Crossed factions: agreements and partisan disputes in changes of judges at the Court of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina (1983-2011)

Abstract

Supreme Courts are collegiate organs of conduction of the Judicial Power, and they have decision-making power over issues that affect government projects or public policies, which makes them relevant actors for both national and subnational politics. The literature on comparative judicial politics indicates that, in Argentina, Supreme Court judges turnover is frequent, and partisan incentives are a great predictor of changes in Courts, but there is no clear relationship between these changes and the control of legislative majorities. This article presents a case study analysis of the political changes of Supreme Court judges of the province of Santa Fe between 1983 and 2011. The causal mechanisms which are proposed here are based on a strategic argument that explains political changes at Supreme Courts of Argentinean provinces.