Of Courtiers and Princes : Stories of Lower Court Clerks and Their Judges

"This new collection of essays, including some by former clerks, takes readers inside justices’ chambers for a look at clerkship life…. [T]he best parts of the book are the behind-the-scenes descriptions of life at the court."― Associated Press

"An excellent book… It’s interesting for many different reasons, not the least of which as a reminder of how much of a bastion of elitism the Court has always been."― Atlantic Monthly

In his earlier books, In Chambers and Of Courtiers and Kings, Todd C. Peppers provided an insider’s view of the Supreme Court from the perspective of the clerks who worked closely with some of its most important justices. With Of Courtiers and Princes, he concludes the trilogy by examining the understudied yet equally fascinating role of lower court clerks―encompassing pioneering women and minorities.

Drawing on contributions from former law clerks and judicial scholars―including an essay by Ruth Bader Ginsburg―the book provides an inside look at the professional and personal bonds that form between lower court judges and their clerks. While the individual essays often focus on a single judge and his or her corps of law clerks, including their selection process, contributions, and even influence, the book as a whole provides a macro-level view of the law clerk’s role in the rapidly changing world of lower federal and state courts, thereby offering an unusual yet crucial perspective on the inner workings of our judicial system.