Review by Choice Review
Ferren (senior judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals) has supplied the much needed, heretofore missing, biography of Wiley Rutledge, one of the nine members of the so-called "Roosevelt Court." Dividing the book into three sections, the author portrays Rutledge's early life (1894-1926), his years as professor and law school dean (1926-39), and his service as a judge on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (1939-43) and on the US Supreme Court (1943-49). Ferren comprehensively captures the essence of Rutledge the man, as well as his contributions to constitutional jurisprudence. He suggests that Rutledge was the only member of the Court in his time who "enjoyed the respect, both intellectual and personal, of all his colleagues." As a justice he will be remembered for his views on the "preferred positions" doctrine and his famous dissent in In re Yamashita. Unfortunately, his premature death at age 55 prevented him from adding luster to an already distinguished career. In addition to showcasing Justice Wiley Rutledge, the book is a fascinating narrative of national and judicial politics in the 1940s. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate and graduate students of American political and judicial history as well as researchers, faculty, and practitioners. R. J. Steamer emeritus, University of Massachusetts at Boston
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
