The Burger Court Counter-Revolution or Confirmation [Hardcover]

Warren E. Burger served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1969 to 1987, an often tumultuous period in which the Court wrestled with several compelling constitutional issues.United States v. Nixonset the stage for the resignation of a President;Roe v. Wadecreated a nationwide debate that is as divisive today as ever before;Lemon v. Kurtzmanattempted to enunciate a clear standard for vexing church-state issues; and the Pentagon Papers case was a landmark freedom-of-the-press decision.

An impressive collection of writings by legal scholars and practitioners, including many by people who worked directly or indirectly with the Court itself,The Burger Courtis the first truly systematic review of the Court's activity during Warren Burger's tenure. Such distinguished contributors as Derrick Bell, Robert Drinan, Anthony Lewis, and Mark Tushnet review individual cases and jurisprudential trends in order to render comprehensive judgments of the Court's accomplishments and shortcomings. The essays in this volume were gathered by the late Bernard Schwartz, one of America's most revered scholars of constitutional law and the editor of this book's well-received predecessor,The Warren Court: A Retrospective(OUP, 1996).

As the finest overview to date of this Court's legacy and significance,The Burger Courtwill greatly interest anyone with a taste for constitutional issues or recent American history.

Bernard Schwartz leaves a legacy of fascinating essays, compiled and edited with intellect, honesty, and perceptiveness. --Nina Totenberg, Legal Affairs Correspondent, National Public Radio and ABC Nightline

This book represents the last major work edited by the late Bernard Schwartz, whom Anthony Lewis once termed 'the most committed, productive legal scholar of our time.' FollowingThe Warren Court: A Retrospective, it is the second volume of a trilogy that proposes to cover our lalcw