Activism on Equal Protection Cases in State Supreme Courts.

Judicial activism is a concept which is often debated and in recent years become a tool of political maneuvering. Most studies of judicial activism focus on activist decisions of the United States Supreme Court. However, given their limited case load, activist decisions would seem of much greater importance at the lower court level. Many studies identify occurrences of activism on state supreme courts, though few study the concept beyond just a handful of courts. This study seeks to offer a more refined definition of activism. In doing so, it seeks to examine activist decisions on state supreme courts on cases regarding the equal protection clause from 1983-present. What does activism look like in regards to equal protection cases? Is activism on equal protection cases influenced by differences in selection method and other institutional features? What are the consequences of activism? How does this frame the current debate on issues, such as gay marriage? ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]