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In recent years, courts in different regions of the world have faced growing challenges as democracies experience backsliding and processes of autocratization. This General Track invites the submission of papers that explore the relationship between courts and political regimes, with particular attention to how, when, and why judges and courts contribute to either curbing or deepening democratic backsliding. Under what conditions do judges defend the rule of law and safeguard democratic principles? What strategies do courts use to limit the concentration of power in the executive? When do these efforts succeed, and when do they fail? The track also welcomes contributions addressing recent and underexplored topics in judicial politics, including judicial populism, gender parity in the judiciary, judicial communication, public perceptions of the judiciary, corruption within judicial institutions, legal mobilization, and the practice of lawfare. Overall, this track provides a platform for critical reflection on the judiciary’s capacity to uphold democratic norms and institutions in a time of global democratic decline.