Date of Completion

Spring 5-1-2026

Thesis Advisor(s)

Virginia Hettinger

Honors Major

Political Science

Abstract

This thesis examines the factors driving state legislatures to restructure judicial ethics commissions. Although judicial autonomy is foundational to the American legal system, these reforms signal a growing legislative willingness to exert direct influence over the bench. With a particular focus in Texas and Georgia, this study compares the variables that shape reforms and the common themes that are present in the legislative debates. Using Devlin and Wildeman’s (2021) framework as a guide, the specific arguments made by legislators regarding these reforms are examined in an effort to understand how they justified or contested the changes. By analyzing legislative discourse and institutional changes, this research identifies the primary normative values employed to justify these interventions and evaluates how these shifts alter the balance between democratic oversight and judicial autonomy. Ultimately, this study offers a framework for understanding the evolving relationship between state legislatures and the independence of the bench.

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