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Media and Public Opinion in Judicial Decisions. A Comparative Study Between the United States and France.

Lila, Stela LU (2025) SOLM12 20251
Department of Sociology of Law
Abstract
This thesis explores the extent to which media narratives and public opinion influence judicial decision-making, with a particular focus on the legal structural differences between the United States and France. It compares how jury trials in the U.S., which incorporate lay citizens susceptible to public discourse, contrast with judge-led proceedings in France, where decision-making is reserved for trained professionals. Through the analysis of two comparable criminal cases, one from each country, this study demonstrates how legal outcomes may diverge under similar factual circumstances due to varying levels of institutional responsiveness to external pressures. The findings suggest that legal traditions, institutional design, and societal... (More)
This thesis explores the extent to which media narratives and public opinion influence judicial decision-making, with a particular focus on the legal structural differences between the United States and France. It compares how jury trials in the U.S., which incorporate lay citizens susceptible to public discourse, contrast with judge-led proceedings in France, where decision-making is reserved for trained professionals. Through the analysis of two comparable criminal cases, one from each country, this study demonstrates how legal outcomes may diverge under similar factual circumstances due to varying levels of institutional responsiveness to external pressures. The findings suggest that legal traditions, institutional design, and societal expectations collectively mediate the influence of external narratives on judicial behavior. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lila, Stela LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOLM12 20251
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
judicial decision-making, media influence, public opinion, jury trials, judge-led trials, United States, France, comparative legal systems, critical legal theory, legal realism.
language
English
id
9194038
date added to LUP
2025-06-23 09:39:12
date last changed
2025-06-23 09:39:12
@misc{9194038,
  abstract     = {{This thesis explores the extent to which media narratives and public opinion influence judicial decision-making, with a particular focus on the legal structural differences between the United States and France. It compares how jury trials in the U.S., which incorporate lay citizens susceptible to public discourse, contrast with judge-led proceedings in France, where decision-making is reserved for trained professionals. Through the analysis of two comparable criminal cases, one from each country, this study demonstrates how legal outcomes may diverge under similar factual circumstances due to varying levels of institutional responsiveness to external pressures. The findings suggest that legal traditions, institutional design, and societal expectations collectively mediate the influence of external narratives on judicial behavior.}},
  author       = {{Lila, Stela}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Media and Public Opinion in Judicial Decisions. A Comparative Study Between the United States and France.}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}