The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #306

by Linda Greenhouse

Very Short Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring

For 30 years, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Linda Greenhouse chronicled the activities of the U.S. Supreme Court and its justices as a correspondent for the New York Times . In this Very Short Introduction , she draws on her deep knowledge of the court's history and of its written and unwritten rules to show readers how the Supreme Court really works.

Greenhouse offers a fascinating institutional biography of a place and its people--men and women who exercise great power but whose names and faces are unrecognized by many Americans and whose work often appears cloaked in mystery. How do cases get to the Supreme Court? How do the justices go about deciding them? What special role does the chief justice play? What do the law clerks do? How does the court relate to the other branches of government? Greenhouse answers these questions by depicting the justices as they confront deep constitutional issues or wrestle with the meaning of confusing federal statutes. Throughout, the author examines many individual Supreme Court cases to illustrate points under discussion, including Marbury v. Madison , the seminal case which established judicial review; District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), which struck down the District of Columbia's gun-control statute and which was, surprisingly, the first time in its history that the Court issued an
authoritative interpretation of the Second Amendment; and Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022), which repudiated the right to abortion the Court had recognized nearly fifty years earlier in Roe v. Wade (1973). To add perspective, Greenhouse also compares the Court to foreign courts, revealing interesting differences. For instance, no other country in the world has chosen to bestow life tenure on its judges.

The third edition of Greenhouse's Very Short Introduction tracks the changes in the Court's makeup over the past decade, including the landmark decisions of the Obama and Trump eras and the emergence of a conservative supermajority.

A superb overview packed with telling details, this volume offers a matchless introduction to one of the pillars of American government.

Genres: Law, Nonfiction, Politics, History, American History, Audiobook, The United States Of America

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2012

Reviews

[robin friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Supreme Court In The Very Short Introductions Series

The Supreme Court considers and resolves legal issues of great moment in the United States but remains a mystery to many Americans. Linda Greenhouse's "The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction" (2012) offers an overview of the Supreme Court, its history and workings, and its place in American government. Greenhouse covered the Supreme Court for the New York Times for over 30 years and currently teaches at the Yale University Law School in addition to continuing to write about the Court. Her book is part of the "Very Short Introductions" series of Oxford University Press. The OUP offers the following description of the goal of the series. "Very Short Introductions can change the way you think about the things that interest you, and are the perfect introduction to subjects you previously knew nothing about. Because of this, they have proven to be extremely popular with general readers, as well as students and their lecturers."

In addition to the overall purpose of the series, Greenhouse explains her own specific goals for the book.

"This book is not intended primarily as a work of history. Its aim is to enable readers to understand how the Supreme Court of the United States operates today. But while detailed knowledge of the Court's history is not required for that purpose, acquaintance with the Court's origins helps appreciate the extent to which the Supreme Court that we know today has been the author of its own history. From the beginning, it has filled in the blanks of Article III [of the Constitution] by defining its own power..... That process of self-definition continues today."

The emphasis of the Court's self-definition of its role as one of the three branches of the United States government pervades Greenhouse's succinct, thoughtful introduction to the Court. She begins with the Constitutional origins of the Court and with Chief Justice John Marshall's early decision that the Court had the power to review and invalidate legislation if the Court concluded it violated the Constitution. In subsequent chapters, the Court and the types of cases it decides, the Justices and the manner of their appointment, the functions of the Chief Justice, various approaches to Constitutional interpretation, the relationship of the Court to the Executive and Legislative branches of the government, the Court and public opinion, and the Court in an international context. It is a daunting task for a book of less than 100 pages.

For all its brevity, the book is highly useful and offers a good introduction to the Court with no pretension that it constitutes a full account. The book includes notes and a reading list that invite interested readers to learn more. The book includes short discussions of several controversial Court decisions which set out in simple terms the reasons for the underlying controversy. Given the size of the book, the author devotes considerable attention to two issues. First, Greenhouse discusses the Constitutional provision for life tenure for the Justices and discusses whether the purpose of this provision (insulation from political pressure) might better be served by an appointment for a lengthy but fixed number of years. The second issue which Greenhouse addresses in some detail is abortion. Greenhouse describes the background of the Court's 1973 decision in "Roe v. Wade" and the controversy it engendered. She then describes the 1992 decision in "Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey" in which the Court narrowly declined to overrule "Roe v. Wade." She examines the opinions in the latter decision for a discussion of how the Court viewed the questions of judicial integrity and the overruling of precedent. Greenhouse has written elsewhere in detail about abortion and the law.

