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Explaining Dissent on the Supreme Court of Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2011

Donald R Songer ,
John Szmer  and
Susan W Johnson
Donald R Songer*
Affiliation:
University of South Carolina
John Szmer*
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Susan W Johnson*
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
*
Donald R Songer, Department of Political Science, University of South Carolina, Gambrell Hall, Columbia, SC 29208, USA, dsonger@sc.edu
John Szmer, Department of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Fretwell 440, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223-0001, USA, jjszmer@uncc.edu
Susan W Johnson, Department of Political Science, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 233 Graham Building, Greensboro, NC 27402, USA, swjohnso@uncg.edu
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Abstract

Abstract. While there is an extensive literature on the causes of dissensus on appellate courts in the US, few empirical studies exist of the causes of dissent in Canadian Supreme Court. The current study seeks to close that gap in the literature, proposing and then testing what we call a Canadian model of dissent. We find that the likelihood of dissent is strongly related to four broad factors that appear to exert independent influence on whether the Court is consensual or divided: political conflict, institutional structure, legal ambiguity in the law and variations in the leadership style of the chief justice.

Résumé. Les causes de dissension dans les cours d'appel aux États-Unis font l'objet de nombreux articles et publications, mais il existe très peu d'études empiriques sur les causes de dissidence à la Cour suprême du Canada. La présente étude vise à combler cette lacune en proposant, un modèle canadien de dissension, puis en le mettant à l'épreuve. Nous avons constaté que le risque de dissension est fortement lié à quatre facteurs genéraux qui semblent exercer une influence indépendante, que la Cour soit en accord ou divisée. Ces facteurs sont le conflit politique, la structure institutionnelle, la présence d'une ambiguité juridique dans la loi et le style de direction du juge en chef.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Political Science/Revue canadienne de science politique , Volume 44 , Issue 2 , June 2011 , pp. 389 - 409
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2011

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