and Justice, VOL. 30, p. 323, 2003.
[51] U. N. Secretary-General, The rule of law and transitional justice in
conflict and post-conflict societies: report of the Secretary-General
(UN. 2011), p. 3.
[52] U. N. Secretary-General, The rule of law and transitional justice in
conflict and post-conflict societies: report of the Secretary-General,
2004, p. 4, 7.
[53] UKaid from the Department for International Development, Pro Poor
Intergity Guidelines, The Kenyan Section of the International
Commission of Jurists XIII ed. 2011, p. 11-19.
[54] United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and & the
Treatment of Offenders, Basic principles on the independence of the
judiciary, United Nations, Dept. of Public Information, 1985.
[55] United Nations General Assembly United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations, United Nations
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples: adopted by the General
Assembly on 13 September 2007, OHCHR, 2008, art. 34.
[56] V. Popovski, International rule of law and professional ethics (2014),
available at http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=
site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=656741.
[57] Z. Hanhua, Institutt for menneskerettigheter, Objectives of judicial
system reform: establishing an independent, open, and dynamic
judiciary, Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, 1999.
[1] Agreement on provisional arrangements in afghanistan pending the reestablishment
of permanent government institutions ("Bonn
Agreement", December 5, 2001) (s.n.), 2001.
[2] A. Hyde, The concept of legitimation in the sociology of law, Wisconsin
law review Wisconsin law review, vol. 1983, 1983.
[3] Angeline Lewis, Judicial Reconstruction and the Rule of Law:
Reassessing Military Intervention in Iraq, NIJHOFF Publishers, 2012, p.
83.
[4] Balakrishnan Rajagopal, Corruption, legitimacy and human rights : the
dialectic of the relationship, Connecticut journal of international law
Connecticut journal of international law, vol. 14, (1999).
[5] Caroline Sage and Michael Woolcock Leila Chirayath, Customary Law
and Policy Reform: Engaging with the Plurality of Justice Systems,
World Bank, 2005.
[6] D. Beetham, The legitimation of power, Humanities Press International,
1991, p. 6, 16.
[7] D. Shestowsky, The Psychology of Procedural preference: How
Litigants Evaluate legal Procedures ex ante, Iowa Law Review, vol. 99,
2014, p. 7.
[8] E. Rasmusen, Judicial Legitimacy as a Repeated Game, Journals of
Law. Economic & Organization, vol. 10, 1994.
[9] D. Freestone, A. C. Dakolias Maria, P. Kyle, Legal and judicial reform :
strategic directions, The World Bank 2003, p. 732.
[10] G. W. Lindquist S. A. Bradbury M. D. Dougherty, Evaluating
Performance in State Judicial Institutions: Trust and Confidence in the
Georgia Judiciary, State & local government review, vol. 38, 2006, Pp.
179-181.
[11] G. Andrew, Legitimacy Matters: Managing the Democratization
Paradox of Foreign State Building in Bosnia Herzegovina, Southeast
Europe. Journal of Politics and Society,vol. n.a, 2012.
[12] R. Grafstein, The Legitimacy of Political Institutions, Polity, vol. 14, p.
51, 1981.
[13] International Crisis Group, Afghanistan: judicial reform and transitional
justice, International Crisis Group, 2003, p. 12-14.
[14] B.Gulley, The Meaning and Measure of State legitimacy: Results for
Countries, European Jouran lof Political Research, vol. 72, Pp. n.a,
2006.
[15] H. E. Chodosh, Reforming Judicial Reform Inspired by U.S. Models, 52
De Paul law review, vol. 52, 2002, p. 361.
[16] I. F.I. Shihata, Complementary Reform: Essays on Legal, Judicial and
Other Institutional Reforms Supported by the World Bankc, Kluwer
Law Interntional. 1997).
[17] I. R. Kaufman, Judicial Reform in the Next Century, 29 Stanlawrevi
Stanford Law Review, vol. 1976, Pp. 2-17.
