James F. Spriggs

James F. Spriggs II is the Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government in the Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis. A leading scholar in judicial politics, his research examines Supreme Court decision-making, precedent evolution, and judicial appointments. He holds a PhD from Washington University (1994) and has authored award-winning books on judicial collegiality and precedent.

Research focuses on:

• Strategic interaction in opinion writing
• Evolution of stare decisis
• Political dynamics of lower court appointments
• Public perception of courts

Honors include the APSA Law & Courts Section's Lasting Contribution Award (2017) for foundational work on judicial bargaining. Current projects analyze historical trends in federal judicial confirmations and inland fisheries management politics. His methodological innovations include creating the Supreme Court Opinion Writing Database.

Significant publications:

• The Politics of Precedent on the U.S. Supreme Court (Princeton, 2006)
• Crafting Law on the Supreme Court (Cambridge, 2000)