Reviews (8)

Came up a tad short of its goal...
This book was a good read for a dreary return flight from DC.It falls short of the promise of its title.That said, every opening and closing statement in this book contained a valuable lesson for trial attorneys, and each statement makes a compelling read.I give this book 3 stars because it doesn't quite live up to its title.Perhaps "Some Really Cool Openings and Closings I liked" would've been a more appropriate title for the book.

Superb snapshot of 20th century legal cultural literacy
With the rapid growth of sensationalist legal coverage on TV news and primetime courtroom drama a la "The Practice", it can be difficult to understand fully the merits of a good trial lawyer's rhetorical virtuoso aside from the twists, turns, and socio-political backdrop which typically capture Americans' attention. With few exceptions, (e.g. Scopes trial, O.J. Simpson trial) the lawyer, that civic advocate and protector of justice, rarely receives deserved recognition. We sit collectively on the edge of our seats with eyes and ears pealed for damning witness testimonies and blood-stained clothes. Evidence is rarely that clear, Seidemann informs us, and most real life cases turn on the efficacy of the lawyer. This book renews our appreciation for a profession derided so often for its dishonesty that we have forgotten the sad and dangerous implications behind the humor. Within these pages of heartwrenching tragedies and controversies that rocked our nation, you will surely reexperience memories of the incidents as the opening/closing statements verify or challenge what you believe. Seidemann reminds us that we have conferred upon lawyers the great responsibility of juridicial guardianship, in order to shake us out of complacency and reaffirm our right to demand their rectitude and loyalty to their oath.
You can't put this book down
In the Interest of Justice is a great book.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Procedure    2. Courts    3. Criminal Procedure    4. Forensic orations    5. Law    6. Legal History    7. Legal Profession    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Practice Of Law    10. United States    11. Law / Trial Practice   

Reviews (3)

Interesting thesis but ultimately unfulfilling
The author presents a fairly unique thesis that the Lochner Court was actually more progressive than is commonly assumed. To support this he classifies all substantive due process cases and boils them down to numbers from which he spins off statistical analysises. Excellent Revisionist Work
Professor Phillips punctures several myths regarding the Lochner era, and does so through a surprisingly underused methodology: he actually read every case purportedly involving substantive due process during the Lochner era. Among the myths shattered by Phillips: "The Lochner era Court was practically out of control; it struck down approximately two hundred economic regulations on substantive due process grounds." "Economic substantive due process was a radical innovation supported only by reactionary Justices." "The Lochner era Court's substantive due process decisions overturned `social legislation' that would have aided the poor and necessitous at the expense of the wealthy and powerful." "The Lochner era Court's reactionary nature is demonstrated by the fact that it limited its concern for `liberty' to `liberty of contract.'" "Most, perhaps all, of the regulations invalidated by the Lochner era Court served the public interest." Excellent Revionist Work
Professor Phillips punctures several myths regarding the Lochner era, and does so through a surprisingly underused methodology: he actually read every case purportedly involving substantive due process during the Lochner era.Among the myths shattered by Phillips:Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Procedure    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional Law    4. Due process of law    5. History    6. Law    7. Legal History    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. U.S. Supreme Court    10. United States    11. Law / Legal History   

Subjects:  1. Legal History    2. Legal Reference / Law Profession    3. Reference    4. Women In The U.S.    5. Women's Studies - History    6. Law / Legal History    7. Population & demography    8. Social history    9. USA    10. Women's studies    11. women; legal studies; colonial history; property rights/ Connecticut; Massachusetts; New York; Pennsylvania; Maryland; Virginia; South Carolina   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Law    4. Legal History    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Political questions and judici    7. Political questions and judicial power    8. Constitution: government & the state    9. Law / Legal History    10. Political science & theory   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Executive privilege (Government information)    3. Law    4. Law and legislation    5. Legal History    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. National security    8. Official secrets    9. United States    10. Constitutional & administrative law    11. Freedom of information & freedom of speech    12. USA   

Editorial Review

Anyone who's ever watched Read more

Reviews (14)

