Metropolitan Library System

The death penalty is surely one of the most highly contentious points the Supreme Court has had to weigh in on. Whether you believe in the death penalty or not, the Furman v. Georgia case was groundbreaking in its decision to stay Furman's execution because it was arbitrary and, very possibly, racially motivated. Though it did not stop capital punishment, the case changed the way states had to weigh their decisions. Also included are questions to...

The Miranda v. Arizona decision was instrumental in making sure that people accused of a crime are aware of all their rights and have equal access to counsel, even if they cannot afford it. The Miranda rights, which are read to apprehended suspects, are one of the things people point to when they talk about American rights and freedoms. Readers will find out, in rich detail, how this now basic right came to pass. Also included are questions to consider,...

Following the Civil War, feelings were mixed about the freedoms that Lincoln had granted to African American citizens through his Emancipation Proclamation. A group in Louisiana decided to challenge a state law that required companies to have railway cars separated by race. They orchestrated a situation in which a "white-looking" black man would sit in the "white only" part of the train and announce he was "colored." In a landmark decision that supported...

Abortion has long been a hot-button issue. In 1973, in the landmark case of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court finally decided that women should be allowed to have an abortion, with some limits. This book gives the background on the case and the path the case took to make it to the Supreme Court and presents both the majority and dissenting opinions related to the case. It also takes a look at the lasting impact the case has continued to have on policies...