“51 Imperfect Solutions” by Jeffrey Sutton
In his new book, 51 Imperfect Solutions: States and the Making of American Constitutional Law, Jeffrey S. Sutton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit argues that American Constitutional Law should account for the role of the state courts and state constitutions, together with the federal courts and the federal constitution, in protecting individual liberties.
The book explores these themes by telling four different stories that address four different areas of constitutional law. The book also offers fresh perspective on this relationship by looking at each issue through the lens of many constitutions, courts, and from the viewpoint of all American judges, instead of just one, therefore providing a more complete picture of this complex system.
“If there is a central conviction of the book, it's that an underappreciation of state constitutional law has hurt state and federal law and has undermined the appropriate balance between state and federal courts in protecting individual liberty. In trying to correct this imbalance, the book also offers several ideas for reform.”
Read more here.
