Best United States Judicial Branch Books of 2025

The book "Nine Black Robes" by Joan Biskupic provides an inside look at the history-making era in the Supreme Court during the Trump and post-Trump years. Biskupic details how rights are stripped away or expanded through the inner maneuverings among the Supreme Court justices. The book reveals the private dramas and conflicts of the court, ultimately leading to the seismic reversal of Roe v. Wade and a half-century of women's abortion rights. Overall, Biskupic's informative, briskly paced, and gracefully written book offers a fascinating and urgent look at the Supreme Court's drive to the right and its historic consequences.

The book "Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936 to 1986" is a comprehensive account of the life of Justice Antonin Scalia, the first Italian American on the Supreme Court. Written by journalist James Rosen, the book covers Scalia's Catholic upbringing, his academic career, and his service in the Nixon and Ford administrations. Rosen's deep research and access to personal sources provide a compelling portrait of an American legend. The book is a must-read for those interested in the history of American law and society.

The Shadow Docket by Stephen Vladeck is an eye-opening account of the Supreme Court's increasing use of the "shadow docket" to make significant decisions behind closed doors, without public hearings or explanation. Vladeck argues that this lack of transparency and accountability poses a threat to the rule of law and the Court's institutional legitimacy. Through accessible prose, he sheds light on the Court's use of the shadow docket to green-light restrictive voting laws, curtail immigration, and ban abortion. This expert study is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of the American judicial system.

The New York Times bestselling book, "My Own Words," is a comprehensive look inside the mind of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This book provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of America's most influential women and showcases her astonishing intellectual range. Justice Ginsburg discusses gender equality, the workings of the Supreme Court, being Jewish, law and lawyers in opera, and the value of looking beyond US shores when interpreting the US Constitution. Her authorized biographers provide biographical context and quotes gleaned from hundreds of interviews they have conducted. Overall, "My Own Words" is a witty, engaging, serious, and playful read that is a tonic to the current national discourse.

The "Guantánamo Diary: Restored Edition" is an exceptional memoir that tells the story of Mohamedou Slahi's life before and after he was imprisoned at the detainee camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Slahi has been detained without a charge since 2002, and his diary portrays the miscarriage of justice he has experienced. The diary is a deeply personal memoir that recounts his daily life as a detainee and is terrifying, darkly humorous, and surprisingly gracious. This book is an essential document of historical importance, and it sheds light on the injustices of the U.S. government. Overall, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in human rights and justice.

People vs. Donald Trump is an inside account of the attempt to prosecute former president Donald Trump, written by Mark Pomerantz, one of the lawyers who worked on the case. Pomerantz investigated Trump's world and gathered enough evidence to support the view that he should be indicted for a number of financial crimes. This book explains why that never happened. The investigation led to the indictment of the Trump Organization and its CFO, but that was just the prelude to a larger criminal case. This book is a fascinating and informative read for anyone interested in the legal battles surrounding the former president.

The Scheme by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is an eye-opening account of how anonymous donors and right-wing billionaires seized control of the US judiciary, including the Supreme Court. Whitehouse traces the motive to control the court system back to Lewis Powell's notorious memo and chronicles a hidden-money campaign using an armada of front groups. The book is a must-read for those interested in understanding how corporate influence has targeted the judiciary and degraded democracy. It is a unique and insightful account of a powerful and hidden apparatus that has spent years trying to corrupt politics and control courts.

You Have the Right to Remain Innocent is a timely and informative book by James J. Duane that teaches readers how to protect their rights, freedom, and future when interacting with the police. Duane argues that it is crucial for every citizen to understand and exercise their constitutional right to avoid self-incrimination, and he uses real-life case histories to illustrate the high price we pay when we fail to do so. This book serves as an urgent, compact manifesto that everyone should read to safeguard themselves and their loved ones. Overall, this book is a riveting reminder of the importance of asserting our constitutional rights.

Erwin Chemerinsky's "Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism" is a well-written and compelling critique of originalism as a method of constitutional interpretation. The book argues that originalism is flawed, incoherent, and dangerously ideological. Chemerinsky points out that the framers never intended constitutional interpretation to be inflexible and shows how it is often impossible to know what the "original intent" of any particular provision was. The book provides essential context for understanding the confusions and self-deceptions of originalism. Overall, it is a timely and powerful critique of the political practice that everyone interested in constitutional law should read.

Justice Corrupted: How the Left Weaponized Our Legal System is Senator Ted Cruz's latest book that takes readers inside the justice system to reveal how the wrong hands on the levers of power can strangle liberty, crush opposition, and wreck lives. The book exposes how the left has corrupted the U.S. legal system, using the law as a weapon to intimidate and silence Americans who stand in the way of their radical agenda. Cruz argues that the Department of Justice should safeguard the Constitutional rights of all Americans, not be divided into "Democratic" or "Republican." Justice Corrupted equips patriots and lovers of liberty to hold their government accountable.