NCJ Number
139490
Date Published
1992
Length
300 pages
Annotation
Much of the growing interest in the U.S. Supreme Court relates to a widespread feeling that the Court is becoming a strongly conservative institution, and major Court decisions are examined for signs of a shift in direction.
Abstract
Initial book chapters discuss the Court as a political institution, with consideration given to the role of the Court in the judicial system, the Court's history, and judge selection. Chapters then focus on the process by which cases reach the Court, the Court's growing caseload, and the Court's decisionmaking procedures. Particular attention is paid to factors that influence the Court's choices among alternative decisions and policies, issues on which the Court concentrates, and the extent of Court activism in policymaking. Chapters also explore the Court's environment, judicial values, group interaction, judicial review, and policy outputs. The final chapter examines ways in which other government policymakers respond to the Court and considers the Court's impact on society as a whole. An appendix contains additional information on Supreme Court nominations between 1789 and 1991. A glossary of legal terms and a case index are included. 61 references, 20 tables, and 9 figures