Backstories in the Law

One of the secrets within the legal profession is that the stories behind the cases matter more than the legal doctrines involved. A full understanding of legal disputes requires knowing about the cultural and historical context in which the cases arise. In Backstories in the Law: Tales of Victors, Villains and Victims, distinguished law professor Alan Weinberger examine some of the most extraordinary cases of the past century with a focus not so much on the winning and losing, but rather on the backstories behind the disputes. The chapters provide insights and background into the cases, and explain why the decisions continue to resonate today. Most of all, these chapters remind us of the transcendent importance of good stories: in disputes involving fundamental human emotions and desires, there is usually a victor, villain and victim. Ultimately it is the reader who gets to decide whether justice was done or denied.