Osgoode Hall Law Journal Article 3 Volume 45, Number 2 (Summer 2007) Does a Judge's Party of Appointment or Gender Matter to Case outcomes?: An Empirical Study of the Court of Appeal for Ontario James Stribopoulos Osgoode Hall Law School of York University Moin A. Yahya Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/ohlj Part of the Judges Commons Article Citation Information Stribopoulos, James and Yahya, Moin A.. "Does a Judge's Party of Appointment or Gender Matter to Case outcomes?: An Empirical Study of the Court of Appeal for Ontario." Osgoode Hall Law Journal 45.2 (2007) : 315-363. http://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/ohlj/vol45/iss2/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Osgoode Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Osgoode Hall Law Journal by an authorized administrator of Osgoode Digital Commons. Does a Judge's Party of Appointment or Gender Matter to Case outcomes?: An Empirical Study of the Court of Appeal for Ontario Abstract A recent study by Cass Sunstein identified ideological differences in the votes cast by judges on the United States Courts of Appeals in certain types of cases. He found that these patterns varied depending on the ideology of an appellate judge's co-panelists. In this study, we undertake a similar examination of the busiest appellate court in Canada, the Court of Appeal for Ontario. This study collects data on the votes cast by individual judges in every reported decision between 1990 and 2003. Each case was cod6d by type, for example "criminal law," "constitutional law," or "private law." In addition, the votes cast by individual judges in each category were tracked based on variables such as the type of litigant, the political party that appointed the judge, and the judge's gender. This study reveals that at least in certain categories of cases, both party of appointment and gender are statistically significant in explaining case outcomes. Between these two variables, gender actually appears to be the stronger determinant of outcome in certain types of cases. While these findings are cause for concern, this study also points toward a simple solution. Diversity in the composition of appeal panels both from the standpoint of gender and party of appointment dampened the statistical influence of either variable. In other words, in the case of gender, a single judge on a panel who is of the opposite sex from the others, or in the case of political party, a single judge appointed by a different political party, is sufficient to eliminate the potential distorting influence of either variable. This finding suggests a need to reform how appeal panels are currently assembled in order to ensure political and gender diversity and minimize concerns about the potential for bias. Keywords Judges; judicial process; Bias (Law) This article is available in Osgoode Hall Law Journal: http://digitalcommons.osgoode.yorku.ca/ohlj/vol45/iss2/3 DOES A JUDGE'S PARTY OF APPOINTMENT OR GENDER MATTER TO CASE OUTCOMES?: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE COURT OF APPEAL FOR ONTARIO© JAMES STRIBOPOULOS & MOIN A. YAHYA" A recent siudy by Cass Sunstein identified Derni~rement, une 6tude de Cass Sunstein a mis ideological differences in the votes cast by judges on Ic doigt sur les diff6rences id6ologiques des votes the United States Courts of Appeals in certain types of exprim6es par les juges des cours d'appel am6ricaines cases. He found that these patterns varied depending dans certains genres de cas. Cass Sunstein a constat6 on the ideology of an appellate judge's co-panelists. In que les tendances variaient selon l'id6ologie des co-. this study, we undertake a similar examination of the magistrats du juge de cour d'appel. Dans cette 6tude, busiest appellate court in Canada, the Court of Appeal nous entreprenons un examen analogue de la cour for Ontario. This study collects data on the votes cast d'appel la plus sollicit6e du Canada, A savoir, la Cour by individual judges in every reported decision d'appel de l'Ontario. L'6tude recueille des donn6es sur between 1990 and 2003. Each case was cod6d by type, les votes de chaque juge dans chaque d6cision for example "criminal law," "constitutional law," or rapportde entre 1990 et 2003. Chaque affaire avait 6t6 "private law." In addition, the votes cast by individual cod6e selon son genre, par exemple: vdroit penal,, judges in each category were tracked based on ,,droit constitutionnelv ou ,edroit priv6., En outre, les variables such as the type of litigant, the political party votes de chaque juge dans chaque cat6gorie 6taient that appointed the judge, and the judge's gender. enregistrds en fonction de certaines variables: genre de This study reveals that at least in certain plaideur, parti politique qui a nomm6 le juge, sexe