Rehnquist justice : understanding the court dynamic
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Rehnquist justice : understanding the court dynamic
University Press of Kansas, c2003
- : pbk
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Note
Includes index
Contents of Works
- Introduction / Earl M. Maltz
- William H. Rehnquist : Nixon's strict constructionist, Regan's chief justice / Keith E. Whittington
- Text and Tradition : the originalist jurisprudence of Antonin Scalia / Ralph A. Rossum
- Clarence Thomas and the perils of amateur history / Mark A. Graber
- Justice Sandra Day O'Connor : accommodationism and conservatism / Nancy Maveety
- Anthony Kennedy and the jurisprudence of respectable conservatism / Earl M. Maltz
- Realism, pragmatism, and John Paul Stevens / Ward Farnsworth
- David H. Souter : liberal constitutionalism and the Brennan seat / Thomas M. Keck
- Advocate on the Court : Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the limits of formal equality / Judith Baer
- The synthetic progressivism of Stephen G. Breyer / Ken I. Kersch
- Conclusion : politics and the Rehnquist Court / Mark Silverstein
Description and Table of Contents
Description
With seven of its justices appointed by Republican presidents, today's Supreme Court has significantly altered America's legal landscape since 1986 by tilting constitutional jurisprudence to the right. That was the goal of Presidents Reagan and Bush in filling court vacancies and has been felt in cases related to federalism, economic rights, and affirmative action. However, liberal issues such as abortion have moved only marginally to the right, while rulings by the Court on school prayer and gay rights have moved constitutional doctrine slightly to the left. Here prominent constitutional scholars are joined by new voices from the cutting edge of academia to show that the Rehnquist Court's conservatism is less extreme than many have supposed. Reflecting views across the political spectrum, the contributors help readers understand the Court dynamic, its constrained conservatism, and the forces that shape constitutional law in general. As these authors show, the overall pattern of decision-making in the Rehnquist era cannot be attributed to any single, unified approach to constitutional analysis. Instead, it can only be understood as the product of a complex interaction among individual justices, each with an idiosyncratic view of the proper interpretation of the Constitution and the role of the Court in the American political system. These essays provide insight into this interaction by focusing on each member of the bench. From the staunch conservatism of Clarence Thomas, to the ""accommodationism"" of Sandra Day O'Connor, to the ""liberal constitutionalism"" of David Souter, the essays analyze the unique approach of each justice to interpreting the Constitution. They also show that the current justices are the product of a nomination and confirmation process that has undergone a major transformation - one which now favors experienced, often unknown jurists over high-profile public servants. By concentrating attention on its members, Rehnquist Justice allows us to better understand the Supreme Court as a whole. And by assessing today's judiciary in light of a public philosophy that looks askance at government, it shows us that the Supreme Court has truly become a mirror of its times.
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