Great American Judges [2 Volumes]: An Encyclopedia

John R. Vile

Jun 2003 · ABC-CLIO

About this ebook

Great American Judges profiles 100 outstanding judges and justices in a full sweep of U.S. history. Chosen by lawyers, historians, and political scientists, these men and women laid the foundation of U.S. law. A complement to Great American Lawyers, together these two volumes create a complete picture of our nation's top legal minds from colonial times to today.

Following an introduction on the role of judges in American history are A-Z biographical entries portraying this diverse group from extraordinarily different backgrounds. Students and history enthusiasts will appreciate the accomplishments of these role models and the connections between their inspiring lives and their far-reaching legal decisions. William Rehnquist, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., and 12 other Supreme Court justices are found alongside federal judges like Skelly Wright, who ordered school desegregation in 1960. Influential state judges such as Rose Elizabeth Bird, California's first woman Supreme Court Chief Justice, are also featured.

About the author

John R. Vile is professor and chair of the Political Science Department at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN. He is the editor of ABC-CLIO's Great American Lawyers and author of The Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the award-winning Encyclopedia of Constitutional Amendments.