Stephen Breyer werd bekend als professor en docent aan Harvard Law School, waar hij zich specialiseerde in bestuursrecht en invloedrijke handboeken schreef. Hij staat bekend om zijn pragmatische benadering van het constitutionele recht, die over het algemeen wordt geassocieerd met de meer liberale vleugel van het Hof. In zijn boek uit 2005 uiteenzette hij zijn juridische theorie die actieve vrijheid benadrukt en publieke deelname aan overheidsbeslissingen aanmoedigt. Zijn werk richt zich op hoe de rechterlijke macht problemen het beste kan oplossen om democratische betrokkenheid te bevorderen.
Edited and introduced by former Supreme Court Justice Breyer's former law clerk--and accompanied by a sobering update on the state of segregated schools in America today--this volume contains the full text of Breyer's most impassioned opinion, a dissent that Justice John Paul Stevens called at the time "eloquent and unanswerable."swerable."
"Justice Stephen Breyer examines the work of SCOTUS in an increasingly interconnected world, a world in which all sorts of public and private activity--from the conduct of national security policy to the conduct of international trade--obliges the Court to consider and understand circumstances beyond America's borders. At a time when ordinary citizens may book international lodging directly through online sites like Airbnb, it has become clear that judicial awareness can no longer stop at the water's edge"--
Focusing on the concept of "active liberty," Justice Stephen Breyer presents a compelling argument for a dynamic interpretation of the Constitution, emphasizing citizen engagement in governance. He advocates for judicial modesty and highlights the need for courts to adapt to evolving societal demands. Through contemporary examples, such as federalism and privacy issues, Breyer challenges the notion of the Constitution as a static document, asserting its principles should evolve to address modern challenges. This perspective contributes significantly to discussions on judicial power and constitutional interpretation.
On its Surface, this book is aimed at the topical issue of regulatory reform. But underneath it strives to go beyond the topical, seeking to analyze regulation as a distinct discipline and to help teach it as a separate subject