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9780511614705

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The Supreme Court in the American Legal System is a distinct contribution from the existing texts -- unlike its competitors, it has a perspective and uses data to back it up. Unabashedly political in orientation, while rich in detail and facts, SCALS provides all the makings for lively class discussions. It stands as an important work for students in politics, legal studies, and those interested in the development and history of the court system. Lee Epstein, Washington University in St. Louis The Supreme Court and the American Legal System is an outstanding text -- comprehensive, well-written, and student-friendly. The authors are to be commended for writing such an accessible judicial process and politics book. This book can be read with profit by not only students, but also laypersons, and scholars alike. Sheldon Goldman, University of Massachusetts The Supreme Court in the American Legal System offers fresh insight into American courts and the judicial process. Segal, Spaeth, and Benesh provide extensive coverage of all the standard topics covered in judicial process classes but do so in a distinctively engaging manner. The depth and breadth of the authorsa knowledge, as well as their keen wit, is amply evidence throughout the text, making for informative and genuinely pleasurable reading. What makes this book so unique (and very appealing) is the careful attention given to introducing readers to, not only what we know about law and courts, but also how we know it. The authors make the social science research regarding the various aspects of the judicial process eminently accessible. This book will surely become a standard. Wendy L. Martinek, State University of New York at Binghamton From the rules that govern civil and criminal trials to the impact of Supreme Court decisions, Segal, Spaeth and Benesh thoroughly explain the American legal system. The authors expertly combine empirical data with historical analysis and legal information to provide a comprehensive look at how courts operate and the ways in which the judiciary influences public policy. The result is an exceptionally useful and well-crafted volume. Thomas Walker, Emory University Writing for a sophisticated audience and drawing on the latest political science literature, the authors occasionally have an irreverent approach to the topic. A nice addition to collections on the Supreme Court, law, and judicial politics...Highly recommended. CHOICE, D. Schultz, Hamline University This book is a far-ranging examination of the American legal system... It relies heavily on the multifaceted and voluminous research of the three authors and includes new findings. The book combines an historical and analytical perspective that will be a welcome addition for those who teach judicial process, for those outside the academy who want a systematic analysis of the Court, and for prelaw students who want to understand civil procedure. The discussion of the relationships between state and federal courts and jurisdiction is especially strong. The book is engaging and very well written... No one is spared their strong opinions or rapier wit. Perspectives on Politics At its core (it) is a forceful argument targeted at academic specialists and backed by sophisticated empirical analysis...the book is a rousing success...One could hardly as for a more engaging, provocative, and challenging book on judicial behavior for a general audience. David Klein, University of Virginia, Law and Politics Book Review

Author Information

Jeffrey A. Segal is Professor of Political Science at Stony Brook University. He received his Ph.D. in 1983 from Michigan State University. He is co-author of six books, including, most recently, The Supreme Court and the Attitudinal Model Revisited (Cambridge University Press, 2002, with Harold J. Spaeth). He is also author of Majority Rule or Minority Will (Cambridge University Press 1999, with Harold J. Spaeth), which won the C. Herman Pritchett Award for best book on law and courts. Segal has also published dozens of scholarly articles, including Predicting Supreme Court Cases Probabilistically: The Search and Seizure Cases, 1962-1981, which won the Wadsworth Award for book or article 10 or more years old that has made a lasting impression on the field of law and courts. Harold J. Spaeth is a professor of political science at Michigan State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati. He is author or co-author of sixteen books, including Stare Indecisis: The Alteration of Precedent on the Supreme Court, 1946–1992 with Saul Brenner, The Supreme Court and the Attitudinal Model Revisited with Jeffrey A. Segal, and Majority Rule or Minority Will with Jeffrey A. Segal. He is the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Law and Courts section of the American Political Science Association and served as principal investigator of the United States Supreme Court Judicial Databases. Sara C. Benesh is Assistant Professor of Political Science at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. She previously taught in the Department of Political Science at the University of New Orleans. She was awarded a grant for research from the National Science Foundation. She is the author of The U.S. Courts of Appeals and the Law of Confessions: Perspectives on the Hierarchy of Justice (LFB Scholarly Publishing, 2002).

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