Judicial Demeanor: Oral Argument in the High Court of Australia

An important way judicial authority is expressed is through in-court demeanor. Original empirical research investigates the demeanor of the judges of the High Court of Australia during oral argument by using a fine-grained analysis of transcripts and audio visual recordings. This research finds that the judges present an impersonal or detached demeanor, consistent with formal or abstract norms governing the judicial role. The slight departures from a detached demeanor observed suggest ways judicial presentation balances formal requirements of a detached demeanor with some human display of individual behaviors in a particular court context.