Celebrity cases, mostly of the left - certainly not the "greatest."
The authors claim that these "greatest closing arguments in modern law" were chosen for the "quality of [their] summation, as well as for [their] historical significance." The immediate question is who is judging the quality of the summation and, more importantly, their historical significance?
If your idealism is waning, this book will help you find it!
After years of arguing caseslaw, motions, picking juries, interviewing witnesses, going through all the day to day protocol that trial work demands, one may forget at times how important is the job of a lawyer.But this book reminds the practioner that he/she is a part of a wonderful system of justice.Not many cases will go down as "The Greatest" but to your clients, it is often the defining moment of their lives.And this book helps you reconnect to the reasons why you sought a lifetime devoted to the noblest of professions.
A worthwhile readfor a trial attorney
If only for Spence's closing in the Silkwood case, this book is worth every penny.A real thing of subtle and effective beauty, that closing contains so many incredible and useful techniques, it's just plain stunning.The subtle allignment of Spence to the jurors in groups in which Spence and the jurors can work together are wonderful and powerful -- Spence places himself and the jurors by turns in a self built retirement community, and in the class of local state citizens all the while emphasizing that the cause of the need for retirement and the genesis of Spence's newfound home state membership is the defense's prolongation of trial -- wonderful.The rhyming "if the lion gets away, Kerr McGee must pay" is hard-to-forget and masterfully so.The analysis that proceeds each transcript is useful and informative.Buy it if you can. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Jury    3. Law    4. Legal History    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Summation (Law)    7. Trial Practice    8. United States    9. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    10. Courts & procedure    11. Law / General    12. Legal profession   

Editorial Review

"This much is certain and always was. That on a Thursday afternoon in late September 1984, a housewife named Delores Dye... ran afoul of a thief as she loaded a shopping cart of groceries into her car out front of a New Orleans supermarket." So begins Jed Horne's brisk, crisply written Read more

Reviews (10)

I was especially moved
I had read this book one week prior to Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the canals. Desire Street, covers the New Orleans judicial and police systems in regard to a murder of a white woman in a supermarket parking lot by a black who framed an innocent black for the murder.The journalist put forth a fairly objective story line which took the reader deep into the 9th ward and the lives of the people we saw portrayed on our TV screens this week.Though I read it because we have Sister Prejean coming to town next week and I wanted to expand my opinions.Having read it prior to Hurricane Katrina made what was portrayed by the newscasts even more poignant and heart wrenching.If you want to better understand the pulse of what once was, New Orleans you'd be wise to put this book in your cart.

Learn about life on death row and in the projects
The book's about Curtis Kyles, who was freed from Death Row in Angola after the Supreme Court reviewed his trial and decided that if all the evidence had been presented he wouldn't have been convicted. The police and the DA's office are supposed to give the defense lawyers all the evidence they uncover, but in this case they kept silent any info that didn't help prove the railroaded defendent was guilty. He was set up by a rival criminal in the neighborhood who was a police informant. The police actually gave him a regular paycheck in exchange for info on crimes. The book is interesting because it doesn't paint the exonerated man, Curtis Kyles, as an innocent man. It goes into all his criminal activity, selling drugs, selling stolen goods, and robbing people on the street. I think that he had planned to sell the gun and other items from the crime, the shooting death of an older lady out shopping at a discount grocery store in broad daylight. The police informant was found driving around in the dead lady's car, and soon pinned the killing on Curtis. After 4 trials with hung juries, the DA in New Orleans, Henry Connick, Jr's dad, conceded defeat and Curtis was allowed to go free. The book is written by a local newspaper reporter and does a good job describing the racism in the city. The book describes in detail life inside the Orleans Parish Prison, the local New Orleans jail full of violence and rapes, and on death row in Angola.

