This work examines the internal failures and systemic contradictions within the United States Supreme Court during the author's tenure as a law clerk. The author, Edward Lazarus, utilizes his unique vantage point as a former clerk to Justice Harry Blackmun to analyze how the court's internal politics and ideological shifts often undermine its own stated goals. By synthesizing personal observation with historical analysis, the text argues that the institution frequently inflicts damage upon its own legitimacy through inconsistent jurisprudence and interpersonal friction.

Legal scholars and political observers frequently cite this book as a rare, candid look into the secretive chambers of the highest court in the United States. Readers often note the dense, analytical nature of the prose, which provides significant insight into the human elements of judicial decision-making.