Greenhouse's book fulfills admirably the goals of the "Very Short Introduction" series and her own stated goals for the book. Her "Very Short Introduction" to the Supreme Court will help readers in their understanding of the Court and of American government.

Robin Friedman

[Clif · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm avidly consuming Oxford's "very short introduction" series. This one on the U.S. Supreme Court is the series concept perfected. Though I expected a tough read that would likely be boring, I found it easy, very enjoyable and informative. I'll fill this review with questions the author answers that I hope will pique your interest.

Linda Greenhouse (with that name she MUST be an environmentalist!) touches only briefly on the history of the SC. The thrust of the book is relating the SC to American life and politics. The justices are not sealed away from the public opinion and they don't want to be.

We know that presidents appoint justices, but do those justices produce the kind of rulings hoped for at the time of appointment? Is there a reason to be found for why justices rule as they do? Why is it no simple thing to interpret the Constitution, as simply written and short as it is? Why is precedent so important? What was the big issue with conservatives and the Warren court in the 1960's that had them calling for Warren's impeachment? Why are there nine justices? Why did Roosevelt want to add justices to the court and how did he plan to do it? How is it that only the U.S. high court has justices appointed for life and what are the benefits and drawbacks of the practice?

The titles of chapters in this book (The Court and the public, The Court at work) are broad enough for the author to range widely, giving the reader the benefit of her deep knowledge of the subject. Along the way, 44 cases are cited providing examples of what Greenhouse is covering.

Did you know you can go sit in on a session of the Court? It's first come first served. You might be standing in line for a while, but if you keep your place in line, you will be admitted.

You'll find out about the SC's ability to hear only the cases that it decides to accept and the guiding rules for acceptance. How do the justices arrive at a decision and who gets chosen to write the majority opinion? What's the calendar like for the Court and how is it that decisions all come in a rush? Has a justice ever reversed him/herself? Isn't the job overwhelming? What is "a friend of the Court"?

Of the three branches of American government, the judicial has gone furthest in defining itself. The third article of the Constitution that set up the Court tells us very little about what it should be in practice, an opening the Court has used. This very short introduction shows the Supreme Court as a living institution changing with the times. An American citizen couldn't do better than run though the 100 pages. Were I an middle school or high school teacher, I'd want to pass out a copy of this book to every student.

At the back is a helpful listing of all the presidents, the justices they appointed, and the length of the term served by each justice.

[Michael Galdamez · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty helpful introductory book on a controversial and often spoken of topic: the U.S. Supreme Court.

Overall, I found this useful. However, I have enough quibbles with it to lower my rating.

Quibble number one: too much information.
For an "introductory" book, it felt at times like the author would throw me head first into the deep end of the political pool. She most always started simply enough. But then she would start pulling out very complicated court cases, losing me in the midst of her seemingly discombobulated thought. To top that off, she liked to use all the political terms without concretely defining what they all mean.

Quick side note, the book wasn't entirely confusing. I'm just pointing out that as a "very short introduction" to the Supreme Court, it wasn't always as clear as it was short.

One last quibble. Bias. I must admit, the author did a pretty good job at sounding unbiased... but it was still there. Again, this kind of goes back to an earlier statement I made. She often used actual court cases to try and prove her point. Where I found bias was often in the sorts of cases she used. A lot of them had to deal with topics such as abortion and women's rights when there were plenty of clearer cases she could have chosen that would have avoided controversial issues like the ones she often picked.

Nonetheless, I'd say this is worth your while if you want a quick, rather enlightening read on the Supreme Court.

[Trinity Benstock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview with concepts explained through particular cases.

[Anthony J. Toumazatos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely synopsis of the SCOTUS. Greenhouse expertly provides enough background on the Court's history, mode of action, and different philosophies of jurisprudence without making it overwhelming. I would warmly recommend reading this if one is interested in the Court, especially as it would only take a few days to read. I look forward to reading more of these short introduction books by the Oxford Press, and I hope that some of the others can match the quality of this one.

[Lisa Crabtree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable quick guide to the court. I liked the use of cases as examples to explain processes and points of law.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far. . .Terrific. I am so impressed with Ms. Greenhouse's writing. She has such a skill of explaining the "Court" in its wisdom, or not! It is too bad that she is not on PBS anymore. But I did her speak on Book TV and everyone seemed to thoroughly appreciated her skill and understanding of the Court and Article III of our Constitution.
I have finished reading and I remain most appreciative of Ms. Greenhouse's writing. This is a good primer for the uninformed or those who have forgotten their civics lessons!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got exactly what I was looking for from this book. A short history and explanation of the judicial branch of our government. Greenhouse's style is very understandable and she does a great job explaining something that could otherwise be seen as a very complex system.

