Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions

Whether a controversy is political, economic, or social, whether it focuses on prayer in public schools, war powers, busing, abortion, business monopolies, or capital punishment, eventually the battle goes to court. And the ultimate venue for these struggles is the Supreme Court-a prism through which the entire life of our nation is magnified and illuminated, and through which we have defined ourselves as a people. Now, in this captivating guide, we have a rich source of information about one of the central institutions of American life. Everything one would want to know about the Supreme Court is here, in more than one thousand fascinating entries. It offers biographies of every justice who ever sat on the Supreme Court, as well as entries on rejected nominees and prominent judges, on presidents who had an important impact on, or conflict with, the Court, and on many other influential figures. This volume examines every major case the court has decided-from Marbury v. Madison to Brown v. Board of Education to Roe v. Wade; it presents extended essays on the major issues that have confronted the Court, and it offers detailed entries on judicial matters and legal terms. And, as in all Oxford Companions, the contributors combine scholarship with engaging insight, giving us a sense of the personality and the inner workings of the Court, from the clouded resignation of Abe Fortas to the beautiful artwork adorning the Supreme Court building. The decisions of the Supreme Court have influenced nearly every facet of American society. A brilliant achievement, this authoritative guide to the great American institution is essential for every person whose life has been touched by the Court's vital decisions.Hall, Kermit L. is the author of 'Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions', published 2001 under ISBN 9780195139242 and ISBN 0195139240.