Foreign Law? Congress v.the Supreme Court
September 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1-59332-749-1 / Hardcover
Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 / x, 280 pages
After the decisions in Lawrence v. Texas (2003) and Roper v. Simmons (2005), the Supreme Court’s use of foreign law became a hotly contested issue in Congress, the media, and among conservative political activists. Lawrence Baum (2006) argues the Justices are sensitive and respond to the reaction of external audiences. The reaction of the Justices to the controversy over the use of foreign law indicates that the Justices care more about cases than just their disposition or particular policy agendas, and provides further evidence that the Justices take into account their relationships with other actors and audiences.