Tough Cases: Judges Tell the Stories of Some of the Hardest Decisions They’ve Ever Made

Behind every courtroom trial is a judge tasked with making a life-altering decision—this is their “engaging and bracingly honest” (National Catholic Reporter) side of the story

“Provides an invaluable public service, as the judicial branch is perpetually shrouded in mystery.”—Justin Driver, The Washington Post

Prosecutors and defense attorneys have it easy—all they have to do is to present the evidence and make arguments. It’s the judges who have the heavy lift: they are the ones who have to make the ultimate decisions, many of which have profound consequences on the lives of the people standing in front of them. In Tough Cases, called “powerful collection of inside information about some of the most interesting and high-profile cases of our times” by former prosecutor Paul Butler, a remarkable group of judges—from family court to tribal court to the federal bench—pull back the curtain on the most challenging cases of their careers, sharing what it means to bear the weight of justice in cases that shape lives and ignite national debate.

These “hard-to-put-down” (starred Library Journal) narratives include landmark rulings such as the Elián González custody case, the emotionally charged Terri Schiavo right-to-die battle, and the prosecution of Scooter Libby. Others unfold far from the public eye but are no less consequential: a tribal court judge navigating cultural tensions, a newly appointed jurist grappling with identity and authority, and a chilling case involving a mother who killed her own children.

Relatively few judges have publicly shared the thought processes behind their decision making. Tough Cases makes for “unprecedented” (Greta van Susteren) reading for everyone from armchair attorneys and fans of Law and Order to those actively involved in the legal profession who want insight into the people judging their work.