Latest additon to the "Freed from Death Row Genre"
It is a sad comment on society that when you cruise through Amazon books there seems to be a growing list of books about the wrongly convicted/freed from death row.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminal Justice Administration    2. Dye, Delores,    3. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    4. Kyles, Curtis    5. Law    6. Legal History    7. Louisiana    8. Murder    9. Murder - General    10. New Orleans    11. Trials (Murder)    12. Trials, litigation, etc    13. True Crime / Espionage    14. d. 1984    15. True Crime / Murder   

Subjects:  1. Civil Procedure    2. Constitutional    3. Constitutional history    4. General    5. History    6. History: World    7. Legal History    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Sources    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. Constitution: government & the state    13. Constitutional & administrative law    14. USA   

Subjects:  1. Criminal justice, Administrati    2. Criminal justice, Administration of    3. General    4. History    5. Law    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. United States    11. Crime & criminology    12. Law / Criminal Procedure    13. United Kingdom, Great Britain   

Editorial Review

Despite Americans' constitutional right to a free press, certain governmentinformation--particularly that concerning military affairs--has been placed beyond therealm of public access. A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1971, however (brought aboutwhen the Nixon administration sued the the Read more

Reviews (4)

Fantastic
Fanatastic, detailed and scholarly account of the Pentagon papers case from a truly gifted legal academic

What About the Ellsberg-Russo Trial?
What's the author's problem?Alxheimer's or "selective memory?"He fails to mention the "joint trial of Dan Ellsberg AND Tony Russo" -- and Russo went to jail for civil resistance over thePentagon Papers! -- and the author fails to mention the participation ofrenowned international law scholar Richard Falk.Surely with all the booksFalk has in his home library here in Princeton, he must have purchased thisone.Where's his response?Or would he rather forget his participation inthis world-history-changing event?Further, there's nothing that wouldgive a readers even a clue that the leak of the Pentagon Papers begat thedownfall of Richard Nixon -- not just Watergate!Shame on you, Rudenstine!

What Rudenstine left out
Rudenstine, a lawyer leaves out any consideration of international law. For example, he fails to even mention Professor Richard Falk of Princeton University who edited three thick volumes on international law and the VietNam War. Falk is the lawyer who is the leading authority on the PentagonPapers. Rudenstine also gives short shrift to the trial that was the mainreason for Nixon's fall (much moreso than the Watergate burglary): theEllsberg- Russo Pentagon Papers Trial which came about as a result of mycivil disobedience (refusing to testify before the Pentagon Papers grandjury and thus going to jail) in the summer of 1971. As a result of theseomissions Rudenstine's book is seriously flawed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminal Law - General    2. Law    3. Legal History    4. Legal Reference / Law Profession    5. Legal System    6. Military - Vietnam War    7. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    8. Central government    9. Constitutional & administrative law    10. Freedom of information & freedom of speech    11. Law / General    12. USA   

Subjects:  1. Essays    2. Germany    3. History & Theory - General    4. Legal History    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. Legislative power    7. Legitimacy of governments    8. Political    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Rule of law    12. Foundations of law   

Editorial Review

U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist sets a simple goal for himself: "This book is designed to convey to the interested, informed layman, as well as lawyers who do not specialize in constitutional law, a better understanding of the role of the Supreme Court in American government." He succeeds fabulously. Read more

Reviews (29)

all politics are not local
The late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist provides a wonderful and lucid historical look at the Court's continual fight to maintain its standing as a co-equal, independent partner in government.
A wonderful book for non-lawyers
Bill Rehnquist (1924-2005) has written an amazing history of the Court.Starting out with his clerkship for Robert Jackson (1941-54) Rehnquist describes the major events in the history of the Court.At under 300 pages, it is a perfect read for a non-lawyer who wants to know more about the history of the Court.

Inside the Mind of a Supreme Court Justice
The Supreme Court by William H. Rehnquist is a stunning book.It does not tell the reader about the evolution of the Supreme Court, but instead shows the reader through historical accounts, personal anecdotes, and valuable conclusions.Former Chief Justice Rehnquist opens up the doors of the Supreme Court for the reader, revealing the inner workings of the Supreme Court and more importantly, how and why the Court itself is so powerful, and can hold its own among the other branches of government in the United States.Rehnquist makes it clear that the Supreme Court is made up of individuals, and because of this the Supreme Court is not only susceptible to human need, but inevitably to human error as well.This book does not examine the Court decisions that shape our society, but explains what lead to these decisions, and the blood sweat and tears that were put into them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Courts - General    3. Courts - Supreme Court    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. Judges    9. Legal History    10. Supreme Court    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. United States.    14. History / United States / General   

Reviews (2)

Gypsy Law
This material gives agreat deal of stimulus to any humanitarian anthropological interests about gypsies.Written in language that a lay person can understand, it is stimulating and interesting.In fact, I find it difficult to put it down.

