Synopses & Reviews
From 1932 to 2003, the New York Court of Appeals decided cases involving many of the crucial social and legal issues of the day. The judges' decisions affected issues ranging from criminal law and contracts to what movies could be shown and a woman's right to an abortion. The second of two volumes covering the history of the Court, this book explores the law's development on a variety of subjects. The authors describe and analyze cases, decisions, and dissenting opinions, and present short biographies of all the judges who served during this period. Changes in the selection of judges and the Court's jurisdiction are also explained.
In addition to the decisions and cases, the authors consider the legal, social, and political contexts in which the law has evolved. Thus, they examine the Court's view during the Great Depression on whether it had the constitutional power to respond to an economic emergency. In disputes concerning movie censorship and obscenity, the authors outline cases in which the judges weighed in on the government's role with respect to morals and morality. Other topics covered include the evolution of the Court's opinions on statutory interpretation, judicial federalism, censorship, constitutional reform, criminal law and capital punishment, rules of evidence, education, family law, and antitrust and labor law.
Also of interest: http: //www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/catalog/data/023105/0231059507.HTM>
Synopsis
From 1932 to 2003, the New York Court of Appeals-the highest court in the state- decided crucial cases pertaining to the social and legal issues of the day. The judges' rulings affected laws regarding motion picture censorship; obscenity, indecency, and immorality; religion; capital punishment; torts; the right to control personal medical care; and abortion. This comprehensive history completes a two volume series that began with The History of the New York Court of Appeals, 1847-1932. Each case is richly recounted and analyzed, detailing the decisions and dissenting opinions. Short biographies are provided for the judges who served during this period, and changes in the selection of judges, as well as the court's jurisdiction, are thoroughly explained. Particular to this volume, the authors provide the legal, social, and political contexts for these cases, showing how the law has evolved over time. They examine the court's view concerning its constitutional power to respond to an economic emergency during the Great Depression; they outline cases in which the judges ruled on the government's role in legislating morals and morality; and they focus on the evolution of the court's opinions regarding statutory interpretation, judicial federalism, censorship, constitutional reform, criminal law and capital punishment, rules of evidence, education, family law, and antitrust and labor law.