Description:The Supreme Court's involvement in many hot political and personal conflicts makes crucial an understanding of its internal workings and evolution. This book gives students a firm historical and institutional base upon which to evaluate contemporary Supreme Court decisions and the impact of those decisions on the lives of ordinary citizens. The author analyzes several issues, including: how the Supreme Court works; what key institutional norms have developed over time to make it work efficiently; and how popular support for the Supreme Court changes over time.