RESEARCH ON THE DIFFERENT METHODS OF JUDICIAL SELECTION IS FIRST REVIEWED. STUDIES DEALING WITH THE EFFECTS OF SELECTION SYSTEMS ARE THEN EXAMINED. THE IMPACT ON SUCH FACTORS AS THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JUDGES SELECTED, JUDICIAL VOTING BEHAVIOR, AND DISSENT RATES OF COURTS IS CONSIDERED. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE, BASED ON THIS REVIEW, THAT DIFFERENT METHODS OF SELECTION DO NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE CHARACTERISTICS OF JUDGES SELECTED OR THE COURTS. EVEN IF DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND, THE RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THESE DIFFERENCES WOULD HAVE LITTLE EFFECT ON ATTITUDES OR DECISION-MAKING BEHAVIOR. THEY ALSO CONCLUDE THAT FUTURE STUDIES OF JUDICIAL SELECTION SHOULD INVESTIGATE SELECTION AS ONE OF A NUMBER OF DEPENDENT VARIABLES ACTED ON BY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL FACTORS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)