In Mighty Judgment, bestselling author Philip Slayton describes the surprising and dramatic ways in which the Supreme Court of Canada affects individual Canadians and shapes the country’s future. Whether they are striking down Canada’s abortion laws as unconstitutional, deciding that gays and lesbians can legally marry, or outlining the conditions under which Quebec could separate from Canada, the nine men and women who make up the court are powerful—and unelected—leaders. Their reach extends from the seemingly mundane—yes, the police can rifle through your garbage—to the highly political. 

Mighty Judgment makes clear that the Supreme Court of Canada is a political institution and that judges are politicians. But unlike other politicians, judges cannot be voted out of office. Slayton  argues that reform is needed, particularly in the way judges are chosen, precisely because of the court’s pivotal role. Erudite and entertaining, Mighty Judgment is a revealing portrait of a little-known institution. The paperback is updated with an epilogue that discusses important recent cases, the new judges appointed to the court, and the way in which they were appointed.

Born in England and raised in Manitoba, PHILIP SLAYTON is a Canadian lawyer and the former dean of law at the University of Western Ontario. He is the best-selling author of Lawyers Gone Bad: Money, Sex and Madness in Canada’s Legal Profession, and Mighty Judgment: How the Supreme Court of Canada Runs Your Life, among other books. A Rhodes Scholar, he has been a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and President of PEN Canada. Married to the writer Cynthia Wine, he lives in Toronto and Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia.

Philip Slayton's profile page

"A useful primer on the wrongly neglected subject of our top court, its immense power and the need for reform.” - The Globe and Mail

“As he did in Lawyers Gone Bad, Philip Slayton challenges some conventions, provokes a debate, and above all, informs in this new book. He goes behind the workings of an institution that is key to understanding Canada, and does it in a way that is at once intelligent and readable.” - The Honourable Bob Rae

“Interesting and readable … Slayton writes well—missing nothing of the substance by explaining nuanced judgments clearly and concisely. Mighty Judgment makes good reading for any lawyer and any other Canadian interested in this most mysterious branch of government.” - Winnipeg Free Press

“Accessible to both lawyers and laymen alike, [Mighty Judgment] provides an interesting overview of the history of the Supreme Court, thoughtful analysis of recent decisions on compelling and controversial issues and colourful quotes gleaned from interviews with current and former Supremes and their groupies in academia … A treasure trove of historical anecdotes, colourful quotes and insightful commentary.” - The Lawyers Weekly

“[Slayton] makes a strong argument that politicians, the news media, and Canadians in general don’t pay enough attention to the men and women who sit on the Supreme Court … He succeeds in making his book readable and relatable, which is especially impressive considering the volume of information he conveys.” - Quill & Quire

“Giving an insider’s look at how the court operates, [Slayton] mixes telling detail with enlivening anecdote … That the court makes law will come as no surprise to serious scholars who have studied the court’s work. But the biggest contribution of Mighty Judgment is bringing this undisputed fact compellingly to readers’ consciousness … Slayton has done a great service in bringing the personalities and procedures of Canada’s Supreme Court into clear view for a wide readership.” - Literary Review of Canada