This got passed around from SlateStarCodex, not sure where else it got traction. But yes: a followup study found that judges schedule open and shut cases for n

This got passed around from SlateStarCodex, not sure where else it got traction. But yes: a followup study found that judges schedule open and shut cases for near lunch so they won't get held up, and more ambiguous cases for open periods. Since "open and shut" usually means "guilty", the original study found higher conviction/sentence rates for near-lunch cases. Remove cases where judges can set their own case schedule and you see way less of this.