Bridging the Lawmaking Process

Lawmaking in a separated system occurs through stages of development across institutions, and policy ideas change as they pass through these stages. But under what conditions will institutions interact? This article suggests that one explanation for Court-Congress interaction is the influence of organized groups. By mobilizing the law, groups serve as an organized "bridge" between the judicial and legislative arenas by providing information to both branches and thereby increasing inter-institutional communication. The study is based on analysis of two lawmaking sequences involving recent church-state controversies in which groups seek to expand or overturn a Supreme Court decision through legislation that is itself subsequently reviewed by the Court

Lawmaking · Legislation · Legislature · Political science · State (computer science · Supreme court · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Law · Religion and Society Interactions