Many other books published claim that justices are very much influenced by these other factors. They do not deny justices are strategic, but argue that that is the nature of being a justice in the Supreme Court. They felt that this would help dissuade the argument that strategic decision making seems only prevalent in cases which are going to receive much more scrutiny and general attention because of their significance. Three Influences on Judges Epstein and Knight present three ideas they feel influence judges' decisions. Justices' actions are directed toward the attainment of goals.
Justices are strategic.
Institutions structure justices' interpretations. These three basic principles are not mutually exclusive and combined they form the theory that Epstien and Knight claim drive justices to the choices they make. The first idea, attainment of goals, is very simple yet important. Each justice has a policy preference pertaining to each case presented before them, and they know which position to take to further their own policy beliefs on that issue. Each justice, being human, has a highly developed sense right and wrong and will act upon it.