The Rehnquist Court: Justices, Rulings, and Legacy

by Thomas R. Hensley

Overview

A detailed look at the Rehnquist Court's key figures, rulings, and major changes to U.S. constitutional law.

Did the Rehnquist Court, which followed the liberal Warren Court and the moderate Burger Court, achieve a conservative counterrevolution? Using quantitative data to supplement detailed opinion analysis, political scientist Thomas R. Hensley argues that continuity not change characterized the Rehnquist Court era. But without a doubt, the Rehnquist Court was frequently a war zone.

Fourteen justices served during the Rehnquist era, which began in 1986 during the Reagan administration and ended with Rehnquist's death in September 2005. Presidents Reagan and Bush appointed conservative justices and set in motion an assault on the "ultra-liberal" decisions made by the two previous courts. But President Clinton appointed two moderate Democrats, slowing the conservative juggernaut. The result? One of the most fascinating, contentious, and crucial periods in the history of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781576072004
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/08/2006
Series:	ABC-CLIO Supreme Court Handbooks
Pages:	464
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Thomas R. Hensley is emeritus professor of political science and former chair of the Department of Political Science at Kent State University, Kent, OH.