HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT

Who hasn't heard of Miranda, Brown, or the Court's role in the election of President Bush? Irons examines this history, seasoning it with commentary on recent Court cases. The lectures, in three parts, correspond to the Court's three formative periods: The first looks at cases and figures that defined the Court's role in government; the second examines its role shaping economic regulation following WWI; the third discusses its role since the 1960s in reforming attitudes towards civil rights and criminal justice. Two forces drove the major decisions in each period. One expanded the Constitution's reach; the other limited it. Irons shows how the major figures in each period--including Marshall, Taney, Holmes, Warren, and Rehnquist--shaped their decisions and times. The result is a lively primer on the Court's development. P.E.F. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]