John Paul Stevens: An Independent Life - Hardcover

Barnhart, Bill; Schlickman, Gene

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0875804195 ISBN 13: 9780875804194

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press, 2010

Synopsis

During Justice Sonya SotomayorÆs recent confirmation hearings, the idea of \u201cbiography\u201d played a high-profile role in the debate. How much does a personÆs experience affect his or her judicial opinions? Should personal history be a key consideration when determining qualifications to sit on the highest court in the land? In this impeccably researched book, journalist Bill Barnhart and retired lawyer and former legislator Gene Schlickman paint a detailed portrait of Justice John Paul StevensÆs remarkable life and tenure on the Court. Through vivid family history and a careful look at his work on the bench, Barnhart and Schlickman offer the first biography of the second longest serving Supreme Court justice of the modern era—one who has proudly earned the title of the CourtÆs most prolific dissenter.To provide a nuanced and multifaceted look at the justice, Barnhart and Schlickman interviewed Stevens and an extraordinary number of StevensÆs friends and family members, former clerks, current colleagues, politicians, and court watchers. They spoke with such public figures as former President Ford, former Ford chief of staff Donald Rumsfeld, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Interviews with StevensÆs children and one of his brothers provide personal insights into the man behind the robe. Tales of his childhood, of growing up in an affluent family in ChicagoÆs Hyde Park neighborhood, and of the family business, including The Stevens Hotel (now the Chicago Hilton and Towers), create a rich portrait of the independent man and judge. Intimate anecdotes from StevensÆs former law clerks reveal the lighter side of some of the most serious work in the country.Barnhart and Schlickman also give careful consideration to StevensÆs career. They trace his early years as a Chicago lawyer, his appointment to the federal appeals bench in Chicago, and his ultimate nomination to the Supreme Court by Republican President Ford. They examine his best-known opinions, including his emotional dissents in Texas v. Johnson and Bush v. Gore. They trace his growth as a molder of Court decisions. In an era of an increasingly politicized judiciary, the story of StevensÆs life, as a lawyer who joined the bench with no political or ideological baggage, is an urgent reminder of the importance of judicial impartiality and the need to cultivate it. This vibrant biography will be of interest to those fascinated by the inner workings of the Supreme Court as well as those who simply want to learn more about one of ChicagoÆs favorite sons.

About this title

Book Description:

First-ever biography of the second longest serving Supreme Court Justice

About the Author:

Bill Barnhart was a columnist and editor for the Chicago Tribune for nearly 30 years. He has made frequent appearances on Chicago cable news channel CLTV and the national PBS program Nightly Business Report. He is the co-author, with Gene Schlickman, of Kerner: The Conflict of Intangible Rights, the biography of former Illinois Governor Otto Kerner. He lives in Chicago's Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood.

About this edition

• Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0875804195
• ISBN 13: 9780875804194
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 324