An accessible account from international judges on contemporary challenges to the rule of law. The rule of law faces serious challenges in our time. Some governments threaten deliberately to break the law, while others jeopardize the independence of justice by subjecting it to unrelenting pressure from both the state executive and the media. This book aims to contribute to restoring trust in judges as custodians of the law through a comparison between civil and common law systems. It offers a rare opportunity to gather the expertise of eminent judges and legal authorities from five different countries, providing a unique insight into their practices amid a challenging moment for democracies all over the world. Far from being a highly technical debate between experts, however, the book is accessible to a public audience, raising important contemporary legal issues that concern all those who share an aspiration to justice.