Christina L. Boyd

news.bloomberglaw.comTrump Makes Fewer Asian American Judicial Picks in Second TermPresident Donald Trump has nominated far fewer Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders as judges so far in his second term compared to his first, while continuing to appoint fewer members of other minori...

21 Sept

Pleased to have an opportunity to speak with Olivia for this article about the trends in judicial appointments this term. news.bloomberglaw.com/us-law-week/...

law.washu.eduWashU Law Hiring Announcement | WashU LawWashU Law invites applications from entry-level or lateral candidates for tenure-track and tenured positions

24 July

Washu Law is hiring multiple entry level & lateral positions this year! The hiring committee (chaired by me) will be looking broadly across subjects, along with hoping to fill curricular needs in torts, property, contracts, &/or evidence. Full details: law.washu.edu/news/washu-l...

Institute for Social Research (ISR) - University of Michigan

18 July

This book is terrific—incredible new data, amazing and heart wrenching stories, and super timely. Highly recommended to those interested in American politics, political behavior, immigration, and law & society (and beyond).

Roberto F. Carlos@robertocarlos.bsky.social

Excited to share that my book, "Information Brokers" @uchicagopress.bsky.social is out this Friday (July 3)! I will share endorsements the next three days, so please forgive the overposting. Also, please consider engaging with it. Order the book here : press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/bo...

Christina L. Boyd reposted

David H. Montgomery

@dhmontgomery.com

15 Apr

A shocking new poll result: Many Americans somehow don't have a favorite dinosaur. And only 6% give the correct answer (triceratops). Check out YouGov's new polling on Americans and dinosaurs: yougovamerica.substack.com/p/whats-your...

Christina L. Boyd reposted

@umisr.bsky.social

16 July 2025

Now on Bluesky: University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research (ISR)! We’re a leading social science research institution, with studies on politics, health, inequality, and economic behavior. Follow for research highlights, behind-the-scenes looks, and insights from our scholars! #Science

25 May 2025

File this under "cool research" . . . In 2019, the NSF funded Wilford's CAREER grant "A system of pleas: Using a role-playing simulation to test plea decision models." 1/

25 May 2025

The research provides important insights into criminal adjudications in the U.S. and includes "expanding, testing, and disseminating novel plea-simulation software designed for both research and educational purposes." 2/2

After a little STL tornado delay...let's get back to highlighting some great NSF-sponsored projects. Today's highlight has significant STL connections and has made multiple generations of scholarship (and journalism and teaching) better: The U.S. Supreme Court Database (SCDB) 1/

The SCDB contains 247 pieces of info across 6 categories of variables: identifiers, background, chronological, substantive, outcome, and voting/opinion. 3/

scdb.la.psu.eduHome | Supreme Court DatabaseThe Supreme Court Database is the definitive source for researchers, students, journalists, and citizens interested in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Database contains over two hundred pieces of informat...

Current SCDB flat data files (along with lots more info on the SCDB) are here: scdb.la.psu.edu Online queryable data--one of my personal favorite features of the modern SCBD--are available through 2023 here: scdb.wustl.edu/analysis.php 4/4

The database "is a comprehensive, public, multi-user data resource containing information about every case decided by the United States Supreme Court from its first decision in 1791 to today." 2/

15 May 2025

Today's NSF Funding Highlight: The many dissertation improvement grants (and equivalents) funded by the NSF. These grants are small in size but help launch research agendas & careers. These awards=a better dissertation in scope and design. #LowCostHighImpact

15 May 2025

🤞

Today's NSF Funding Highlight: In 2006, state tort reform was hugely salient, and that continues to endure. Avraham's "Database of State Tort Law Reforms" yielded a state-by-state database tracking state and DC laws. 1/

The data have been frequently used and cited, with an impact that extends from scholars to policymakers to journalists. 3/

papers.ssrn.comDatabase of State Tort Law Reforms (7.1)This manuscript of the DSTLR (7th) updates the DSTLR (6th) and contains the most detailed, complete and comprehensive legal dataset of the most prevalent tort r

The really great news? Avraham continues to update the database today! See papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... and links within. #LowCostHighImpact 4/4

The data record things like details on the reform, whether juries are allowed to be informed of it, how state courts responded to the reform, and whether it was amended by the state legislature. 2/

Today's NSF Funded Research Highlight: 2021's "Science for Judges-Development of the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, 4th Ed." by Mazza. Scientific evidence is everywhere in courts today. NSF funding of scientific evidence evaluation improves court processes & outcomes. 1/

