The Jurisprudential Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Provides a sweeping overview of Justice Ginsburg’s jurisprudence

The passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September of 2020 marked a grim day for women and the broader progressive legal community. In her twenty-seven years on the Supreme Court and thirteen years on the Court of Appeals, she was most known for her trailblazing work on gender equality; however, she also influenced the direction of a multitude of legal subject areas during her long tenure. The Jurisprudential Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a critical examination of Justice Ginsburg’s remarkable career, with a focus on the common themes and approaches underscoring her many rulings.

In this edited volume, Ryan Vacca and Ann Bartow bring together leading scholars of American law to analyze Justice Ginsburg’s voting patterns and written opinions from the perspectives of subject matter experts. Each essay highlights areas of the law in which Justice Ginsburg had an outsized interest or impact. Chapters delve into topics such as gender equality, voting rights, the death penalty, civil and criminal procedure, employment discrimination, freedom of expression, bankruptcy, environmental law, immigration, and taxation. Together, they form a colorful tapestry that illustrates a long and celebrated judicial career, displaying Ginsburg’s immense influence on areas of the law well beyond women’s rights.

The Jurisprudential Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg shares profound insights into its subject’s unique legal philosophy, and reminds us what we had and whom we lost with her passing.

Ryan Vacca is Professor of Law at the University of New Hampshire School of Law.Bartow Ann :

Ann Bartow is Professor of Law at the University of New Hampshire School of Law.Ryan Vacca (Editor)
Ryan Vacca is Professor of Law at the University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Ann Bartow (Editor)
Ann Bartow is Professor of Law at the University of New Hampshire School of Law.

Mary L. Heen, Professor of Law Emerita, University of Richmond:
This collection makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing assessment of Justice Ginsburg’s judicial legacy. It examines her opinions within a broadly diverse set of legal subject areas and reveals the common themes and values animating her life as a lawyer and judge. In addition, the inclusion of a chapter on teaching a law school course on her life and work, along with an extensive bibliography, provide terrific resources to those in the academy.

Renee Knake Jefferson, co-author of Shortlisted: Women in the Shadows of the Supreme Court:
A comprehensive examination of RBG’s legal philosophy, featuring a vibrant community of highly regarded scholars. The first of its kind, this book adds important context to her legacy, illustrating the outsized impact she had on areas of the law far beyond issues of gender equality.