Landmark Supreme Court Cases: A Reference Guide [Hardcover]

Donald E. Lively (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0313306028 | ISBN-13: 978-0313306020 | Edition: 1

This needed resource, written specifically for students and general readers, provides accessible discussions of 74 landmark Supreme Court cases that will help students understand the cases and their importance in American history. Cases selected for this work are those in which the Supreme Court's decisions have had a profound impact on society and the future and a meaning that transcends the impact on the immediate parties. In his own words, Donald Lively, Dean of Florida Coastal School of Law, discusses the facts, background, and significance of each landmark case so that students will be able to easily understand it. Each case features a fact box for quick reference succinctly identifying the issue, year of decision, outcome, vote, and author of the opinion. The narrative discussion of each case puts it in historical perspective, examines the background and constitutional issue involved, the case itself, why it is a landmark case, and its significance and impact. A short bibliography directs readers to a more in-depth discussion of the case and issue. The work is organized topically into four parts, within which the cases are organized chronologically from the nation's first court through the 1990s so that the reader can trace the progression of the Court's thinking on the issue. Part I focuses upon the separation and distribution of powers among the branches of government. Part II consists of cases that have been crucial in determining the relationship between the nation and its states, the concept of federalism, and regulation of the country's economy. Part III deals with the most important cases involving equality--race, gender, and fundamental rights. Part IV identifies landmark cases on individual rights and liberties--freedom of speech, association, press and other media, religion, search and seizure, self-incrimination, right to counsel, cruel and unusual punishment, economic rights, and the right to privacy. Each part begins with an overview of the issues raised by the cases discussed. A glossary of legal terms, a table of cases, and a handy text of the Constitution will help the student researcher. This work is ideal for the high school library and classroom.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Designed for high-school students and general readers, this volume discusses 74 cases under four broad topics: the distribution of powers, the relationship between the nation and its states, concepts of equality, and individual rights. These are divided further into more specific topics. We found Lemon v. Kurzman in "The Fifteenth Amendment: Freedom of Religion" chapter in the section on individual rights. There is a three-and-a-half-page treatment of the case that includes a summary of key facts, analysis, and a brief bibliography. The thematic approach combined with fairly detailed discussion of individual cases works well.

Review

“The thematic approach combined with fairly detailed discussion of individual cases works well.”–Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

“This will be a useful resource for serious students and researchers.”–The Book Report

“This will be a useful resource for academic and public library reference collections.”–American Reference Books Annual

“Perfect for high school assignments.”–Pennsylvania School Librarian's Association

“...a very good resource for those interested in a user-friendly constitutional history text. It permits the reader to identify key Supreme Court cases at a glance, establish relationships between cases and development of American constitutional doctrine, within the various historical factors, political or otherwise, which impacted the decisions.”–Essays in History

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press; 1 edition (June 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313306028
• ISBN-13: 978-0313306020
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,278,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, November 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Landmark Supreme Court Cases: A Reference Guide (Hardcover)

Contains detailed explanations of the Supreme Court's most important cases. Unbiased description of both sides' arguments, the issues at hand, background information, justices' positions, etc. Also has a small box containg the most relevant facts of each case, which is quite helpful. Highly recommended.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mostly OK, November 27, 2010

By 

G. Toso - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Landmark Supreme Court Cases: A Reference Guide (Hardcover)

The book is what I ordered and it came rather quickly, but the product features a picture on the cover while the book I recieved has a plain white cover with no picture. Yet the content is the same so whatever.