Decision Making and Controversies in State Supreme Courts

Foregrounding religious, racialized and gendered disputes,Decision Making and Controversies in State Supreme Courtsexamines state supreme court decision making during controversies.Using case studies within Alabama, Louisiana, and Wisconsin, Salmon Shomade identifies and analyses the predominant factors influencing decision making in times of court contention.In this book, Shomade assesseshow the justices' interpersonal dynamics and controversial issues ofreligion, race, and gender impact their decision making.Specifically, the book focuses on former AlabamaChief Justice Roy Moore and the Ten Commandments monument crisis, LouisianaChief Justice Bernette Johnson and her elevation dispute, and former WisconsinJustice David Prosser and his conflicts with two female colleagues.The book contributes to the literature on decision making in state appellate courts by building upon established models utilized for assessing these courts.