The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions

by Kermit L. Hall (Editor)

The Supreme Court has been the site of the great debates of American history, from child labor and prayer in the schools, to busing and abortion. The Oxford Guide to United States Supreme Court Decisions offers lively and insightful accounts of over four hundred of the most important cases
ever argued before the Court, from Marbury v. Madison and Scott v. Sandford (the Dred Scott decision) to Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade .
Here are the landmark decisions that have shaped American life, described by some of our most eminent legal scholars. Arranged alphabetically, each entry provides the United States Reports citation, the date the case was argued and decided, the vote of the Justices, who wrote the opinion for
the Court, who concurred, and who dissented. More importantly, the entries feature an informative account of the particulars of the case, the legal and social background, the reasoning behind the Court's decision, and the case's impact on American society. Kermit Hall has drawn the material
primarily from the acclaimed Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court , revising and updating entries where necessary, and he has written 47 new entries covering recent notable cases, including Clinton v. Jones, Reno v. Shaw, Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey , and Turner
Broadcasting System, Inc. v. FCC. The Guide also features a case index (including all cases mentioned anywhere in the text), a topical index, the Constitution of the United States, an appendix on the Justices, and a legal glossary.
For anyone interested in the great controversies of our time, this invaluable book is a must read--a primer on the epic constitutional battles that have informed American life.

Genres: Law, History, Nonfiction, Reference

448 pages, Paperback

First published April 8, 1999

About the author

Kermit Lance Hall was a noted legal historian who served as president of Utah State University from 2000 to 2005, and president of the at University at Albany from 2005 until his sudden death from a heart attack in 2006.

Reviews

[Shera]

Of course I love this book; but I love the foundation of the law. We all have principles; and when you can't understand when the Supreme Court rules against your seemingly right principle; this book will help you understand the history behind the cases that bring forth the poignant questions the Court was faced with when deciding these important cases that shape the legal aspects of our country.

Do you know who the Scottsoboro Defendants are? Would you agree with this case outcome once you find out? Get frustrated with "criminals get off easy" - read this book to understand the evolution of the criminal law cases and civil rights.

Do you know what the argument was in Roe v. Wade that won? FYI, It was not that abortion was great; rather it was that if abortion was legal in New York, it ought to also be legal in Texas. That case was argued by 2 law school graduates fresh out of school before the Court on behalf of a poor woman who could not afford to travel to New York for the abortion she sought. Now, you do not have to agree with abortion or even think that is right, but to understand what the Court was deciding upon is interesting when you want to understand the basis of these case decisions, especially if you don't agree with the societal outcome of the decisions.

How about Loving v. Virginia? Do you know what that case was about? Mrs. Loving recently passed away, but the legacy she leaves in her part in history in the Court's decisions on ALL of our right to privacy is forever. Good stuff to know about!

Brown v. Board of Education? Would you be surprised to know that some school districts are still not compliant with the Supreme Court direction in this historical decision?

I could go on and on and on....I love this stuff and understanding our US Supreme Court! Read on to know more in the book!

[F. Clifford Gibbons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine introduction, history and discussion of the United States Supreme Court of the years of its operation until it lost its collective mind in the past twenty-plus years, from Bush v. Gore and Citizens United v. FEC to overturning Roe v. Wade.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cases in this book are alphabetically organized, with brief summaries of decisions and some background information. Together with the the topical index (not mention the case index), this is a very helpful tool to get acquainted with the Supreme Court decisions. In addition there is a brief glossary, for terms such as "in re" (Latin for "in the matter of" a phrase used to designate cases lacking formally adverserial parties. It refers to the thing that is the subject of litigation, such as a physical object.) and "Lemon Test", which could only mean that the justices squeeze a little tart lemon on the constitution or the bench (or both, duh) to see what color it turns. Well, no, but the glossary will tell you what it really means. Appendix 1 is a reprint of the Constitution, Appendix 2 is a table of the nominations, successions and appointments of justices.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this book to supplement my text books for a Constitutional law class in college. I was amazed at how nicely each U.S. Supreme Court case was broken down and presented in a clear and concise manner. It was a huge help when I was trying to keep track of all the decisions that we covered.

[Hannah MacLean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the type of book one uses more for reference than anything else. One way or another, I really like it very much. Great information, unbiased.

[Alex Fernie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll be honest. I haven't read all of it.