Selective friendship: Strategic analysis of amicus curiae functionality

ABSTRACT:This paper analyzes strategically and empirically if the amicus curiae has effectively performed the functions presented by doctrinal and jurisprudential discourse of democratically legitimizing and expansion of court’s background information, or if this figure has served to other interests...

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Bibliographic Details
Author: Ferreira, Débora Costa
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2020
Country:Brasil
Institution:Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
Repository:Teoria Jurídica Contemporânea
Language:Portuguese
OAI Identifier:oai:www.revistas.ufrj.br:article/25652
Online Access:https://revistas.ufrj.br/index.php/rjur/article/view/25652
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Constitutional law; Amicus curiae; Constitutional jurisdiction; Strategic analysis
Direito constitucional
Direito constitucional; Amicus curiae; Jurisdição constitucional; Análise estratégica
Amicus curiae
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT:This paper analyzes strategically and empirically if the amicus curiae has effectively performed the functions presented by doctrinal and jurisprudential discourse of democratically legitimizing and expansion of court’s background information, or if this figure has served to other interests. The results of the empirical analysis – using data from judicial review processes with participation of at least one amicus curiae judged by STF between 1990 and 2017 – corroborate the standards identified in the strategic analysis and reveal that the Brazilian Supreme Court makes strategic use of amicus curiae, citing more of those types that bring greater diffuse support with public opinion to the Court (amicus curiae representatives of civil society) and to be more influenced by participants with greater institutional bargaining power and argumentative and informative credibility (amicus curiae governmental organizations). It follows, therefore, that the Court is “friendlier” to some types of amicus curiae than to others