[John R. Vile] Great American Judges An Encyclopedia (pdf){Zzzzz}[BЯ]

Great American Judges fills a gap in the judicial reference category by providing biographical information on the great federal and state judges, both living and dead, in one collection. It covers a diverse array of 100 judges who were selected on the basis of frequent mention in various sources and results of a survey sent to legal scholars.

The set begins with a rather lengthy forward on the role of judges in American history. Next come profiles arranged in an A-Z format. Each entry includes a portrait (when available) and introduction summarizing the salient points in the subject's judicial career. Following the introduction, the profile covers the subject's personal and professional career and court experiences. Rounding out each entry is a list of references and further reading. Sidebars treat an additional 60 or so "outstanding and/or newsworthy individuals," among them Clarence Thomas and Judge Judy.

There are several appendixes, one of which is a table of the 100 great judges listed by date of birth and showing years of life, nation or state of birth, colleges attended, and courts over which they presided. From this table it is possible to identify the oldest living great judge (Luther Lee Bohanon, Senior Judge, U.S., Oklahoma, 103 years), and the shift from obtaining a legal education by reading law under a judge or lawyer to an emphasis on training in a university setting. Another supplemental feature is a trivia quiz, "How well do you know your Great American Judges?"

Great American Judges is a valuable tool for providing current and retrospective biographical information on the nation's "best" judges. Academic and larger public libraries would find the source a welcome addition.

Publisher: ABC-CLIO Ltd (23 June 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1576079899
ISBN-13: 978-1576079898