For an upper-level political science seminar -- covering the empirical literature in political science about the Supreme Court appointment process, decision-making, and its impact -- I began the course with a short segment introducing the current Justices to the students. I created an e-reserves course packet of some interesting articles about each of the Justices (see below). I taught this course before the Maltz volume was published, so the course packet was my best option. I highly recommended the Maltz book and I will use it in the future, but I will probably also continue using some of these articles. There are succinct analyses of the Justices' jurisprudential and constitutional theories, and the more gossipy and descriptive parts help bring the Justices to life, which obviously helps to engage students.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist:
The Partisan: a talk with Justice Rehnquist. NewYork Times Magazine 28 (March 3, 1985)
David G. Savage, âOpinions on Rehnquist: views onthe chief justiceâs impact are still mixed,â 82 ABA Journal 42 (October 1996).
David J. Garrow. âThe Rehnquist reins.â The New YorkTimes Magazine 65 (October 6, 1996).
Justice John Paul Stevens:
StuartTaylor, Jr., The Last moderate. (John Paul Stevens) 12 American Lawyer 48 (June 1990).
Justice Sandra Day OâConnor:
Holding the Center: Sandra Day OâConnor evolves into major force on Supreme Court 79 ABA Journal 48 (March 1993)
Erwin Chemerinsky, The O'Connor court. (U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's swing vote). 21 Cal. Law 21 (March 2001).
Justice Antonin Scalia:
Jeffrey Rosen, âThe Leader of the Opposition,â TheNew Republic (Jan. 18, 1993), p. 20.
Tony Mauro, Could Scalia be the chief? 25 LegalTimes 10 (November 18, 2002).
Justice Anthony Kennedy:
Jeffrey Rosen, The Agonizer 72 The New Yorker 82(Nov. 11, 1996).
Tony Mauro, Kennedy on the campaign trail? 25 Legal Times 13, 7 (April 1, 2002).
Justice David Souter:
Jeffrey Rosen, âPoetic Justice: the education of David Souter,â The New Republic (March 8, 1993), p.25
David J. Garrow, âJustice Souter emerges,â NewYork Times Magazine, p.36 (Sept. 25, 1994).
Justice Clarence Thomas:
Tony Mauro, âRedefining Thomas,â LegalTimes (August 6, 2001).
Garland Watt, âReflecting on Clarence Thomas, A Decade On,â Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (April 27, 2002)
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg:
Erwin Chemerinsky, âThe Crowded Center,â ABAJournal (Oct. 1994)
Jeffrey Rosen, âThe New Look of Liberalism on the Court,â New York Times Magazine (October 5, 1997)
Tony Mauro, âModerate in the extreme; far from being liberal trailblazers, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer have taken cautious steps on the high court,â Legal Times (March 6, 2000).
Justice Stephen Breyer:
Jeffrey Rosen, âBreyer restraint: is Clinton's Court pick too good to be true?â The New Republic (July 11, 1994)
Lynda Dodd
Assistant Professor
Miami University of Ohio
