"The book offers a brilliant and sophisticated analysis of the place the Supreme Court has earned for itself in the American political system." —C. Herman Pritchett "Brigham's analysis of the Supreme Court is original and incisive. He focuses on the spectacular growth in the Court's power and prestige over the past two centuries, exploring the politics of institution building with ... Read moresensitivity and finesse." —Doris Marie Provine, Syracuse University "[This book] constructs an original framework to explore the legal, political, and social influences that have shaped modern judicial authority. Brigham rightly argues that future research needs to explore further the roots of modern judicial authority as well as current challenges to the Court. He provides us with a powerful original framework that links law and politics and addresses the postmodern context of current constitutional interpretation." —The Review of Politics Show Less