CALLING IT QUITS - STRATEGIC RETIREMENT ON THE FEDERAL-COURTS OF APPEALS, 1893-1991

Does politics influence judicial retirements? Judicial scholars have l ong acknowledged the role of politics in the judicial appointment proc ess and in judicial decision making, but the judicial retirement liter ature presents divergent conclusions on the effect of politics. We emp loy an event count model to test the influence of politics on the annu al number of voluntary departures from the federal courts of appeals f rom 1893 through 1991. Our data provide evidence that more judges are likely to retire when political conditions favor the selection of succ essors sharing their policy views or when unfavorable political condit ions appear unlikely to change These political factors are significant even after controlling for the costs incurred by continued service on the courts, such as diminishing salary, increasing caseload, age, and improved retirement benefits.