Book Review: Helmke, Gretchen y Julio Ríos-Figueroa, eds., Courts in Latin America.

ALBA RUIBAL

Latin American Politics and Society

Wiley

Año: 2013 vol. 55 p. 178 - 180

1531-426X

This important book is part of a recent wave of studies on Latin American judicial politics, oriented toward analyzing the roles and practices of high courts, which comes after a first wave of works mostly interested in the politics of judicial reform and judicial independence. The book continues a trend in this field to focus on the courts that hold ultimate constitutional review powers in each country. It aims to evaluate and explain the work of these courts regarding the enforcement of two basic components of the rule of law, or, in the editors´ words, the two main sections of modern constitutions; that is, the division of powers scheme and citizens' rights.