Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in Developing Countries

A substantial body of literature has emerged in recent years about the importance of judicial independence and the rule of law for good governance within nations. While this has helped to foster a better understanding these concepts and in promoting greater awareness of them, global consensus on optimum models of judicial independence or the rule of law—especially for developing democracies—has proved elusive. This is not surprising, given the significant differences in the make-up of nations and the many context-dependant variables inherent in the application of the parameters governing the rule of law. This chapter examines some of the relevant issues in this area and traces trends that would be of value for researchers and policy-makers.