America's Supreme Court

Making Democracy Work

Stephen Breyer (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)

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Hardback

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English

Oxford University Press
09 December 2010

Constitution: government & the state; Political structures: democracy; Law; Legal history; Constitutional & administrative law

The American Supreme Court is one of the most powerful and controversial judicial bodies in the world. The Court has assumed the role of settling fundamental issues of American social policy through its power of constitutional interpretation, and its rulings are among the most divisive, and controversial events in American political life.

How did the American court come to acquire such power? How does it maintain its authority and public confidence in the face of deep political divides. In this book Stephen Breyer, a leading intellect in the current Court, gives an insider's view on how America's Supreme Court came to acquire such a prominent role in American public life, how the Court operates, and how it can continue to maintain the trust of the American public as the final arbiter of the values underlying America's democratic constitution.

Breyer introduces the history of the Court by telling the stories of the landmark cases that defined the role the Court would play in American politics. He then offers a powerful restatement of his views on how a constitutional court should fulfil its function as final interpreter of a democratic constitution. In doing so, he examines some of the Court's most controversial recent decisions, on issues such as the legality of detention in Guantanamo Bay, and the scope of protection of gun ownership in Heller.

The book offers a unique introduction to how the American Supreme Court does and should operate, invaluable to all students of American law and politics, and anyone looking to understand the workings of American politics.

By: Stephen Breyer (Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States)
Imprint: Oxford University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 241mm, Width: 169mm, Spine: 28mm
Weight: 517g
ISBN: 9780199606733
ISBN 10: 0199606730
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 09 December 2010
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Stephen Breyer took his seat on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1994. He is the author of Active Liberty: Interpreting Our Democratic Constitution (OUP/Knopf 2005)

Reviews for America's Supreme Court: Making Democracy Work

`The author, Stephen Breyer - an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court - offers the authoritative comment of the indisputably knowledgeable insider, Reading through the text certainly increased our understanding, not only of the workings of the American Supreme Court, but of American politics and political history as well.' Phillip Taylor MBE, Richmond Green Chambers