Book Review of The People's Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America

This Book Review of Jed Handelsman Shugerman’s, The People’s Courts: Pursuing Judicial Independence in America, focuses on the crucial relationship between judicial independence and the times in which a judge rules. In each era of American history, judges have faced challenges to their independence. At some points in our history, judicial elections have been designed to safeguard the judge’s independent role. At other times, it has been viewed as an attack. What is most important for students and scholars is that they understand the historical and political forces confronting judges as they attempt to follow the rule of law.