Academic and policy circles have been abuzz lately over the political involvement of groups in the judicial process ? the ?court party thesis.? But how can we understand this debate without understanding the fundamentals of how courts actually operate? The Courts addresses this question by providing a well-informed account of the judicial system and its relation to democratic life.

Ian Greene covers all the dimensions of the judicial system that have a significant bearing on the quality of Canadian democracy. He offers an insider's perspective on the workings of the court: the...