Abstract:

This paper is a theoretical evaluation of the data obtained from a field research with the in-depth interviews of 80 judges and public prosecutors in Turkey. I attempted to understand what judges understand by the concept of equity and the way they carry it into practice when delivering a verdict. This article is actually the introductory headlines from the data I obtained at the first stage of a long and comprehensive study. What establishes the framework of the study is the question of “how judges make decisions”. Since I designed the research in accordance with a qualitative method, it is dedicated to the purpose of understanding rather than surveying and assessment. This article serves as an introduction to a comprehensive study. In the subsequent stages of the study, considerably rich data obtained from in-depth interviews will possibly give way to a multidimensional analysis in various interpretational contexts and in the light of detailed codes. However, it would not be wrong to argue that judging the case from the available picture is open to the impact of value judgments. So I suppose, saying famous motto “wise judges are better than good codes” (Gute Richter sind noch wichtiger als gute Gesetze”) will not be impetuosity

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