Longitudinal Study of the Political and Policymaking Role ofthe Philippine Supreme Court

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Dr. Tate plans to investigate the political and policymaking role of the Philippine Supreme Court from 1965 to the present. The data base for the study is comprised of some 12,000 cases, interviews with justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, and mailed questionnaire surveys to a sample of trial court judges and members of the legal profession. Based on these data sources, Dr. Tate is able to quantify numerous aspects of the institutional role of the Philippine Court over time and undertake complex multivariate analyses focusing on the impact of such events as President Marcos' declaration of martial law or the assignment of increased administrative and supervisory duties to the Court. Also, time series analyses can assess the impact on the Court of annual variables like macroeconomic indicators of the health of the economy. The data sets combined permit placing the Court in its political and legal system contexts, analyzing its institutional performance and decisionmaking, and identifying the patterns of change and continuity as it adapts to radically changed political surroundings. This study has considerable scientific promise. It offers the opportunity to examine the political role of courts not only outside of the American context but also in a setting that serves as a natural experiment because of major regime changes through the period in question. Thus, it should substantially advance knowledge of the interrelationship between politics, political regimes, and the judicial process.