[18] J. O. N. Garthoff, Legitimacy Is Not Authority, Lawphilosophy Law and
Philosophy, vol. 29 (2010).
[19] J.L.M. Gribnau, Legitimacy of the Judicary, 6 Journal of Comparative
Law, vol. 6, 2002.
[20] J. L. Caldeira Gregory A. Baird Vanessa A. Gibson, On the Legitimacy
of National High Courts, 92 The American political science review, vol.
92, 1998, p. 343.
[21] J. L. Caldeira Gregory A. Gibson, Judicial Impartiality, Campaign
Contributions, and Recusals: Results from a National Survey, 10 JELS
Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, vol. 10, 2013.
[22] J. L. Gibson, Challenges to the Impartiality of State Supreme Courts:
Legitimacy Theory and "New-Style" Judicial Campaigns, 102 The
American Political Science Review, vol. 102, 2008.
[23] J. L. Gibson, Understandings of Justice: Institutional Legitimacy,
Procedural Justice, and Political Tolerance, 23 Law and Society
Review, vol 23, Pp. n.a, 1989.
[24] J. P. Vergne, Toward a New Measure of Organizational Legitimacy:
Method, Validation, and Illustration, Organizational Research Methods,
vol. 14, p. 484, 2011.
[25] J. Fagan, Legitimacy and Criminal Justice, Ohio State Journal of
Criminal Law, vol. 6, p. 123, 2008-2009.
[26] J. M. Ngugi, Policing Neo-Liberal Reforms: The Rule of Law as an
Enabling and Restrictive Discourse, 26 University of Pennsylvania
journal of international economic law, vol. 26, 2005, Pp. 540-541.
[27] J. J. Mike Hough, B. Bradford, A. Myhill and Paul Quinton, Procedural
Justice, Trust, and Institutional Legitimacy, Policing, vol. 4, 2010, p. 4.
[28] Jr. R. H. Fallon, Legitimacy and the Constitution, Harvard Law Review,
vol. 118, 2005, Pp. 1794-1795.
[29] L. Grenfell, Promoting the rule of law in post-conflict states, 2013, Pp.
5-6, 20-21.
[30] L. B. Solum, Articles & Commentary - Procedural Justice, 78 Southern
California law review, vol. 78, 2004.
[31] L. A. Hammergren, Envisioning reform improving judicial performance
in Latin America, Pennsylvania State University Press (2007), available
at
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nle
bk&db=nlabk&AN=189854.
[32] M. E. Fellow J. Monnet, European University Institute Law Department
Cain, Beyond informal justice, European University Institute, 1984.
[33] M. Nollkaemper, A. Peerenboom & R. P. Zürn, Rule of law dynamics:
in an era of international and transnational governance, Cambridge
University Press, 2012, p. 113, 243, 115, 116, 6.
[34] P. C. Magalhaes, The Politics of Judicial Reform in Eastern Europe, 32
Comparative Politics -New York, 1999, p. 46.
[35] Programme United Nations Development, National human development
report, National human development report, 2007, p. 6.
[36] R. E. Messick, Judicial reform and economic development: a survey of
the issues, World Bank research observer, vol. 14, 1999, p.118.
[37] R. Sannerholm, Legal, Judicial and Administrative Reforms in PostConflict
Societies: Beyond the Rule of Law Template, Journal of Conflict
& Security Law, Vol. 12, 2007, Pp. 67-76.
[38] R. C. Laver, The World Bank and Judicial Reform: Overcoming Blind
Spots in the Approach to Judicial Independence, Duke journal of
comparative & international law, vol. 22, 2012, Pp. 192, 196.
[39] R. Wolfrum & R. Volker, Legitimacy in international law, ed., Springer,
2008, p. 23, papa. 4.
[40] Schaeffer W. G., Management in the Judiciary, American Society for
Public Administration, vol. 13, 1953.
