A thorough analysis of the early history and development of judicial review, this is one of the most cited and highly regarded texts on law and government. Author Charles A. Beard ranks among the twentieth century’s preeminent judicial and constitutional scholars. His enlightening and accessible survey examines the U.S. high court’s role in interpreting and enforcing the laws of the country’s framing documents. It addresses the controversies surrounding the exercise of judicial power, and it dismisses charges of the Supreme Court’s usurpation of judicial review powers.Beard explores the intentions of the constitution’s framers by delving into the records of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the text of the constitution itself. He places information from these sources into the context of colonial and republican American life, drawing upon memoirs and correspondence of the day for further insights. This edition of his work is supplemented by an appendix and bibliographies, along with an extensive Introduction, "Charles Beard and the American Debate Over Judicial Review, 1790-1961." Students and scholars of political science, history, and law will find this book an indispensable addition to their libraries.