New Book On Justice Kennedy

Political scientist Helen Knowles thinks Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has gotten a bad rap as a "flip-flopper" and as a somewhat unpredictable swing vote. Knowles has turned that thought into a new book on titled "The Tie Goes to Freedom: Justice Anthony M. Kennedy on Liberty"

The book is touted as the first full-length treatment of Kennedy's jurisprudence.

Becky Kennedy - Library Journal

Knowles (political science, SUNY-Oswego) has written a philosophical treatment of Justice Kennedy's tenure (so far) on the Supreme Court. When Kennedy was appointed in 1987, he was hailed and criticized as a strong conservative. Over time, he has become controversial as a moderate voice and is now considered to be a pivotal vote on the Court. The author weaves a discussion of Kennedy's background as a law student and classroom teacher with an examination of how this has influenced his judicial philosophy. The beginning of the book examines his judicial thought in the context of libertarian thought. However, Knowles does not call the justice a libertarian. Instead, she uses libertarian philosophy to show that Kennedy is a believer in small government and individual liberty. Each chapter looks at Kennedy's views on issues such as affirmative action, civil rights, and free speech by discussing the level of judicial scrutiny applied to them. This is an extensive, thought-provoking look at judicial decision making that tackles complex issues. Recommended for law and academic libraries.

Scott interviews professor Knowles.