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215 reviews for:
Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes
Leah Litman
4.23 AVERAGE
215 reviews for:
Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes
Leah Litman
4.23 AVERAGE
challenging
funny
informative
medium-paced
Thank you to Atria Books for the free ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
While I often read to escape or check out of real life and current events for a bit, there is a time and place for non-fiction (and fiction!) that helps me understand the current moment. That's where books like Lawless by Leah Litman come in.
Leah (Professor Litman) is a law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, a co-host of the Strict Scrutiny Podcast, and a dedicated Swiftie. In other words, you're in good hands with her. In this book she lays out the patterns and history that got us to the modern U.S. Supreme Court - the one that overturned Roe v. Wade, gave the President almost total immunity, and so many more harmful decisions over the last few years. Through the lens of 5 topics she explains how the conservative majority relies on grievances about conservative views becoming more and more fringe to protect those views above all else. And the same justices that frequently emphasize adherence to the text of the laws above all else don't have a problem relying on vibes - theories they pulled out of nowhere - when it feels right to them.
Back when I was in law school and took constitutional law, I came out of the class more cynical about the Court. My feeling at the end of the day was that these were people smart enough to write some words that sounded good to get to the result they wanted. And that was 10+ years ago - as Leah demonstrates in this book it's only gotten worse since then.
I really appreciated learning about these trends in context. The book also filled in several gaps in my own knowledge, both in terms of recent court decisions and the historical context for them. This book is not just for lawyers though - Leah avoids complex legalese to explain these issues to anyone who cares to learn about them.
I highly recommend reading this book if you want to know more about why the Supreme Court has gone off the rails with a side of sarcasm, wit, and plenty of pop culture references. I don't recommend reading this book if you disagree with the characterization that the Court has gone off the rails.
Lawless is out May 13. Thank you so much to Leah for writing it - it certainly informed my understanding of where we are, how we got here, and why it's important to keep fighting back.
informative
informative
medium-paced
While I would’ve loved to have listened to Leah Litman read the audiobook, I was too excited to wait for that and appreciate receiving an advance copy from NetGalley. As a dedicated “Strict Scrutiny” listener I was still able to channel Leah’s sarcasm and wit along with her clear brilliance.
I’m not a lawyer but was familiar with many of the highlighted cases (thru listening to the podcast). This books provides the long-back story to all of these momentous issues abs terrible decisions.
I don’t know why there’s not a similar long-game strategy on the left to begin to chip away at these rulings…but would love to see Leah and her colleagues lead that effort or consult with small-d democratic groups to make these issues more front and center.
And along with all the other books I’ve read over the past years it’s infuriating that the public continues to be gaslit about the high and mighty nature of SCOTUS when they are political animals, using their power and pretending they are wise sages and oracles. Give me a break!!
Thank you Leah Litman for capturing all of this in an informative and dare I say entertaining read.
I’m not a lawyer but was familiar with many of the highlighted cases (thru listening to the podcast). This books provides the long-back story to all of these momentous issues abs terrible decisions.
I don’t know why there’s not a similar long-game strategy on the left to begin to chip away at these rulings…but would love to see Leah and her colleagues lead that effort or consult with small-d democratic groups to make these issues more front and center.
And along with all the other books I’ve read over the past years it’s infuriating that the public continues to be gaslit about the high and mighty nature of SCOTUS when they are political animals, using their power and pretending they are wise sages and oracles. Give me a break!!
Thank you Leah Litman for capturing all of this in an informative and dare I say entertaining read.
funny
informative
medium-paced
As Strict Scrutiny would say, this book is "about the United States Supreme Court and the legal culture that surrounds it." Told with Leah Litman's signature dark humor and SO MANY pop culture references (which I loved, but was honestly impressed by the number), this book covers some of the changes in the modern Supreme Court and how it has taken a lawless approach to recent essential cases. It is incredibly smart, distilling complex topics into easy to understand chapters. I will say as an avid listener to Strict Scrutiny, and after going through law school during many of the cases in the book and summarizing the rest of them at work later on, this book did not touch on any topics that surprised me. But if you are wondering why the Supreme Court is making so many out of pocket decisions, this is the book for you!
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Lawless is compelling and thought-provoking as an exploration of the often hidden and arbitrary nature of legal decision-making in the United States. Litman, a legal scholar, delves into the ways in which the law is frequently shaped by unspoken rules, biases, and systemic flaws that may not always align with the ideals of justice, fairness, or equality. She clearly knows her stuff.
The book offers an accessible yet deeply analytical look at how legal processes unfold behind closed doors, often beyond the reach of public scrutiny. The author dissects the practices and power dynamics that influence judicial decision-making, showing how judges, lawyers, and politicians can manipulate or bypass legal norms for political or personal gain. She brings to light the stark contrasts between the idealized vision of justice in the U.S. legal system and the reality that those who wield power are able to shape outcomes in ways that often defy accountability.
Litman’s writing is clear, engaging, and educational, breaking down complex legal principles for a general audience without sacrificing depth or insight. She uses real-world examples to illustrate the subtle yet pervasive ways in which laws and rulings are often influenced by extrajudicial forces. Her criticism of legal practices is both sharp and empathetic, acknowledging the human costs of a system that often fails those who are most vulnerable.
The book also examines how these hidden rules perpetuate inequality, especially for marginalized groups, and how they prevent real justice from being served. Litman calls for greater transparency, reform, and awareness of these "secret rules," urging readers to hold the legal system accountable to its stated principles.
My only real criticism is that I got tired of references to Barbie and Ken real fast. I get it, it was a good movie. However, in five years and beyond fewer and fewer will get the reference and it will get in the way of conveying otherwise great insight on the state of the U.S. legal system today.
The book is a vital read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of the legal system and its shortcomings. Litman’s examination of how law can be subverted by unseen forces makes the book a powerful and timely critique of a system that claims to uphold justice, but often falls short in practice. It is an essential read for both legal professionals and those who seek a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the U.S. justice system today.
The book offers an accessible yet deeply analytical look at how legal processes unfold behind closed doors, often beyond the reach of public scrutiny. The author dissects the practices and power dynamics that influence judicial decision-making, showing how judges, lawyers, and politicians can manipulate or bypass legal norms for political or personal gain. She brings to light the stark contrasts between the idealized vision of justice in the U.S. legal system and the reality that those who wield power are able to shape outcomes in ways that often defy accountability.
Litman’s writing is clear, engaging, and educational, breaking down complex legal principles for a general audience without sacrificing depth or insight. She uses real-world examples to illustrate the subtle yet pervasive ways in which laws and rulings are often influenced by extrajudicial forces. Her criticism of legal practices is both sharp and empathetic, acknowledging the human costs of a system that often fails those who are most vulnerable.
The book also examines how these hidden rules perpetuate inequality, especially for marginalized groups, and how they prevent real justice from being served. Litman calls for greater transparency, reform, and awareness of these "secret rules," urging readers to hold the legal system accountable to its stated principles.
My only real criticism is that I got tired of references to Barbie and Ken real fast. I get it, it was a good movie. However, in five years and beyond fewer and fewer will get the reference and it will get in the way of conveying otherwise great insight on the state of the U.S. legal system today.
The book is a vital read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of the legal system and its shortcomings. Litman’s examination of how law can be subverted by unseen forces makes the book a powerful and timely critique of a system that claims to uphold justice, but often falls short in practice. It is an essential read for both legal professionals and those who seek a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the U.S. justice system today.