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The Brethren (Bob Woodward book)
Encyclopedia
The Brethren is a 1979 book by Bob Woodward
and Scott Armstrong
. It gives a "behind-the-scenes" account of the United States Supreme Court during Warren Burger
's early years as Chief Justice of the United States
.
Using Woodward's trademark writing technique involving "off-the-record" sources, the book provides an account of the deliberations leading to some of the more controversial Court decisions from the 1970s. Among the cases with substantial treatment in the book was the decision in Nixon v. United States
(1974), where the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Richard Nixon
was legally obligated to turn over the Watergate tapes.
In 1985, upon the death of Associate Justice Potter Stewart
, Woodward disclosed that Stewart had been the primary source for The Brethren.
Bob Woodward
Robert Upshur Woodward is an American investigative journalist and non-fiction author. He has worked for The Washington Post since 1971 as a reporter, and is currently an associate editor of the Post....
and Scott Armstrong
Scott Armstrong (journalist)
Scott Armstrong is the current director of Information Trust, a former journalist for the Washington Post, and founder of the National Security Archive...
. It gives a "behind-the-scenes" account of the United States Supreme Court during Warren Burger
Warren E. Burger
Warren Earl Burger was the 15th Chief Justice of the United States from 1969 to 1986. Although Burger had conservative leanings, the U.S...
's early years as Chief Justice of the United States
Chief Justice of the United States
The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States...
.
Using Woodward's trademark writing technique involving "off-the-record" sources, the book provides an account of the deliberations leading to some of the more controversial Court decisions from the 1970s. Among the cases with substantial treatment in the book was the decision in Nixon v. United States
Nixon v. United States
Nixon v. United States, 506 U.S. 224 , was a United States Supreme Court decision that determined that the question of whether the Senate had properly "tried" an impeachment was a political question, and could not be resolved in the Courts.-Facts:...
(1974), where the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
was legally obligated to turn over the Watergate tapes.
In 1985, upon the death of Associate Justice Potter Stewart
Potter Stewart
Potter Stewart was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. During his tenure, he made, among other areas, major contributions to criminal justice reform, civil rights, access to the courts, and Fourth Amendment jurisprudence.-Education:Stewart was born in Jackson, Michigan,...
, Woodward disclosed that Stewart had been the primary source for The Brethren.