Federal Requirements for the Independence of State Judges: A Transatlantic Comparison
Abstract
The European Court of Justice’s response to the rule of law crisis in several Member States has sparked controversial debate. To advance the debate, this study compares the CJEU’s standards for the independence of national courts with the Supreme Court’s case law on state courts in the US. The article shows that, in less than a decade, the CJEU has developed thicker requirements than its American counterpart over the course of two centuries. It explains this surprising divergence with two factors. First, the EU imposes thicker standards because it is a looser federal system that depends more on national judges. Second, selection and appointment procedures of state judges are more diverse in the US than in the EU, which prevents the development of thick federal requirements. Ultimately, the comparison supports the CJEU’s approach, but calls for caution. If the deeply integrated American society witnesses a backlash against federal standards, this should be a warning for European judges.