Coverage includes important but highly technical topics like DNA identification and genetic testing, expert testimony, statistical models, survey research, economic damages calculation, toxicology, and more. 3/

Users of the manual include judges (federal and state) but also attorneys, legal scholars, and law students (and likely many more). 4/4 #LowCostHighImpact

This project brings together a "committee of 10-12 members representing...legal and scientific/ engineering/ medical communities" to partner with the Federal Judicial Center to develop an updated "science for judges" manual. 2/

NSF Funded Research Highlight of the Day: 2017's "Jurors' Use of Scientific Information" by Neal, Gervais, & Schweitzer. The project "addresses fundamental Qs about how humans reason w/ & make inferences & decisions based on the quality of relevant scientific data" w/ jurors. 1/

As the investigators note, jurors are "non-experts who do not possess the necessary tools to differentiate between weak and strong scientific information when making decisions." 2/

The project uses jury simulations to "examine jurors' and juries' sensitivity to strong versus weak scientific information presented in court" and whether safeguards can improve jurors' inferences from scientific information. 3/3

In the small way that I can--via posts on here in the coming weeks--I want to highlight/celebrate some important NSF-funded projects (& resulting societal knowledge) over the years. 1/

The projects yield publicly-available datasets that go on to serve as the backbone for books & articles & introduce students & policymakers to powerful new ways to think in depth about judges, lawyers, litigants, defendants, policies, & more. 3/

I'll feature recent & older grants. Some by people I know, some by folks I have never met. I will start in the law & science area but over time may veer beyond that. I'll use data on grants archived by the NSF, w/ titles, names, and abstracts sourced from there. 4/4

In the small way that I can--via posts on here in the coming weeks--I want to highlight/celebrate some important NSF-funded projects (& resulting societal knowledge) over the years. 1/

science.orgNSF slashes number of ‘rotators’ and well-paid managers as part of restructuringSmaller future budgets will require fewer people, NSF official tells staff

These funded projects are/were often low cost & high impact, tackling significant legal research Qs that help to better society, shape future practices & processes in courts, inform us on public opinion & policy effectiveness, & impact litigants. 2/

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Valerie Hans

@jurygirl.bsky.social

10 May 2025

Useful thread about the restructuring of NSF. Expertise out. Political priorities in. Our science will suffer.

Carl T. Bergstrom@carlbergstrom.com

1. After getting some further insight into changes at NSF (thanks to those who reached out), I deleted a previous post where I tried to make sense of Cheatham's memo as reported in the Science story below.

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Mark Joseph Stern

@mjsdc.bsky.social

9 May 2025

From the Supreme Court: Retired Justice David Souter died yesterday at the age of 85.

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Dr. Suzanne Le Menestrel

@drsl.bsky.social

2 May 2025

The Spencer Foundation is offering rapid response bridge funding for those who lost NSF research grants. www.spencer.org/grant_types/...

spencer.orgRapid Response Bridge Funding ProgramIn the face of recent abrupt shifts in federal funding for education research, including large-scale terminations of National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant awards, we have developed a rap...

talkingpointsmemo.comTrump Allies Sue John Roberts To Give White House Control Of Court SystemClose allies of President Trump are asking a judge to give the...

2 May 2025

Have I had my own disappointments at the Administrative Office and Judicial Conference not turning over data? Sure. But the solution is definitely not declaring them them part of the Executive Branch.

Robert Maguire@robertmaguire.bsky.social

Think tank founded by Stephen Miller is suing to Chief Justice Roberts and the office that administers the judiciary, asking a judge to give the White House control over much of the federal court system.

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Brad Heath

@bradheath.bsky.social

2 May 2025

A @reuters.com investigation identified 11 judges whose families faced threats after they ruled against President Trump. Many have come after billionaire Elon Musk attacked them on his social media platform. www.reuters.com/investigatio...

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Roberto F. Carlos

@robertocarlos.bsky.social

24 Apr 2025

As I wrap up my last class of the semester, it feels appropriate to announce that I will be joining @umich.edu Political Science & @umisrcps.bsky.social this fall. While leaving my home state and my many wonderful colleagues is hard, I am super excited about what is in store in Ann Arbor. Go Blue!

