Procedural Justice in Human Rights Adjudication: The European Court of Human Rights

The social psychological theory of procedural justice emphasizes the fundamental importance of procedural fairness judgments in shaping citizens' satisfaction and compliance with the outcome of a legal process and in strengthening the legitimacy of legal institutions. This article explores the benefit of applying procedural justice criteria (participation, neutrality, respect, and trust) in human rights adjudication, with a particular focus on the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). It is argued that the ECtHR should take these criteria into account both at the level of its own proceedings and in evaluating how human rights have been dealt with at the domestic level.