du categories of cases, both party of appointment and magistrat. gender are statistically significant in explaining case Cette 6tude rdv le que dans certaines cat6gories outcomes. Between these two variables, gender de cas au moins, le sexe du magistrat et le parti actually appears to be the stronger determinant of politique ayant nomm6 ce magistrat 6taient 2007, James Stribopoulos & Moin A. Yahya. Assistant Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School ([email protected]) & Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Alberta ([email protected]). A Borden, Ladner & Gervais LLP Research Fellowship made this study possible. This study was awarded the 2007 Canadian Association of Law Teachers Scholarly Paper Award. The authors would like to thank Laurel Lui, the capable research assistant who collected the data for this study. The authors also thank Owen Lippert and the Fraser Institute for their generous help many years ago on an earlier and related project. Some of the data in this study, specifically background information about the various judges, came from that project. The subsequent research assistance of Audrey Ngo-Lee and Maija Martin is also gratefully acknowledged. Earlier drafts of this paper were presented at the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta, the Economics Department at the University of Alberta, George Mason University School of Law Levy Workshop, Osgoode Hall Law School, the Western New England College School of Law, and the Canadian Law and Economics Association conference. The authors thank everyone who participated in these workshops, and in particular: David Ryan, Janis Sarra, Janna Promislow, Bruce Johnsen, Dean Dan Polsby, Maxwell Steams, Craig Lerner, Bruce Kobayashi, Lloyd Cohen, Sara Slinn, David Weiden, Ralph Winter, Cherie Metcalf, Jamie Colburn, and Jamie Cameron. The authors acknowledge any errors as theirs alone. OSGOODE HALL LAW JOURNAL [VOL. 45, No. 2 outcome in certain types of cases. While these findings significatifs du point de vue statistique pour expliquer are cause for concern, this study also points toward a l'issue dans certains types de cas. Entre ces deux simple solution. Diversity in the composition of appeal variables, le sexe du magistrat semble effectivement panels both from the standpoint of gender and party of 6tre le determinant le plus fort de Iissue de certaines appointment dampened the statistical influence of esp~ces de cas. Tandis que ces constatations sont des either variable. In other words, in the case of gender, a motifs de pr6occupation, cette 6tude montre single judge on a panel who is of the opposite sex from 6galement la voie d'une solution simple. La diversit6 the others, or in the case of political party, a single dans la composition des chambres des magistrats des judge appointed by a different political party, is Cours d'appel, A la fois du point de vue du sexe et du sufficient to eliminate the potential distorting parti responsable des nominations, amenuisait influence of either variable. This finding suggests a linfluence statistique tant d'une variable que de need to reform how appeal panels are currently I'autre. En d'autres termes, dans le cas du sexe, un seul assembled in order to ensure political and gender juge dans une chambre, qui est du sexe oppos6 de celui diversity and minimize concerns about the potential des autres,ou dans le cas du parti politique, un seul for bias. juge nomm par un parti politique diff6rent, suffit i supprimer la possibilit6 d'une influence d6formante d'une variable comme de I'autre. Cette constatation porte sugg6rer un besoin de r6former la fagon dont les chambres d'appel sont actuellement constitu6es, afin d'assurer une diversit6 politique et sexuelle, et ainsi minimiser le souci d'une possibilitd d'un parti pris. I. IN TR O D U C TIO N ................................................................................................. 317 II. THE CURRENT STUDY IN CONTEXT .......................................................... 320 III. THE METHODOLOGY OF THIS STUDY ...................................................... 329 IV. CASE OUTPUT: SOME GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ................................ 333 V. BEYOND CASE COUNTING: TRENDS IN PANEL V O TIN G BEH A V IO U R .................................................................................... 340 A. Are There Noteworthy Differences in Affirmation Rates Within and Between Categories?............................................................ 342 1. Statistically Significant Findings ................................................... 342 2. A ggregated Categories .................................................................. 344 B. Does PartyofAppointment Matter?......................................................