Description
Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringFor 30 years, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse chronicled the activities of the U.S. Supreme Court and its justices as a correspondent for the New York Times. In this Very Short Introduction, she draws on her deep knowledge of the court''s history and of its written and unwritten rules to show readers how the Supreme Court really works.Greenhouse offers a fascinating institutional biography of a place and its people--men and women who exercise great power but whose names and faces are unrecognized by many Americans and whose work often appears cloaked in mystery. How do cases get to the Supreme Court? How do the justices go about deciding them? What special role does the chief justice play? What do the law clerks do? How does the court relate to the other branches of government? Greenhouse answers these questions by depicting the justices as they confront deep constitutional issues or wrestle with the meaning of con
Trade Review[A] new one-of-a-kind book on the Supreme Court." * SCOTUSblog *
Linda Greenhouse has long been one of the most astute observers of the U.S. Supreme Court and most trusted translators of its mysteries and traditions. This elegant and concise guide is invaluable for beginners and veteran court watchers alike. An ideal introduction to the Court for students and citizens of all ages. * Jeffrey Rosen, professor of law, George Washington University, and legal affairs editor, The New Republic *
There is hardly anyone in the country, outside the Court, who knows the institution and its practices as well as Linda Greenhouse does. * Melvin I. Urofsky, author of Louis D. Brandeis: A Life *
Greenhouse cogently illustrates the history, functions, composition and importance of the Supreme Court. In a slim volume that you can literally carry around in your pocket, you will find a wealth of knowledge." * Yale Daily News *
[A]n amuse-bouche of a book . . . short, but pithy. After finishing this book, readers should be inspired to take up [Greenhouse's] implicit invitation to read about the Court and its impact on shaping American law in a more substantial, meatier format. * Judicature *
For those interested in how cases come to be heard by the Court, the process leading to a decision and the Court's relationship with the other branches of the federal government and the public, this is an excellent way to begin. * Washington Independent Review of Books *
Table of ContentsList of illustrations Acknowledgments 1 Origins 2 The Court at work (1) 3 The justices 4 The chief justice 5 The Court at work (2) 6 The Court and the other branches 7 The Court and the public 8 The Court and the world Appendix 1: U.S. Constitution, Article III Appendix 2: The Supreme Court's rules Appendix 3: Chart of the Justices References Further reading Websites Index
