| This dissertation investigates the nature of the relationship between federal courts and federal administrative agencies by examining the influence intra-branch and inter-branch strategies the judges may in the decision to defer to agencies and in the ideological vote in cases. In an effort to preserve judicial legitimacy, judges consider the preferences of others, in addition to sincere, personal preferences and case and legal factors. Considering multiple levels of the federal judiciary and compliance by agencies, I examine how the federal courts fit into the larger system of Separation of Powers in the United States. Findings indicate that deferential and ideological behavior is sometimes conditioned upon strategic calculations of the preferences of other actors and institutions. |
