Judicracy

This page refers to the system of government and is not to be confused with the judiciary or judicial branch of other forms of government.

A judicracy (alternatively juridicary, from judicial and juridical - "of or relating to judicial proceedings and the administration of the law") is a rare form of government whereby judges, referred to as judicials, hold political and governing power in society. This form of government is also commonly referred to as "rule by precedent" as most judicratic states adhere to the doctrine of stare decisis, while the other minority of states operate by "patternless rule", where precedent is irrelevant. Judicracy can be described as a subsidiary system of oligarchy as it is customary for there to be a small elite unit of judges, commonly referred to as the Supreme Court, which make out the top part of the power structure and hierarchy.

Judicracies are generally undemocratic and exhibit meritocratic characteristics, whereby the judicials with the most experience and meritorious record become part of the so-called Supreme Court. These appointments or selections are usually done by a conclave of sitting judicials where the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice (which goes by different names and incarnations in different states) are elected. Judicracy is regarded as the modern form of kritarchy.

Stare decisis judicracies
Latin: Stare decisis - "to obey previous decisions"

Nullum dictandi judiciaries
Latin: Nullum dictandi - "no pattern"