Trial Magazine

Tough Cases: Judges Tell the Stories of Some of the Hardest Decisions They've Ever Made
Russell F. Canan, Gregory E. Mize, and Frederick H. Weisberg (Eds.)
The New Press
thenewpress.com
288 pp., $26.99

In this collection of stories, 13 members of the bench describe the most difficult cases they’ve presided over. Some, such as the Elián González and Terri Schiavo cases, are widely known, while others occurred outside the media spotlight. Attempting to “demystify” judicial decision-making, the judges share how they struggled to reach their rulings—and the self-doubts many of them faced after doing so. The book also contains their reflections on the judiciary’s role and responsibility to reach fair, reasoned decisions. As retired Washington state Judge Robert Alsdorf writes: “I think, properly viewed, my decision is not my decision. . . . [I]f I have done my job right, it is the voice of the law developed over a hundred years.”