Congress and the Court

Princeton political scientist Walter F. Murphy analyzed the role of Congress in trying to manage an activist Supreme Court at a time of seismic change in the law and evolving interplay between these powerful institutions. As the original dustjacket offered, this is a "first-rate assessment of the delicate balance of power between Congress and the Supreme Court as it affects the American political process." The new republication of this classic work adds a 2014 Foreword by law professor Thomas Baker, who notes the continuing relevance of Murphy's insights: "The principal object lesson he offers is that what happened in the 1950s happened before and will happen again, that separation of powers showdowns are cyclical." In sum, "This book was recognized immediately upon publication as an important contribution to the literature on separation of powers and in particular the constitutional dynamic between Congress and the Court." It "continues to enjoy in the canon of constitutional law" a recognized status, to both legal academics and political scientists, as Baker explains in his contemporary introduction. The new edition presents the original text and tables accurately and properly formatted; it features embedded page numbers for continuity with the original print edition and ease of citation. Originally published by the University of Chicago Press, this is an authorized and unabridged new addition to the Classics of Law & Society Series from Quid Pro Books.