Bestselling author Ted Stewart explains how the Supreme Court and its nine appointed members now stand at a crucial point in their power to hand down momentous and far-ranging decisions. Today's Court affects every major area of American life, from health care to civil rights, from abortion to marriage.
This book reveals the complex history of the Court as told through seven pivotal decisions. These cases originally seemed narrow in scope, but they vastly expanded the interpretation of law. Such is the power of judicial review to make sweeping, often unforeseen, changes in American society by revising the meaning of our Constitution. Each chapter presents an easy-to-read brief on the case and explains what the decisions mean and how the Court ruling, often a 5-4 split, had long-term impact. For example, in Lochner v. New York, a widely accepted turn-of-the-twentieth--century New York State law limited excessive overtime for bakery workers. That law was overturned by the Court based on the due process clause of the Constitution. The very same precedents, Stewart points out, were used by the Court seventy years later and expanded to a new right to privacy in Roe v. Wade, making abortion legal in the nation. Filled with insight, commentary, and compelling stories of ordinary citizens coming to the judiciary for remedy for the problems of their day, Supreme Power illustrates the magnitude of the Court s power to interpret the Constitution and decide the law of the land.
Judge Ted Stewart was nominated by President Bill Clinton on July 27, 1999, to the United States District Court of the District of Utah. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 5, 1999, and sworn in on November 15, 1999.
Prior to becoming a Federal District Court Judge, Mr. Stewart served as Chief of Staff to Governor Michael O. Leavitt (R-Utah) from March 1998, to November 1999. From January 1993, to March 1998, he served as the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources for the State of Utah.
Stewart served as a member and chairman of the Utah Public Service Commission for seven years. During his tenure the Commission issued more than 1500 orders, including 34 major rate cases. In addition, Mr. Stewart was in private law practice for six years, served as Chief of Staff to Congressman Jim Hansen (R-Utah) and was Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce. He has been a visiting professor at both Utah State University and Weber State University.
Judge Stewart graduated with a B.S. degree from Utah State University and obtained his juris doctorate degree from the University of Utah