[Ryan Thorpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good and practical intro to the Supreme Court. I have gone on a Supreme Court binge recently and I wish I’d started with this book. I picked it up because Linda Greenhouse shows up constantly in other books about the Supreme Court and is the best known reporter / explainer of the court.

In this book, she provides a working introduction to interpreting the court, focusing on (a) where it came from; (b) how it goes about it’s work; (c) how it plays and/or does not play with other branches, the public, and the international community, and (d) provides overviews of a few important Supreme Court issues, typically as a means to doing a, b, or c rather than as a goal in and of itself. That goal - summarizing Supreme Court law on important subjects - is a different book, and one that you should wait to read until you have first read this book.

She also effortlessly conveys the historical sweep of the court and as a result does a better job of locating where the pendulum is now than anyone I’ve read (right of center but not as far right of center as warren was left of center and left of the pre warren court).

The best parts (for me) covered how courts take cases and how that has changed over time, in particular how Taft got congress to allow the court to pick and choose its own docket and how his role as an executive helped him do that. I also thought the section on the court and the executive, the legislature (extremely permissive until just recently) and the court and the public (generally a decent barometer with some exceptions.

Finally, she does a great job locating the us system in the international context - more the first of its kind with some weird flaws than an inimitable model. I was genuinely unaware we are the only country in the world with lifetime membership to its constitutional court. I was also unaware how litmus tests in the wake of Roe brought about the judicial bent of current court members and likely permanently transformed the court.

If you are curious about the court, start here and then head off into deeper waters

Four stars!

[John McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among all the public institutions of government, the work of the Supreme Court, how a case gets accepted for briefing, argument, and decision by the Court, and how the Court enforces its decisions are among the least understood.

And yet, since 1790, when the first Supreme Court sat with no cases except those moving their way through the Circuit Courts, by accretion and public pronouncement, the Court has defined its powers, increased its jurisdiction, and become the most influential, I believe, of all our public institutions.

Its power derives from its history and from the acceptance by public officials and the public that what it says is the law. The Court does not decide issues between contestants who seek to remedy a wrong by the defending party. The Court decides issues that interpret statutes and the Constitution, and its decisions ensure that agencies and acts of government are within actions allowed by the Constitution and the statutes.

Nevertheless, how the Court works is a mystery to most lawyers, even those who study it carefully and sometimes practice before it. Linda Greenhouse's book gives some insight into the Court and its work, and even a little of its history.

Her book is one I wish I had access to in the 1970s when I was studying law in the 1970s. It would have helped me understand that so much of the reason that law works or, at least appears to work, is because the public and public officials accept it decisions and are willing to have the Court's orders enforced.

The book is easy to read, short, and to the point. Anyone who reads it will approach some level of understanding of the Court and a bit of its jurisprudential power.

[Jesse Field · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gem in the Oxford “Very Short Introduction” series, The U.S. Supreme Court contains distilled comments from Linda Greenhouse, who covered the court as a New York Times reporter for many years. There are valuable notes here about the workings of the court, such as the amicus curiae briefs, 9000-word documents supplied by “friends of the court,” often interest groups.

There are also fascinating anecdotes, such as how Anthony M. Kennedy, when assigned to write the majority opinion defending prayer in school in Lynch v. Donnelly, 1992, Justice Kennedy worked himself over to the opposite side, and ended up writing a majority in favor banning prayer in schools. "Several months later, in June 1992, the Court issued its 5-to-4 decision invalidating clergy-led prayer at public school graduation ceremonies. This behind-the-scenes drama remained unknown outside the Court for the next twelve years, until Justice Blackmun’s papers were opened to the public at the Library of Congress.”

Persistent themes emerge here, such as the concern for the age of Supreme Court Justices; the USA is virtually the only country that grants justices of its highest court lifetime appointments. In the balance, this is perhaps the single policy whose reform would most benefit the country, by increasing the dynamism of the court. It is, after all, a specific purpose of the court to keep a grasp on the tenor of the country’s most important legal issues.

