The judge as manager: The case of judge Frank Johnson

Judge Johnson's remarkable role in the reform of Alabama's mental health and prison facilities suggests that judges may have greater control over the agendas of policymaking than is normally assumed. In omnibus cases, the judge may be more interested in pushing state officials in the “right” direction than in securing full compliance with any specific set of absolute standards. The tenor and pace of implementation, moreover, may depend largely on the relationships of participants, the judge's personality, and related factors not susceptible to precise measurements.