Going beyond the standard interpretation of Supreme Court opinions, this practical text delves into the legal reasoning behind the written opinions - the modes of persuasion and justification used by Supreme Court justices - to give readers a deeper understanding of how to read and interpret the decisions of our highest court.

An indispensable supplement to any constitutional law casebook, the sixth edition has been thoroughly updated, incorporating new material throughout the book on recent opinions issued by the Supreme Court. It also includes a new Chapter 9, which discusses in greater depth the briefing of a case - Seattle School District No. 1;- and its analysis.