Judicial independence is generally regarded as crucial to the rule of law and to stable economic and political change. Both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights list judicial independence as central to safeguarding human rights. The United Nations (UN), the Council of Europe (CoE), and organizations such as the American Bar Association promote judicial independence.

There is wide agreement that an independent judiciary has three basic elements, even though no consensus exists on a definition. First, the judicial system must be publicly perceived as impartial in rendering decisions. Judges should not have a personal interest, whether due to bribery and corruption, or as a result of political pressures, in the outcome of disputes between private parties and the government. Second, judicial decisions must be accepted and respected by the contesting parties and the larger public. Third, judges...