Patterns of Activism on State Supreme Courts

This study examines patterns of judicial conflict and policyactivism during 1930–1980 on the supreme courts of California,Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.The findings indicate that dramatic shifts from passivity toactivism take place over very short periods of time, and thatwhen a shift to judicial activism does occur, it is due mainlyto a change in court composition involving the introductionof "maverick" justices. Furthermore, of the four courts in thestudy that underwent a transition to activism, none have subsequentlybecome non-activist.