Judicial Character in Hard Times: On the Role of Judicial Virtues in Defending the Rule of Law

This insightful book analyses how judges’ intellectual traits and personalities impact the rule of law and the proper performance of judicial roles. Focusing on times of crisis, the book discusses manifestations of judicial character under internal and external pressures, social unrest, and attacks on judges when their status, independence, and impartiality are under strain.

Chapters consider the fundamental question of what constitutes a good judge, delving into the emerging field of virtue jurisprudence and exploring its connections to virtue ethics. Expert authors reflect on personal qualities that may be especially helpful in hard times, including courage, lawfulness, prudence, integrity, perseverance and empathy, and situate these attributes in the context of European, constitutional and administrative courts. Ultimately, the book argues that the law, as applied by the courts, is greatly impacted by judicial character, the notion of which is best understood through the lens of virtue theory.

Providing novel perspectives on virtue jurisprudence and aretaic theory, this thought-provoking book is an essential resource for academics and students in philosophy of law, legal theory and philosophy and ethics. Its consideration of institutional and practical applications will also greatly benefit lawyers and political scientists working in the field.