Curriculum Vitae

Education

  • PhD, Political Science, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, 2023
  • MA, Political Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 2019
  • B.A., Political Science (Minor: Middle Eastern Studies), cum laude with honors, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 2017
  • B.A., History, cum laude, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 2017
  • A.A., with honors, Florida State College, Jacksonville, FL, 2014

Publications

  • “Procedural Justice and the Shadow Docket,” with Sara C. Benesh. Emory Law Journal (November 2023)
  • “Reliable Sources? Correcting Misinformation in Polarized Media Environments,” with Nicholas R. Davis, Amanda Heideman, Patrick Kraft, Jason T. Neumeyer, and Shin Young Park.  American Politics Review, (September 2021).
  • Taraleigh Davis. “A Tale of Two Courts: State Courts of Last Resort and Civil Rights Adjudication” in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in America: A Reference Handbook. Michael LeMay, editor.  New York: ABC-CLIO. 
  • Taraleigh Davis. “Remote Control: How Intermediate Appellate Court Online Hearings Can Help Offset State Judiciary Budget Cuts” in The American Judicial System: A Reference Handbook. Michael LeMay, editor.  New York: ABC-CLIO.  

Select Work in Progress

  • “In the Light: Procedural Legitimacy at the Supreme Court of the United States.” Under review.
  • “The ‘Case’ for Independent Courts: The Insurance Theory of Judicialization in Autocracies.” In preparation for submission to an academic journal.
  • Here Ye! Hear Me! The freshman effect on oral argument in the U.S. Supreme Court.” Analyzing data.

Select Conference Presentations 

  • Taraleigh Davis “Big Reputation? The consequences of public appearances on public perception of the Justices and of the Supreme Court,” American Political Science Association Annual Meeting September 2022, Montreal, Canada.
  • Taraleigh Davis “The Freshman Effect on Oral Argument in the U.S. Supreme Court,” American Political Science Association Annual Meeting September 2021, Seattle, Washington.
  • Taraleigh Davis with Erin Kaheny and John Szmer “Organizational Advantages vs. Attorney Expertise in Supreme Court Representation,” Law and Society Annual Meeting May 2020, Denver Colorado.*
  • Taraleigh Davis, “Appropriate Adjective: Executive Authority and the Classification of Enemy Combatants,” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2020, Chicago, Illinois.*
  • Taraleigh Davis, “Political Stability in the Post-Soviet Region,” Midwest Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2019, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Taraleigh Davis, “Order in the Court: Assessing Political Stability in Post-Soviet States,” Florida Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2019, Tampa, Florida.
  • Taraleigh Davis, “Emergency Powers after 9/11,” Southwestern Political Science Association Annual Meeting, October 2018, Orlando, Florida.
  • Taraleigh Davis, “Leftovers of a Dissolved Empire: Assessing the Political Stability of the Former Soviet Republics of Kazakhstan, Georgia, and the Ukraine,” Florida Political Science Association Annual Meeting, April 2016, Lakeland, Florida.

(* Canceled due to COVID-19)

Teaching Experience

  • UA LAW 672 Innovation for Justice (Guest Lecturer, University of Arizona College of Law)
  • POL 250 Law & Society (Fall 2022)
  • POL 412 Constitutional Law (Spring 2023)

Teaching Assistant (PhD Level)

  • POL 702 Advanced Techniques of Political Science Research (Prof. Patrick Kraft)
  • POL 417 The Supreme Court (Prof. Sara Benesh)
  • POL 412 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties (Prof. Sara Benesh)
  • POL 316 International Law (Prof. Robert Beck)
  • POL 104 Introduction to American Government and Politics (Prof. Kathy Dolan)

Research Experience

Research Assistant to Dr. Sara Benesh, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Summer 2022

  • Completed a research project gathering and coding extra-judicial behavior of the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Summer Research Intern, Argosy Foundation, Summer 2022

  • Conducted a nationwide survey and completed a research project gathering, analyzing, and displaying data on higher education. 

Research/Data Analyst, Pew Trusts, Summer 2021 – March 2022

  • Data cleaning, merging, and analysis of large amounts of court data for multiple jurisdictions. Methodology consultation on the project.

Summer Research Intern, Argosy Foundation, Summer 2021

  • Completed a research project gathering, analyzing, and displaying data on affordable housing and the impact on surrounding areas.

Methods Training

  • EITM Europe Summer Institute (2021)
  • Erdös Institute training in Python (Spring 2022)

Service

  • Political Science Student Association Coordinator, 2020-2022

Scholarships and Awards 

  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Distinguished Dissertation Fellowship, 2022-2023
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Distinguished Graduate Student Fellowship, 2021-2022
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Graduate Student Excellence Fellowship, Fall 2019
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Chancellor’s Graduate Student Award, Fall 2019
  • University of Central Florida Graduate Presentation Fellowship, Fall 2018
  • University of Central Florida Scholars Award, Fall 2017
  • University of Central Florida Scholars Award, Spring 2017
  • University of Central Florida Scholars Award, Fall 2016
  • University of Central Florida Scholars Award, Spring 2016

Skilled with Software Programs

  • Stata, R, Excel, LaTex, Python, NVivo, Qualtrics, Tableau

Professional Memberships

  • American Political Science Association
  • Southwest Political Science Association
  • Midwest Political Science Association
  • Law and Society