The guide
What will be here
Each guide is written by the research team alongside the codebook. The outline below is the shape every one of the 33 guides follows.
What this category covers
The inclusion boundary — which actions belong here and which fall to a neighbouring category.
How it is coded
The decision rules a coder applies, with the edge cases that come up most often.
Where to look in your own state
The records, filings, and beats where events in this category usually surface first.
For coursework
Discussion questions and an exercise, for instructors assigning this guide.
Events in this category
Sample data65 across 28 states, 2008–2024
States with the most
Nearby
Other guides under judicial independence
Guides are written alongside the codebook, which publishes with the dataset.
How coding works