In the Supreme Court's Own Words, by Peter C. Cohen

What are the constitutional limits of presidential power — and who enforces them?

In the Supreme Court’s Own Words: First Principles for Checking Presidential Power and Preserving the Republic offers a rare opportunity to see how the U.S. Supreme Court has historically served as a check on executive overreach from the Founding Era to the present.

Spanning landmark decisions from 1803 to 2024, the book traces how the Court has articulated — and repeatedly affirmed — the bedrock principles that define the lawful boundaries of presidential authority.

Distinctive in approach, the book weaves together the Court’s own words with vivid, contemporary hypotheticals that bring constitutional principles to life.

Is the President of the United States above the law?

When can he constitutionally impose military force upon a civilian population?

Can he arrest and imprison people without due process?

Can he ignore the will of Congress, or defy the Supreme Court?

Designed to be both historically grounded and civically useful, the book answers these questions by inviting readers to engage directly with the language of the Court while providing plain-language guidance through its most complex rulings.

Written by a veteran litigator and legal educator, and supported by nearly 800 endnotes of research, In the Supreme Court’s Own Words not only reflects a lifetime of legal engagement and constitutional inquiry — it delivers an accessible yet rigorous account of how the Constitution operates under stress.

The result is a timely and necessary reflection on the rule of law in preserving the American Republic.