Supreme Court Research: Books

Designed to meet the growing need among students and members of the general public for clear, authoritative, and up-to-date information about the Supreme Court, these three volumes offer a comprehensive guide to the justices and the landmark decisions that have defined the legal code throughout the history of the United States. There is also as glossary of legal terminology and a listing of related Internet resources which are intended to bring a deeper perspective to the textual matter.

This edition of Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court reflects the substantial changes in the makeup of the High Court and landmark rulings from recent Court terms. Updated through the 2008-2009 term, this resource explains everything readers need to know about the Supreme Court, from its origins and how it functions to the people who have shaped it and the impact of its decisions on American life and the path of U.S. constitutional law.

Guide to the U.S. Supreme Court covers the Court's entire history; its operations; its power in relation to other branches of government; major decisions affecting the other branches, the states, individual rights and liberties; and biographies of the justices. Appendixes provide additional information on the Court such as the Judiciary Acts of 1789 and 1925 and a list of Acts of Congress found by the Court to be unconstitutional. A general name and subject index speeds research, and a case index quickly guides readers to all decisions discussed in the Guide.

The Supreme Court has continued to write constitutional history over the thirteen years since publication of the highly acclaimed first edition of The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court. Two new justices have joined the high court, more than 800 cases have been decided, and a good deal ofnew scholarship has appeared on many of the topics treated in the Companion. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist presided over the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, and the Court as a whole played a decisive and controversial role in the outcome of the 2000 presidential election. UnderRehnquists's leadership, a bare majority of the justices have rewritten significant areas of the law dealing with federalism, sovereign immunity, and the commerce power. This new edition includes new entries on key cases and fully updated treatment of crucial areas of constitutional law, such as abortion, freedom of religion, school desegregation, freedom of speech, voting rights, military tribunals, and the rights of the accused. These developments make the secondedition of this accessible and authoritative guide essential for judges, lawyers, academics, journalists, and anyone interested in the impact of the Court's decisions on American society.

This online edition was reviewed and selectively updated by the original editor in 2011.

"The Supreme Court Compendium provides historical and statistical information on the Supreme Court: its institutional development; caseload; decision trends; the background, nomination, and voting behavior of its justices; its relationship with public, governmental, and other judicial bodies; and its impact. With over 180 tables and figures, this new edition is intended to capture the full retrospective picture through the 2013-2014 term of the Roberts Court and the momentous decisions handed down within the last four years, including United States v. Windsor, National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, and Shelby County v. Holder." --Publisher

With its blend of accessible writing and actual excerpts from Court opinions, this book serves to explain the legal and cultural underpinnings of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions of the past 35 years--and to illuminate how these decisions have shaped the trajectory and character of modern American society. Provides comprehensive, objective, and accessible coverage of major Supreme Court decisions since the early 1970s. Presents easy-to-understand breakdowns of competing perspectives on contemporary constitutional issues that illuminate divisions within the Court. Places modern case law into historical perspective for readers of all levels of expertise. Enables readers to appreciate that interpreting the U.S. Constitution is not simple, contrary to some political rhetoric regarding the document.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

An important reference that provides the historical context and constitutional perspective of more than 1,000 of the most important Supreme Court cases. Landmark Decisions of the United States Supreme Court offers an unparalleled history of the Supreme Court and its impact on American democracy and society.

The Supreme Court has been the site of some of the great debates of American history, from child labor and prayer in the schools, to busing and abortion. The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions offers lively and insightful accounts of the most important cases ever arguedbefore the Court, from Marbury v. Madison and Scott v. Sandford (the Dred Scott decision) to Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade. This new edition of the Guide contains more than 450 entries on major Supreme Court cases, including 53 new entries on the latest landmark rulings. Among the new entries are Bush v. Gore, Nixon v. United States, Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academicand Institutional Rights. Four decisionsHamdi v. Bush, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Rasu v. Bush, and Rumsfeld v. Padillaare considered in a single essay entitled Enemy Combatant Cases. Arranged alphabetically and written by eminent legal scholars, each entry provides the United States Reports citation, thedate the case was argued and decided, the vote of the Justices, who wrote the opinion for the Court, who concurred, and who dissented. More important, the entries feature an informative account of the particulars of the case, the legal and social background, the reasoning behind the Courts decision,and the cases impact on American society. For this edition, Ely has added an extensive Further Reading section and revised the Case Index and Topical Index. For anyone interested in the great controversies of our time, this invaluable book is a must reada primer on the epic constitutional battles that have informed American life.