Towering Judges

In Towering Judges: A Comparative Study of Constitutional Judges, Iddo Porat and Rehan Abeyratne lead an exploration of a new topic in comparative constitutional law: towering judges. The volume examines the work of twenty judges from fifteen jurisdictions, each of whom stood out individually among their fellow judges and had a unique impact on the trajectory of constitutional law. The chapters ask: what makes a towering judge; what are the background conditions that foster or deter the rise of towering judges; whether towering judges, on balance, are positive or detrimental for constitutional systems; how towering judges differ from one jurisdiction to another; how political and historical developments relate to this phenomenon; and how it fits within global constitutionalism. The answers to these questions offer important insight into exactly how these judges were able to shine to an uncommon degree in a profession where individualism is not always looked on favorably.