MONDAYS WITH THE SUPREMES

A limited-run series where I review three books about the Supreme Court of the United States, exploring its historical and ideological conflicts, and the transformations it wrought upon law and society.

The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court, by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong (1979)

The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court, by Jeffrey Toobin (2007)

Scorpions: The Battles and Triumphs of FDR’s Great Supreme Court Justices, by Noah Feldman (2010)

I.     INSIDE THE SECRET WORLD OF THE SUPREME COURT

II.     MATTERS OF PROTOCOL

III.     KOREMATSU, BROWN, AND PADILLA

IV.     TAPES AND TAPES

V.     SUPREME COURT SWINGERS

VI.     THE ABORTION DEBATE (WITH JOKES)

VII.     THE IDEOLOGICAL LITMUS TEST

VIII.     LONGRUNNERS: HUGO BLACK, WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS, WILLIAM REHNQUIST

IX.     CASS GILBERT’S STEPS