This is certainly worth a re-read, perhaps before or after I read again about the Supreme Court. It’s a model of the purpose and possibility of this valuable book series.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid introduction to the Supreme Court, that does assume a strong familiarity with law, the US Constitution, and American history. Some of the detail on how the Court functions is interesting, but it can also get buried under the babble of American legal structure (circuit courts?), though this does seem to be a result of my Britishness. There are also plenty of cases referred to, and internet access was essential for me to understand what they were on about. The biggest weakness though is the bias of the book, with a dismissive attitude towards the more conservative decisions. Greenhouse contradicts herself in her questioning of overturning precedent in some cases, but supportive of other overturns. She comes close to a position when discussing the potential for Roe's overturn in the 1990s, but a lack of critical edge seems to come from a lack of acknowledgement of her own biases, somewhat fitting for a book that doubts the potential for judges to be neutral.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so much civics 101 ignorance that abounds in America, this short and easy to read and digest book on the Supreme Court can clear out 1/3 of lack of knowledge in this area. One gains a very workable understanding of how SCOTUS works, how it makes decisions, selects case to hear and why, responds to public opinion and how it affect public perceptions, and its reliance on accurate information to avoid bad decisions, and much more. Very much worth the time to read and get educated on the third branch of American government.

My taking nearly a year to read it is due to having too many books going at once and the inevitable life interruptions. I actually read six of the eight chapters today finishing it in the process.

[T C · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick and bare bones summary of the court, its structure, its role in landmark decisions, and its relationship to its people and to the rest of the world.

Getting a fresh explanation as to how we’ve gotten where we are with such contentious Supreme Court nominations was interesting to read.

Learning tidbits of information about landmark hearings from Marbury v Madison to Obergefell v Hodges and understanding the decisions in the context of where in history that decision was made is intriguing and made me think about how law in the United States may be never-changing in some instances and ever-changing in others dependent on public opinion.

I also didn’t know President Taft went on to become a Supreme Court Justice… you learn something new every day.

[jessica o. ❦ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a history with debate that specified in Supreme Court cases so this was a fun overview. However, I think I wouldn't recommend this to, say, an 8th grader, since the author doesn't define many key terms related to the Supreme Court. I was able to breeze through this, but I have a lot of outside knowledge. I think a younger person interested in the Supreme Court would need to Google many terms and cases. I also wish that she had better summarized significant cases. Overall, it was a fun refresh.

[Sunshinegirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

71%
This book is quick and informative about the U.S. Supreme Court. It provides a brief history of the Court, starting from the beginning of the country and continuing to the modern day. The main downside is the author’s noticeable political bias. The book would have been stronger if it had focused more on presenting the facts and been less emotionally charged when discussing certain cases and judges. You can clearly tell which judges the author likes and agrees with and which ones they do not. Overall, this book was very informative and made me want to learn more!

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to the Court system of the US regardless of the level knowledge and understanding the reader brings to the table. It also is a quick and easy read - easily done in a day when reading for pleasure. I read as part of a graduate course, and it took two sittings over two days but gave me a great basis to understand the structure and dynamic of the courts and judiciary branch.

[John Deardurff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have picked up that is part of Oxford's " A Very Short Introduction" series. Since I have read several books on the U.S. Supreme Court, I wanted to see how this 144-page book read and if the concept of the series would assist me in learning topics on which I am not as familiar.
I got exactly what I was looking for from this book. A short history and explanation of the judicial branch of our government. I will definitely be picking up other books in the series.

[Shyam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short overview, very interesting and informational for someone who has a bit of background, someone who reads the news, etc.

Perhaps not the ideal primer for someone who has absolutely no idea or acquaintance with the institution, since it does assume some minimal familiarity with the Supreme Court and past cases.

[sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid explanations for the supreme court and the justice system of US. You would understand better about the constitution and role of supreme court after reading, not only applie for the US, but for any countries using Common Law.

[Tyler S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the small size, the book presents a thorough and compelling summary of the U.S. Supreme Court. The book is filled with intriguing history and interesting facts. Overall, it is a great read for anyone interested in the court.

[Xuankang Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

关于美国最高法院的相关，我还是更推荐“高分子怪物”的博客系列。身处守序阵营，我对九位舵手用法律把控国家大方向的现实非常羡慕。不过最高法院并没有能力强制执行某项决定，其权力来自于公众的信任、来自于自身的“正当性”，于是才能将自身的影响力推行下去。所以，总归还是要朝着「最广大人民的根本利益」上靠拢的呀。

[Good · Rating 3 out of 5]

Intro was weak. Got better as it went on to specific areas. The book is physically short, but it is by no means a short read.

[Black Laces · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, concise and very informative.

[DigiHavel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good and, indeed, very short introduction.

[Reading]

《美国最高法院通识读本》（美）琳达·格林豪斯。

[Lydia Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book if you want to know a broad summary on the American Supreme Court. It’s a bit in depth, but it’s a pretty easy read.

[Robin]

A greatest hits of major Supreme Court cases and how the Court functions.

[Marlon Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

👎scotus👎

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a history of the court rather than a look at the inner working of the court, it is still a worthwhile read.