Trust, Legal Elites, and the European Court of Human Rights

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article interrogates institutional sources of trust distinct to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). Drawing from interviews with ECtHR officials and legal elites, the article identifies practices related to access, procedure, and performance that are central to direct stakeholders' evaluations of judicial trustworthiness. Elite trust is necessary for the continued operation of judicial bodies, and these stakeholders act as intermediaries with the potential to shape public perceptions. The article's findings have important implications for ECtHR's continued relevance, especially given the mounting resistance to it in recent years.