★★★★★ 4
Judging Jackson
Format: Hardcover
Readers interested in FDR's era, the post-war Nuremberg Trial, and/or such important U.S. Supreme Court events as the Rosenberg spy case and Brown v. Board of Education will enjoy this well-researched book. Illuminating insights as to the characters of his fellow members of the High Court, especially Justices Black and Douglas, are also present.
Of special interest in today's world is Justice Jackson's thinking on the limits of Executive Power in terms of war powers and foreign relations.
I do think non-lawyers will be less interested when the author, a legal scholar, sometime goes into depth exploring aspects of Justice Jackson's thoughts on opaque technical areas, such as diversity jurisdiction under the constitution.
And, I fail to see the need to spend much time on Justice Black's two children, as is done in chapter two "Family Matters." Why do I need to know that his daughter was a mediocre student in college or details about her early love life?
Professor White clearly admires Robert H. Jackson as a fine advocate, brilliant writer, and independent judge, while noting some of his flaws. All in all, a good biography of an important American.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 9, 2025
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