📖 State AGs' Amicus Participation: Examined 253 U.S. Supreme Court criminal procedure cases from 1990-2001, finding AG motivation driven more by policy preferences than by electoral responsiveness.
🔑 Hypothesis Tested: State AGs file amicus briefs based on their own policy leanings and to gain public recognition for aligning with broader societal interests.
🔍 Research Methodology: Used regression discontinuity design (RDD) to analyze state attorneys general filing patterns around Supreme Court cases.
📊 Key Findings: Contrary to expectation, AG responsiveness to elites was less evident; instead, policy preferences appeared the dominant factor guiding amicus decisions.
💡 Political Significance: These findings suggest states play a more proactive role in shaping legal discourse than previously acknowledged and challenge assumptions about electoral pressures on state leadership.
