Check It Out:

With confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor scheduled to begin in mid-July, inquisitive observers of these proceedings may wish to deepen their understanding of the High Court and its place in our system of government. Users of the Newport Beach Public Library will find the following titles of supreme interest:

A huge bestseller in 1979, “The Brethren,” by Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong, remains a fascinating account of the Warren Burger Court. Perhaps the first inside look at the Supreme Court, the book relies on Woodward’s use of unnamed sources to explore the court’s deliberations on a number of controversial decisions, including the overturning of Muhammad Ali’s conviction for draft evasion and the ruling against President Nixon’s refusal to turn over the Watergate tapes.

Similarly, two recent books have attempted to explain the internal dynamics of the court during William Rehnquist’s tenure as chief justice through his eventual succession by John Roberts. During this period, the court has wrestled with weighty, seemingly intractable issues such as abortion, affirmative action, the death penalty, gay rights, the separation of church and state, and a disputed presidential election.

Jeffrey Toobin, in “The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court,” argues that the way in which the court decides cases can be better explained by politics and the singular personalities of the justices, rather than an understanding of arcane constitutional theories. He describes the court’s rightward drift as a gradual movement marked by moderation, rather than an actual conservative revolution. Toobin’s deft handling of issues and incisive portrayals of the justices make this a riveting narrative.

“Supreme Conflict,” by Jan Crawford Greenburg, examines the struggle for ideological control of the court during this same period. The author focuses on the long-standing goal of conservatives to rein in the court after the activism of the Earl Warren era. Much of the book deals with the use of the confirmation process to achieve this goal. After the confirmation of first Roberts and then Samuel Alito, Greenburg concludes that President Bush has succeeded in moving the court decisively to the right.

David Hudson’s “The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book” is a guide to all aspects of the court from matters such as when the practice of hiring law clerks for research and assistance began to discussions of historic decisions like Marbury v. Madison or Brown v. the Board of Education. In addition, Hudson provides a thorough review of the argument, decision, and appeal process as well as profiles of all 17 chief justices. The reader will also learn numerous fun factoids such as which justices were the tallest or shortest.

This would be a handy guide for keeping up with events in the next few weeks.

CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public Library. Library materials may be reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at www.newportbeachlibrary.org. For more information on the Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.