Inspiring and instructive biographies of the 100 most influential judges from state and federal courts in one easy-to-access volume.

Inspiring and instructive biographies of the 100 most influential judges from state and federal courts in one easy-to-access volume. Great American Judges profiles 100 outstanding judges and justices in a full sweep of U.S. history. Chosen by lawyers, historians, and political scientists, these men and women laid the foundation of U.S. law. A complement to Great American Lawyers, together these two volumes create a complete picture of our nation's top legal minds from colonial times to today. Following an introduction on the role of judges in American history are A–Z biographical entries portraying this diverse group from extraordinarily different backgrounds. Students and history enthusiasts will appreciate the accomplishments of these role models and the connections between their inspiring lives and their far-reaching legal decisions. William Rehnquist, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., and 12 other Supreme Court justices are found alongside federal judges like Skelly Wright, who ordered school desegregation in 1960. Influential state judges such as Rose Elizabeth Bird, California's first woman Supreme Court Chief Justice, are also featured.

Inspiring and instructive biographies of the 100 most influential judges from state and federal courts in one easy-to-access volume. [Includes:] 100 main A-Z entries and 50 shorter entries on lesser-known, but influential figures; contributions from historians, lawyers, political scientists, and other top scholars from across the nation; a photograph or other depiction of each featured judge; detailed charts of birth dates, education, and years of service of key figures; and a foreword by historian Kermit L. Hall.

This two volume set offers unmatched insight into the lives and careers of 100 of America's most notable defense and prosecuting attorneys. Trial lawyers, noted one observer, are "the closest thing America has to the Knights of the Round Table." In this new two volume encyclopedia, which chronicles the lives and careers of America's 100 greatest trial lawyers, readers can explore the historic legal careers of extraordinary barristers like Thomas Jefferson, the young Virginia attorney who drafted the Declaration of Independence, and Daniel Webster, staunch defender of the union. Readers will also meet contemporary litigators like Lawrence Tribe, who led the fight against the tobacco industry; Marian Wright Edelman, a leading advocate for children's rights; Alan Dershowitz, renowned criminal appellate lawyer and public intellectual; and Johnnie Cochran, the defense attorney whose spectacular victory in the O. J. Simpson trial propelled him to superstardom. In the stories of these preeminent litigators, readers will discover not only what qualities make a great lawyer, but also how much we owe to those who have served as our legal advocates.

The first encyclopedic treatment of the personalities, politics, and events involved in drafting the U.S. Constitution. This comprehensive treatment of all the personalities, philosophies, debates, and compromises involved in drafting the U.S. Constitution is the first encyclopedic work on the subject, compiling information into an easily accessible A–Z format. Biographies of all 55 delegates, analysis of the competing political viewpoints, procedural and substantive disputes, along with a host of other details are all presented here. Both the detail and the scholarship in this book are unmatched in any other work; the encyclopedic presentation simply does not exist elsewhere. Civil liberties, the scope of authority of the three branches of government, and other constitutional matters are increasingly at the forefront of public discussion. Scholars, citizens interested in self-education, and reference librarians faced with questions about the Constitution will find in this book all they require to answer their needs.

Americans and people throughout the world have become increasingly dependent on America's great research universities. Yet few of us truly understand to what we owe this extraordinary excellence or what we must do to keep it. From the development of technologies like the laser, the global positioning system, the MRI, radar, and even Viagra, to predicting weather patterns, American research universities are one of our most vital sources of economic growth and social welfare. They have flourished because of a system that has invested public tax dollars in their work and, more importantly, granted substantial autonomy to funding agencies and the universities. This system is now under attack, the university's preeminence endangered by the USA PATRIOT Act and other conservative policies. This revelatory and alarming book will show how this vital institution is at risk of tragically losing its dominant status and why a threat to the university is a threat to the health and wealth of our nation. This edition is in two volumes. The first volume ISBN is 9781458774071.