ABA Journal

The Modern Law Library

208 ABA Journal The Modern Law Library articles.

SCOTUS faces ‘a catastrophic loss of institutional legitimacy,’ warns author

In his new book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, Michael Waldman identifies three times that the U.S. Supreme Court caused a public backlash against itself—and warns that the court may be well along the path to a fourth massive public backlash.

‘The Shadow Docket’ shines light on an increasingly uncommunicative Supreme Court

In The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck argues that the U.S. Supreme Court is expanding its powers at the expense of the rule of law and public transparency.

End of the Cold War launched new efforts to build the rule of law

When the Berlin Wall fell Nov. 9, 1989, James Silkenat was serving his term as chair of the ABA International Law Section. But he is the first to admit that he did not immediately anticipate what changes that it would spark.

Lawyer explores English family’s ties to Nazi Germany in ‘The Mitford Affair’

When it comes to taking on stories about larger-than-life women, lawyer and author Heather Terrell, who writes under the pen name Marie Benedict, has a long track record.

‘Never Far From Home’ chronicles lawyer’s journey from NYC projects to Microsoft executive offices

Bruce Jackson grew up shuttling between Brooklyn and Manhattan public housing projects in New York City. His journey led him to Hofstra University and then the Georgetown University Law Center. He ditched a white-shoe firm job to launch a career in entertainment law and represented some of the hottest hip-hop and rap artists in the 1990s.

In ‘Actual Malice,’ law prof explains why NYT v. Sullivan mattered in 1964 and is under attack today

The 1964 decision in New York Times v. Sullivan protected the civil rights movement, established the "actual malice" standard, and is the basis for modern American libel law. But in recent years, criticism of the case has grown among conservatives—with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas calling it "policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law" and suggesting that the decision should be reconsidered.

In ‘Her Honor,’ trailblazing women judges take center stage

When Lauren Stiller Rikleen was approached in 2020 by the ABA Judicial Division to help compile autobiographical stories from women judges in America, a powerful motivating factor for her was to capture stories of the barriers that the judges overcame in their words.

In ‘Myth America,’ historians challenge misinformation about our past

Some American patriotic myths are harmless; George Washington may have chopped down a cherry tree at some point in his life, but the popular story told to children where young George fesses up to the deed by saying "I cannot tell a lie" is made up from whole cloth. However, there are much more pernicious lies and misinformation circulated about our past as a country, and that misinformation is used for political ends.

Bestselling author relished collaboration for ‘Heat’ follow-up

In 2022, Heat 2 debuted at the top of the New York Times’ bestseller list, showing that there is still a strong appetite for stories about a ruthless bank robber and a high-octane cop.

From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse, lawyer discusses justice and due process in the digital age

In Anne Bremner’s work as a Seattle-based trial attorney, she saw a disturbing pattern—that high-profile cases often trending on Twitter challenge the concept “innocent until proven guilty,” as cases are tried online, as well as in courtroom proceedings.

Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller ‘Code 6’

“Code 6” follows an aspiring playwright, as she tries to make sense of her mother’s suicide and put on a play about big data while working for her father.

Listen to our 10 favorite podcast episodes of 2022

Looking for a new listen? We've picked our favorite 2022 episodes from each of the ABA Journal's three podcasts. And if this whets your appetite, find more than 10 years of past episodes on our podcast page. You can also check out more legal podcasts from our partners at Legal Talk Network.

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from ‘The Box’

“The Box: An Invitation to Freedom From Anxiety” became an investigation into the mental and emotional barriers that Wendy Tamis Robbins constructed since childhood to protect herself—and a blueprint for dismantling the barriers that no longer served her.

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022

In our annual Year in Review episode, Lee Rawles speaks to her ABA Journal colleagues Blair Chavis, Julianne Hill and Stephanie Francis Ward to find out how they spent their downtime in 2022. We cover the usual lineup of our favorite books, movies and TV shows, but each participant also provides more niche content.

Can change really come from within? These 13 prosecutors think so

Change From Within: Reimagining the 21st-Century Prosecutor shares the personal profiles of prosecutors who want to use prosecutorial discretion to reduce incarceration rates and harm to vulnerable communities from the prison-industrial system.

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