The judiciary is commonly viewed as not being part of the partisan political process. But as with the other branches of government, there are many avenues for participating in the judicial process. Examining data on the election of judicial personnel, the characteristics of persons elected, and the attitudes of those who participate in the judicial process, Professor Jacob concludes that the characteristics of such participation differ significantly in the judicial arena. These differences legitimize judicial activity by cloaking it with the symbols of democracy. But they also indicates an apparent lack of feedback which makes the judiciary appear isolated from the rest of the political system.
