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State Solicitors General, Appellate Expertise, and State Success Before the U.S. Supreme Court

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Ryan J. Owens  and
Patrick C. Wohlfarth
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Abstract

This article examines how institutional design leads state governments to win their cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. We analyze whether states are more likely to prevail on the merits when they create a formal solicitor general office and have an attorney from that office argue their cases before the Court. We employ an analytical matching approach and find that attorneys from state solicitor general offices are significantly more likely to win their cases compared to other kinds of state attorneys. Accordingly, if states prioritize victory before the Court, they should consider creating state solicitor general offices and granting those solicitors general the authority to control their appellate litigation.

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Articles
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Law & Society Review , Volume 48 , Issue 3 , September 2014 , pp. 657 - 685
Copyright
© 2014 Law and Society Association.

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