The Influence of Amicus Curiae Briefs on the Supreme Court

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ............................................................ 744 I. THE RISING TiDE OFAMICUS CuRIAE BRIEFS .................................. 751 A. The Level ofAmicus Curiae Activity, 1946-1995 ........................... 751 B. Citation and Quotation of Amicus Briefs, 1946-1995 .................... 757 II. THE OPEN DOOR POLiCYTOWARD AMICUS BRIEFS ........................ 761 III. PREVIOUS STUDIES OF THE INFLUENCE OF AMICUS BRIEFS ON SUPREME COURT OUTCOMES ........................................ 767 IV. THREE MODELS OFJUDGING AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR AMICUS BRIEFS ......................................................................... 774 A. The Legal M odel .......................................................................... 775 B. The Attitudinal Model ................................................................. 779 C. The Interest Group Model ............................................................. 782 V. AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE INFLUENCE OFAMICUS BRIEFS ......... 787 A. The Overall Success Rates ofAmicus Filers ..................................... 789 B. Disparities in Amicus Support ....................................................... 793 C. The Impact of Amicus Brief Quality .............................................. 801 1. Success Rates of Institutional Litigants ............................... 801 2. Success Rates of Cited Briefs ............................................... 811