Table of Contents

Introduction 1. The Institution 2. Ideologies of Authority 3. The Cult of the Judge 4. The Institutional Setting 5. Court Business 6. Practices in Action 7. Authority and Policy 8. Beyond the Legalist Paradox Appendix: Supreme Court Budget Requests Notes References Index

Promotional Information

A fresh and innovative examination of the U.S. Supreme Court as the final arbiter of constitutional interpretation

About the Author

John Brigham, Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, is the author of four other books, including Property and the Politics of Entitlement (Temple).

Reviews

"The book offers a brilliant and sophisticated analysis of the place the Supreme Court has earned for itself in the American political system." --C. Herman Pritchett "Brigham's analysis of the Supreme Court is original and incisive. He focuses on the spectacular growth in the Court's power and prestige over the past two centuries, exploring the politics of institution building with sensitivity and finesse." --Doris Marie Provine, Syracuse University "[This book] constructs an original framework to explore the legal, political, and social influences that have shaped modern judicial authority. Brigham rightly argues that future research needs to explore further the roots of modern judicial authority as well as current challenges to the Court. He provides us with a powerful original framework that links law and politics and addresses the postmodern context of current constitutional interpretation." --The Review of Politics