Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spent a lifetime defying notions about “the way women are.” This collection of her legal writings illuminates the intellect, humor, and toughness that made “the Notorious R.B.G.” a cultural icon as well as a profoundly influential jurist.

Newly updated to include dissents from Justice Ginsburg’s final days on the Court, the book begins with her passionate briefs as an advocate for women’s rights in the 1970s, leading to a series of Court decisions that demolished barriers to gender equality. Transformative majority opinions, including United States v. Virginia (1996), follow, along with famous dissents such as Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire (2007), Shelby County v. Holder (2013), and recently Little Sisters of the Poor (2020)—a case that had Justice Ginsburg, true to her indomitable character, participating in oral argument from her hospital bed.

Many of these writings are accompanied by Ginsburg’s statements during oral argument and bench announcements of decisions, which framed the issues in a way more understandable to the public. Also included is an introduction summarizing Ginsburg’s life story and legacy, as well as explanatory notes for each case that provide context, demystify the arguments, and make these writings accessible to a nonlegal audience.

“This book is a must-read for any citizen wondering about the where and how of some of the most pertinent laws of our time. The precedents discussed … include equal protection, reproductive rights, parental rights, voting rights, … and the separation of church and state.”
— Amy Miller, Trial News