A review by rc90041
The Brethren: Inside the Supreme Court by Bob Woodward, Scott Armstrong

5.0

Compulsively readable, especially for anyone familiar with or interested in the significant rulings from this era (the seventies) on abortion, busing, obscenity, criminalization of homosexuality, the death penalty, etc. This is likely the most important document a legal realist could point to to support that view of how the law often works: personalities, grudges, personal vendettas, charisma, charm, badgering, laziness, indifference, ideology, etc. It's a fascination look at how the legal sausage is made, with delicious details about negotiations and wheeling and dealing between the justices, maneuvering and office politics, and the very human factors that end up producing outcomes that can affect the lives of millions. Some have questioned whether Woodward actually had solid sources for all of the quotes and inside information. I'd just suggest perusing his body of work: He has the sources. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the Supreme Court and how it functions.