| This dissertation provides an initial step toward an understanding of the position of United States Magistrate Judge and United States Magistrate Judge behavior. Though a great deal of work has been done on the judiciary as an institution and judicial behavior, work relating to the United States Magistrate Judges is woefully absent. The results presented in this work make a theoretical contribution to the literature supported by both qualitatively and quantitatively examining the roles and decisions of United States Magistrate Judges. I find that the roles of United States Magistrate Judges are defined as more of jurist as opposed to the initial design of court auxiliary and that there is very little difference between the decisions of the life-tenured Federal District Judges and non life-tenured United States Magistrate Judges. At the very least, this work shows that Magistrate Judges should no longer be overlooked in the public law literature. Researchers must recognize their importance and further examine the roles and activities of United States Magistrate Judges to provide a greater understanding of the position of United States Magistrate Judge, United States Magistrate Judge decision-making, judicial decision-making, and judicial institutions. |
