Robert A. Carp

For law and courts courses focused on the federal level, this popular spin-off volume from Judicial Process in America, is the perfect supplement. The authors explain the organizational structure of the federal courts, outline the jurisdiction of the three levels of U.S. courts, and pay particular attention to the link between the courts, public policy, and the political environment.

In this new adaptation from their classic Judicial Process in America, Carp, Stidham, and Manning provide a comprehensive look at state judicial systems. They place the various state court systems within the overall political and judicial framework and examine recent events in, and policymaking by, state courts.

Since the Judiciary Act of 1789, federal trial judges have been politically appointed. From Woodrow Wilson to George Bush, this work examines the voting patterns of these presidentially-appointed trial judges, documenting the link between politics and jurisprudence in the federal lower courts.