The Establishment of an Independent Budget for the Judiciary in the United States

Abstract

The article examines the budgetary autonomy of the judiciary as an essential component of judicial independence in the United States and traces its constitutional development from the colonial era to the present. It reviews the debates of the Constitutional Convention, the state ratifying conventions, and the arguments advanced in The Federalist Papers, which shaped the understanding of financial safeguards as a means of protecting the judiciary from political pressure. The analysis also considers later theoretical contributions that emphasize the relationship between independence, accountability, and adequate resourcing. The article concludes by drawing a parallel with the Bulgarian constitutional framework, highlighting the need for a balanced model that combines institutional autonomy with effective mechanisms of accountability.