[41] S. O. Hogan, The Judicial Branch of the Government: People, Process,
and Politics, ABC CLIO, 2006.
[42] Secretary-General United Nations Security Council United Nations, The
rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies:
report of the Secretary-General, 2004.
[43] S. I. Oseguera, Judicial Reform in Mexico: Political Insurance or the
Search for Political Legitimacy?, Political Research Quarterly, vol. 62,
2009, p. 754.
[44] S. Robert S., Principles of Rule of Law, Notre Dame Law Review, vo.
74, 1999.
[45] T. R. Tyler, Procedural Justice, Legitimacy, and the Effective Rule of
Law, Crime and justice, vol. 30, 2003, Pp. 283-357.
[46] The Rule of Law at the National and International Level, 2009, retrieved
on June 19, 2015, http://www.un.org/en/ga/sixth/68/RuleOfLaw.shtml.
[47] The UN General Assembly, 2005 World Summit Outcome, The United
Nations, ed., 2005.
[48] T. Carothers, Rule-of-law Temptations, Global perspectives on the rule
of law Global Perspectives on the Rule of Law / ed. by James J.
Heckman, Robert L. Nelson, and Lee Cabatingan, ISBN 0415499550,
2010.
[49] T. R. Tyler, Legitimacy and Criminal Justice: The Benefits of SelfRegulation,
Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law, vol. 7, 2009.
[50] T. R. Tyler, Procedural Justice, Legitimacy, and the Effective Rule of
Law, Crime and Justice, VOL. 30, p. 323, 2003.
[51] U. N. Secretary-General, The rule of law and transitional justice in
conflict and post-conflict societies: report of the Secretary-General
(UN. 2011), p. 3.
[52] U. N. Secretary-General, The rule of law and transitional justice in
conflict and post-conflict societies: report of the Secretary-General,
2004, p. 4, 7.
[53] UKaid from the Department for International Development, Pro Poor
Intergity Guidelines, The Kenyan Section of the International
Commission of Jurists XIII ed. 2011, p. 11-19.
[54] United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and & the
Treatment of Offenders, Basic principles on the independence of the
judiciary, United Nations, Dept. of Public Information, 1985.
[55] United Nations General Assembly United Nations Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations, United Nations
declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples: adopted by the General
Assembly on 13 September 2007, OHCHR, 2008, art. 34.
[56] V. Popovski, International rule of law and professional ethics (2014),
available at http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=
site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=656741.
[57] Z. Hanhua, Institutt for menneskerettigheter, Objectives of judicial
system reform: establishing an independent, open, and dynamic
judiciary, Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, 1999.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:71020", author = "Abdul Salim Amin", title = "Judicial Institutions in a Post-Conflict Society: Gaining Legitimacy through a Holistic Reform", abstract = "This paper focuses on how judiciaries in post-conflict societies can gain legitimacy through reformation. Legitimacy plays a pivotal role in shaping people’s behavior to submit to the law and verifies the rightfulness of an organ for taking binding decisions. Among various dynamics, judicial independence, access to justice and behavioral changes of the judicial officials broadly contribute to legitimation of judiciary in general, and the courts in particular. Increasing independence of judiciary through reform limits, inter alia, government interference in judicial issues and protects basic rights of the citizens. Judicial independence does not only matter in institutional terms, individual independence also influences the impartiality and integrity of judges, which can be increased through education and better administration of justice. Finally, access to justice as an intertwined concept both at the legal and moral spectrum of judicial reform avails justice to the citizens and increases the level of public trust and confidence. Efficient legal decisions on fostering such elements through holistic reform create a rule of law atmosphere. Citizens neither accept an illegitimate judiciary nor do they trust its decisions. Lack of such tolerance and confidence deters the rule of law and thus, undermines the democratic development of a society.
", keywords = "Legitimacy, judicial reform, judicial independence, access to justice, legal training, informal justice, rule of law. ", volume = "9", number = "6", pages = "2202-8", }