Wonderful read! Romanipen Vs. State Law
This book was an impulse buy for me, but it has come in very handy with my research into Romani Studies.With multiple articles, some regarding Romanipen Vs. State Law, and others just dealing with the culture itself, it has become required reading in my opinion for anyone interested in learning more about the Romanies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Customary    3. Law    4. Law, Romani    5. Legal History    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Legal status, laws, etc    8. Romanies    9. Jurisprudence & General Issues    10. Law / General    11. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    12. Social groups & communities   

Subjects:  1. Administrative Law & Regulatory Practice    2. Colonies    3. Essays    4. Europe - Great Britain - General    5. Great Britain    6. History    7. Labor & Employment    8. Labor contract    9. Law    10. Legal History    11. Legal Reference / Law Profession    12. Master and servant    13. British Empire    14. Employment & labour law    15. English law: employment & labour law    16. Law / Legal History    17. master and servant statutes; English employment law; work relations; power to whip, fine, and imprision men; breach of private contracts; Britain; Caribbean; North America; British India; Australia; Africa; far east; imperialmaritime labour law force; slavery; free labor; indentured labor   

Reviews (6)

A monument
This book is a monument to prodigious research, careful scholarship, and thoughtful analysis.It is much more than a history of the Dred Scott case.It places the decision in its historical context, describing in great detail the political and judicial conditions that preceded it and the effect the decision itself had on events that followed.
A masterpiece of historical exposition
There is little that I can add to what has already been written.Fehrenbacher is clear, thoughtful, and comprehensive.

A Really Wonderful Read
I read the abridged edition of 1981, titled Slavery, Law and Politics. I can only echo what the other reviwers have said. It's about a court opinion but it is anything but dry. You learn much about the law and politics of slavery, from the founding of the nation forward. You learn about the Dred Scott case itself, including the legal maneuverings in the lower courts. The author's analysis of Chief Justice Taney's opinion for the Court is one of the best single chapters I have read in a history book in a long time. The author is learned but the prose is engaging--elegant, even. You feel you are in the company of a wise teacher, who is not trying to impress you but simply to impart his considerable knowledge without ego on a topic that turns out to be an excellent prism through which to view an important swath of our history. Read it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional Law    3. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    4. History    5. History: American    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Political History    9. Slavery    10. United States - Civil War    11. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    12. Black studies    13. Constitutional & administrative law    14. History / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)    15. Law | Legal History    16. Slavery & emancipation    17. USA    18. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (3)

into a scottish looking glass
Douglas MacGowan's book, Murder in Victorian Scotland..., depicts Madeline Smith's life and trial with a clarity and focus that allow the reader a glimpse into a bygone era.Using historical referencesand letters savedby the deceased to build the world of Madeline Smith and Emile L'Angelier,MacGowan takes his reader into the lives of these two figures in context of18th century Scotland and allow them to come to their own conclusionregarding the historic trial and its rather odd verdict of "NotProven". Overall, a fascinating look at another life, time, andjudicial system.

