Between Law and Politics: The Solicitor General and the Structuring of Race, Gender, and Reproductive Rights Litigation

At the intersection of law and politics stands the U.S. solicitor general. Although even the informed public rarely thinks of the solicitor general in relation to the major issues that have challenged American society, this office actually has considerable control over the cases the Supreme Court addresses. To bring the Office of Solicitor General (OSG) out of the shadows and into the clear light of public attention Between Law and Politics looks at three hotly contested policy areas - race, gender, and reproductive rights - to see how the office balances the goals of the president, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Using intervlews with solicitors general and their staffs, as well as members of the Department of Justice and others, and analyzing Supreme Court cases beginning with the Truman administration, Richard Pacelle, Jr., shows how the OSG balances the competing forces in its environment. This detailed and systematic study will be of great interest to those who study the Supreme Court, the presidency, and public policy.