Ezra's Bookshelf

Lawless

by Leah Litman · 320 pages

Leah Litman argues that the current Supreme Court is practicing 'vibes, not law'—repackaging conservative grievance politics in legal language while abandoning consistent principles. Litman, a law professor at Michigan and co-host of the legal podcast Strict Scrutiny, examines major decisions to show how the Court has overturned precedent, invented new doctrines, and produced results that align with Republican policy preferences. She pays particular attention to how the Court treats different rights differently: expanding religious liberty and gun rights while constraining voting rights and reproductive autonomy. Litman is unsparing in her criticism but aims to educate rather than simply denounce. She provides tools for understanding legal reasoning and identifying when it fails. The book is written for general readers who sense that something is wrong with the Court but lack the legal background to articulate it. Litman argues that understanding the stakes is necessary for fighting for a better future. This is legal analysis from a clear progressive perspective, aimed at citizens rather than lawyers.