When presidents take positions on pending Supreme Court cases or criticize the Court's decisions, they are susceptible to being attacked for acting as bullies and violating the norm of judicial independence. Why then do presidents target Supreme Court decisions in their public appeals? In this book, Paul M. Collins, Jr and Matthew Eshbaugh-Soha argue that presidents discuss the Court's decisions to demonstrate their responsiveness to important matters of public policy and to steer the implementation of the Court's decisions. Using data from Washington to Trump, they show that, far from being bullies, presidents discuss cases to promote their re-election, policy goals, and historical legacies, while attempting to affect the impact of Court decisions on the bureaucracy, Congress, the media, and the public.

Winner, 2021 Richard E. Neustadt Award, American Political Science Association

‘Given the background that both authors bring to this project, it is not a surprise that the book succeeds in providing an excellent analysis of an ambitious topic …’

Lisa M. Holme Source: Congress & the Presidency, Volume 48, Issue 2

‘Collins and Eshbaugh-Soha have contributed greatly to the work on executive-judicial relations by documenting and compiling a database of presidential public comments.’

Katherine Vigilante Source: Perspectives on Politics

‘Collins and Eshbaugh-Soha’s book is well written and would be an excellent addition to any undergraduate or graduate course on American political institutions. It is straight-forward, easy to follow, and rich with examples that provide helpful context.’

Elizabeth Lane Source: Law and Politics Book Review