The Supreme Court: An Autobiography

Abstract

What does the Supreme Court talk about when it talks about itself? In addition to the debates over interpretive method and doctrine that fill their opinions, Supreme Court justices often discuss what it means to be “a Court” and how such an institution must function. Our chapter explores this specific form of judicial self-representation, examining the ways in which members of the Court define their own “Court-ness” in their decisions. We argue that the Court’s acts of autobiography simultaneously generate images of impartiality and partiality. The result is the public projection of a contradictory judicial persona.

Citation

Bybee, K.J. and Narasimhan, A.G. (2013), "The Supreme Court: An Autobiography", Sarat, A. (Ed.) Studies in Law, Politics, and Society (Studies in Law, Politics, and Society, Vol. 61), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 179-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1059-4337(2013)0000061009