Reading the Constitution

Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism

Stephen Breyer

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Hardback

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English

Simon & Schuster
26 March 2024

History of the Americas; 21st century history: from c 2000 -; Central government; Law; Constitutional & administrative law

"A provocative, brilliant analysis by recently retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer that deconstructs the textualist philosophy of the current Supreme Court's supermajority and makes the case for a better way to interpret the Constitution. ""You will not read a more important legal work this election year."" --Bob Woodward,

Washington Post reporter and author of fifteen #1 New York Times bestselling books

""A dissent for the ages."" --The Washington Post

""Breyer's candor about the state of the court is refreshing and much needed."" --The Boston Globe

The relatively new judicial philosophy of textualism dominates the Supreme Court. Textualists claim that the right way to interpret the Constitution and statutes is to read the text carefully and examine the language as it was understood at the time the documents were written.

This, however, is not Justice Breyer's philosophy nor has it been the traditional way to interpret the Constitution since the time of Chief Justice John Marshall. Justice Breyer recalls Marshall's exhortation that the Constitution must be a workable set of principles to be interpreted by subsequent generations.

Most important in interpreting law, says Breyer, is to understand the purposes of statutes as well as the consequences of deciding a case one way or another. He illustrates these principles by examining some of the most important cases in the nation's history, among them the Dobbs and Bruen decisions from 2022 that he argues were wrongly decided and have led to harmful results."

By: Stephen Breyer
Imprint: Simon & Schuster
Dimensions: Height: 236mm, Width: 163mm, Spine: 38mm
Weight: 544g
ISBN: 9781668021538
ISBN 10: 1668021536
Pages: 368
Publication Date: 26 March 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Stephen Breyer is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court who served there for twenty-eight years until retiring in 2022. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews for Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism

"""A rocket from a Supreme Court justice who served 28 years on the Court. Justice Breyer shows how the current Supreme Court's alleged textualism and originalism are unsound. His book is a judicial arms-control agreement advocating moderation and a path to what he calls 'workable democracy.' You will not read a more important legal work this election year.""--Bob Woodward, Washington Post reporter and author of 15 #1 New York Times bestselling books"