NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER โข From the first woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court comes this fascinating book about the history and evolution of the highest court in the land.
โ[A] succinct, snappy account of how todayโs courtโso powerful, so controversial and so frequently dissected by the mediaโevolved from such startlingly humble and uncertain beginnings.โโThe New York Times
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Out of Order sheds light on the centuries of change and upheaval that transformed the Supreme Court from its uncertain beginnings into the remarkable institution that thrives and endures today. From the early days of circuit-riding, when justices who also served as trial judges traveled thousands of miles per year on horseback to hear cases, to the changes in civil rights ushered in by Earl Warren and Thurgood Marshall; from foundational decisions such as Marbury v. Madison to modern-day cases such as Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, Justice OโConnor weaves together stories and lessons from the history of the Court, charting turning points and pivotal moments that have helped define our nationโs progress.
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With unparalleled insight and her unique perspective as a history-making figure, Justice OโConnor takes us on a personal exploration, painting vivid pictures of Justices in history, including Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., one of the greatest jurists of all time; Thurgood Marshall, whose understated and succinct style would come to transform oral argument; William O. Douglas, called โThe Lone Rangerโ because of his impassioned and frequent dissents; and John Roberts, whom Justice OโConnor considers to be the finest practitioner of oral argument she has ever witnessed in Court. We get a rare glimpse into the Supreme Courtโs inner workings: how cases are chosen for hearing; the personal relationships that exist among the Justices; and the customs and traditions, both public and private, that bind one generation of jurists to the nextโfrom the seating arrangements at Court lunches to the fiercely competitive basketball games played in the Court Buildingโs top-floor gymnasium, the so-called โhighest court in the land.โ
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Wise, candid, and assured, Out of Order is a rich offering of inspiring stories of one of our countryโs most important institutions, from one of our countryโs most respected pioneers.