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The Great Decision

Jefferson, Adams, Marshall, and the Battle for the Supreme Court

The Great Decision Open the full-size image

Contributors

By Cliff Sloan

By David McKean

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Mar 2, 2010
Page Count
288 pages
Publisher
PublicAffairs
ISBN-13
9781586488055

Price

$21.99

Price

$28.99 CAD

Format

Format:

  1. Trade Paperback $21.99 $28.99 CAD
  2. ebook $9.99 $12.99 CAD

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In 1800, the United States teetered on the brink of a second revolution. The presidential election between Adams and Jefferson was a bitterly contested tie, and the government neared collapse. The Supreme Court had no clear purpose or power — no one had even thought to build it a courtroom in the new capital city. When Adams sought to prolong his policies in defiance of the electorate by packing the courts, the fine words of the new Constitution could do nothing to stop him. It would take a man to make those words good, and America found him in John Marshall.

The Great Decision tells the riveting story of Marshall and of the landmark court case, Marbury v. Madison, through which he empowered the Supreme Court and transformed the idea of the separation of powers into a working blueprint for our modern state. Rich in atmospheric detail, political intrigue, and fascinating characters, The Great Decision is an illuminating tale of America’s formative years and of the evolution of our democracy.

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Cliff Sloan

About the Author

Cliff Sloan is a professor of constitutional law and criminal justice at Georgetown University Law Center. He has argued before the Supreme Court seven times. He has served in all three branches of the federal government, including as Special Envoy for Guantanamo Closure, and is the author of The Great Decision: Jefferson, Adams, Marshall, and the Battle for the Supreme Court. His commentary on the Supreme Court and legal issues has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, and other publications, and on television and radio networks.

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David McKean

About the Author

David McKean is the former US ambassador to Luxembourg and was director of policy planning in the Department of State. The author or coauthor of six previous books, he divides his time between Washington, DC, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. 

M. Todd Bennett is a professor of history at East Carolina University. He was formerly a historian at the US Department of State. The author of two previous books, he lives in Washington, DC.

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