波斯纳曾以“法官最大化些什么”为专题,对联邦上诉法院的法官群体所追求的最大化目标进行了研究,并构建了法官的效用函数,认为在案件中投票以及因此获得的遵从和寻求休闲是法官效用函数中最重要的部分。也有中国学者借用此研究方法,在认识到中美两国在制度背景、法官职务保障以及法官管理方 Posner, on the topic of “what the judge maximizes,” has conducted a study of the maximization goal pursued by the federal appeals court judges and constructed a judge’s utility function that considers the votes cast in the case and the resulting Complying and seeking leisure is the most important part of the judge’s utility function. Some Chinese scholars also borrowed this research method, while recognizing the differences in the institutional background, the job security of judges and the management of judges