Decision Making and Controversies in State Supreme Courts

"Foregrounding religious, racialized and gendered disputes, [this book] examines state supreme court decision making during controversies. Using case studies within Alabama, Louisiana, and Wisconsin, [the author] identifies and analyses the predominant factors influencing decision making in times of court contention. In this book, [the author] assesses how the justices’ interpersonal dynamics and controversial issues of religion, race, and gender impact their decision making. Specifically, the book focuses on former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and the Ten Commandments monument crisis, Louisiana Chief Justice Bernette Johnson and her elevation dispute, and former Wisconsin Justice David Prosser and his conflicts with two female colleagues. The book contributes to the literature on decision making in state appellate courts by building upon established models utilized for assessing these courts' decisions."--