28 Mar 2025

A special hat tip to the incredible @dzobrien.bsky.social, @emilythorson.bsky.social, and Sarah Kreps for appearing on this North America list for high volume, impact, and top quality publications in our field! 🙇‍♀️🌟

PS: Political Science & Politics@pspolisci.bsky.social

Now online! "Our data suggest...increased geographic diversity in the generation of research output, revealing a movement toward a more balanced representation between North American and European departments..." doi.org/10.1017/S104...

21 Mar 2025

This guy Paul Weiss is on the shortlist for a seat on SCOTUS, right?

20 Mar 2025

What a special evening celebrating International Women's Day at WashULaw this week, hosted by the Women's Law Caucus. As she should always be, Lady Justice looms behind me, ever reminding of her presence. And did you know? WashU law has been admitting women law students since 1869!

annualreviews.orgGender and Leadership in Executive Branch Politics | Annual ReviewsGender influences who has access to power, how leaders behave and are received within institutions, and how institutions are perceived. This review examines gender dynamics in the executive branch, fo...

15 Mar 2025

Friday night in St. Louis

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Diana O'Brien

@dzobrien.bsky.social

10 Mar 2025

Really pleased that my @annualreviews.bsky.social on "Gender and Leadership in Executive Branch Politics" w/ @tiffanydbarnes.bsky.social is now out! www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Free Law Project ⚖

@free.law

4 Mar 2025

Our new "PACER Pray and Pay Project" is launched! This project lets you "Pray" for PACER documents you want, and has a leader board where other people can "Pay" for the most-wanted items. When your prayer is granted, we let you know! Details below and here: www.courtlistener.com/help/pray-an...

4 Feb 2025

I'm sure this will be widely adopted 😏

doi.orgGender, Race, and Interruptions at Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings | American Political Science Review | Cambridge CoreGender, Race, and Interruptions at Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings - Volume 119 Issue 1

30 Jan 2025

Today is the official @apsrjournal.bsky.social publication day for our article (w/ Collins & Ringhand) “Gender, Race, and Interruptions at Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings” Open access @ doi.org/10.1017/S000...

30 Jan 2025

Focusing on SCOTUS confirmation hearings back to 1939, we find that male and white participants are more likely to interrupt women and person of color speakers, respectively, relative to male and white speakers. This finding holds for both senators and nominees as interrupters.

30 Jan 2025

As we note, “In this high-profile setting, interruptions matter, especially when disproportionally directed to the speech of women and person of color senators and nominees. Interruptions silence the original speaker and elevate the power of the interrupter.”

Christina L. Boyd reposted

Alyx Mark

@alyxmark.bsky.social

28 Jan 2025

Hi Bluesky friends! I thought I’d use my first-ever post to announce that it’s publication day for my book, Courts Unmasked: Civil Legal System Reform and COVID-19 with @univpressofkansas.bsky.social 🎉🎉 1/🧵

cambridge.orgHow the Trump Administration’s Quota Policy Transformed Immigration Judging | American Political Science Review | Cambridge CoreHow the Trump Administration’s Quota Policy Transformed Immigration Judging - Volume 118 Issue 4

23 Jan 2025

As we show in our recent article, Trump’s immigration judge quota policy in 2018 was an effective tool to constrain behavior. We, and many others, warned that efforts like Trump’s new moves to fire IJs and EOIR officials were a natural next step. www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Hamed Aleaziz@haleaziz.bsky.social

Our story on the stunning firings at the U.S. immigration court: www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/u...

nytimes.comTrump Administration Fires Immigration Judges as Crackdown BeginsFour immigration court officials were removed from their positions on Monday. It’s unclear who is in charge at this point.

democracydocket.comCongress Passes Bill to Add More Federal Judgeships, Biden Plans to Veto ItRead more here.

24 Dec 2024

👎 even though we knew it was coming

Democracy Docket@democracydocket.com

President Biden vetoed the JUDGES Act, a bipartisan bill to create 60+ new federal judges. Biden's veto message said the bill "fails to resolve key questions" about the allocation of judges and senior status judges: www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo... Background:

uscourts.govStatement of Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr., Director of the AO, Regarding Veto of the JUDGES ActJudge Robert J. Conrad, Jr., the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, issued a statement regarding the President’s veto of S. 4199, the Judicial Understaffing Delays Gett...

24 Dec 2024

Doesn’t get much spicier than this from the AO.

Josh Gerstein@joshgerstein.bsky.social

JUST IN: Judges conference slams Biden over veto of bill to create more judgeships. Doc: www.uscourts.gov/data-news/ju... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2024/12...