RT Journal Article
SR 00
ID 10.62355/ejels.23821
A1 Bhupatiraju, Sandeep
A1 Chen, Daniel L.
A1 Joshi, Shareen
A1 Neis, Peter
T1 Caste Aside? Names, Networks and Justice in the Courts of Bihar, India
JF European Journal of Empirical Legal Studies
YR 2024
FD 2024
VO vol. 1
IS n° 2
SP 151
OP 178
K1 inequality
K1 social identity
K1 justice
AB This study investigates the impact of social identity on judicial processes and outcomes at the Patna High Court over a decade (2009 to 2019). We employ machine learning algorithms to infer caste status from surnames (names) in court records. We note that a majority of court participants have ‘caste-neutral’ names. Though we find no evidence of name-based ‘matching’ between litigants and judges, caste-neutral petitioners are 3.3% more likely to choose a caste-neutral advocate. Matching, whether intentional or coincidental, yields notable consequences. Litigants with caste-neutral names who matched with similar judges face a higher likelihood of case dismissal and lower success rates in overturning appeals. However, advocates with caste-neutral names experience less disadvantage in these scenarios. Notably, the adoption of caste-neutral names, while offering some protection, does not fully mitigate the vulnerabilities faced by citizens within India's judicial institutions.
PB Juridiska institutionen
SN 2004-8556
LK https://publications.ut-capitole.fr/id/eprint/50042/
UL http://tse-fr.eu/pub/130079