Beginning with the recognition that the Supreme Court is the most invisible branch of American government and the one that most Americans know the least about, this book examines the way in which television news, the primary source of the public's limited knowledge, covers the Supreme Court. The book relies on rich interviews with network news reporters who have covered the Court, coupled with actual videotapes of network newscast coverage, to develop a unique portrait of the constraints faced by reporters covering the institution as well as a thorough picture of what facets of the Court's work actually are covered by television news. The analysis demonstrates convincingly that there are characteristics of the television news industry (such as its heavy reliance on dramatic stories and visuals) that, coupled with the rules and habits of the Supreme Court (such as its refusal to allow cameras in the Court as well as its propensity to announce several critical rulings on the same day) come together to make network news coverage of the Court infrequent, brief, and in too many instances, simply plain wrong.

A nice balance between the conceptual and empirical, as well as the theoretical and practical, Judicial Politics is a uniquely accessible and interesting reader. Featuring carefully selected articles from Judicature, this reader delivers the journal's renowned diversity of opinion, accessibility of writing, and welcome blend of both scholarly and real-world perspectives. Students will benefit from a varied and comprehensive set of views from judges, lawyers, law professors, and social scientists. Elliot Slotnick provides important background and context for each section of the book, covering such topics as actors in the system, the politics of representation, state courts, and judicial policymaking. The third edition's articles (of which 29 are new) reflect alternate-and in some case, opposing-points of view so that students can reflect more thoughtfully on the American justice system. Proven in the classroom, this new edition is useful for any course in judicial process, law and society, constitutional law, or judicial administration.