Murder Mystery - For Real!
Most mystery buffs relish the challenge of piecing together the clues and figuring out "who done it" before the author discloses the guilty party(ies).A smug satisfaction settles in after the reader wades througha complex set of circumstances and successfully solves the puzzle.Ofcourse, the fiction author always reveals the answers by the last page. Not so in the true crime story related in "Murder in VictorianScotland : The Trial of Madeleine Smith."We know that Emile died ofarsenic poisoning, and that his secret lover Madeleine was tried for hismurder, then released with the unusual verdict of "Not Proven."However, author Douglas MacGowan won't give us much more than that.Hisclever, 'diarist' style of chronologically detailing the available factsand surviving evidence puts readers smack in the middle of this intriguingstory -- to decide for themselves what really happened. Victorian Puzzle
In what was called "The Trial of the Century" in 1857, a young lady named Madeleine Smith was accused of poisoning a lover of a lower class so that she could marry a man her family deemed more suitable. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1835-1928    2. 19th century    3. Case studies    4. Criminal Justice Administration    5. Europe - General    6. History    7. Law    8. Legal History    9. Murder    10. Murder - General    11. Poisoning    12. Scotland    13. Smith, Madeleine Hamilton,    14. Sociology    15. Trials (Murder)    16. True Crime / Espionage    17. History / Europe / General   

Subjects:  1. Constitutional    2. Constitutional law    3. Judicial review    4. Law    5. Legal History    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Privacy, Right of    8. United States    9. Constitutional & administrative law    10. Law / Legal History    11. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    12. USA   

Reviews (13)

History of Constitutional Law and some interesting notes about judges.
This book starts off in a dull way: the history of constitutional law and the judges who helped shape it.Later on Judge O'Connor talks about her perspective of the people she worked with, which makes it well-worth reading.I plan to read her other book: her life growing up on a Texas ranch.

Interesting and enjoyable
Indeed that there are very few books like this one for which you feel that every minute you spend reading is well spent.
Key Insights into the Supreme Court
Justice O'Connor provides an inside view of Supreme Court basics, background on the key origins of our laws, perspectives on other justices (especially those she has known personally who are no longer with us), and some recommendations. It is not intended to be a scholarly work - simply to provide a layman's overview.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Courts - Supreme Court    2. Judges    3. Law    4. Legal History    5. Legal Reference / Law Profession    6. O'Connor, Sandra Day,    7. Rule of law    8. Supreme Court    9. U.S. Supreme Court    10. United States    11. Law / Legal History    12. O'Connor, Sandra Day   

Reviews (1)

An Accessible Treasure
In "Minds on Trial," the authors, Charles Patrick Eqing and Joseph McCann select 20 cases from roughly the past 50 years in which there is a fascinating intersection between law and psychology. The work initially looks like a book the casual reader may have some difficulty getting through. Such is not the case as each of the 20 cases are broken down into manageable chapters and are written in such a way so as to engage even the casual reader.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Cases    2. Forensic Medicine    3. Forensic Psychology    4. Forensic psychiatry    5. General    6. Insanity    7. Jurisprudence    8. Legal History    9. Legal Reference / Law Profession    10. Medical / Nursing    11. Psychology    12. United States    13. Civil law (general works)    14. Criminal or forensic psychology    15. Psychology & Psychiatry / Forensic Psychology    16. Psychology | Forensic Psychology    17. USA   

Reviews (3)

The Last Word on Magna Carta (1215)
Many Magna Carta scholars, including A. E. Dick Howard and Ralph V. Turner, rate this book as THE definitive work on the historical background and events leading up to the Great Charter, as well as its immediate consequences.No serious student of Magna Carta (1215) can afford not to read this book, and to read it carefully.

magna carta
Holt's Magna Carta is an interesting study of the politics behind the formation of Magna Carta.The author's exploration of the political and legal crises in medieval times conveys how this charta was a result of warand injustice.The authorconnects many legal principles, such asindividual rights, of the modern era and roots them in their medieval past. This book is detailed and long, but worthwhile to students of legal,medieval, or English history.

magna carta
Holt's Magna Carta is an interesting study of the politics behind the formation of Magna Carta.The author's exploration of the political and legal crises in medieval times conveys how this charta was a result of warand injustice.The authorconnects many legal principles, such asindividual rights, of the modern era and roots them in their medieval past. This book is detailed and long, but worthwhile to students of legal,medieval, or English history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. History - General History    3. Law    4. Legal History    5. Magna Carta    6. Medieval    7. British & Irish history: c 1000 to c 1500    8. Europe    9. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    10. Law / Legal History    11. United Kingdom, Great Britain