Supreme Courtship: A Novel.

• Author: Mandell, David
• Position: Book review

Supreme Courtship

by Christopher Buckley

United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is our highest ranking judge, but probably not our best known. That honor belongs to Judith Sheindlin, judge of television's "Judge Judy" show. While the Supreme Court ponders interstate commerce, search and seizure, and eminent domain, Judge Judy adjudicates cases involving poor dry cleaning results, broken romances, and disputed phone bills before an audience of millions. Christopher Buckley's new novel, Supreme Courtship, poses the question: What would happen if a television judge actually served on the Supreme Court?

Buckley, an accomplished political satirist, presents a scenario loosely based on news stories from Washington, D.C. An unpopular president, Donald Vanderdamp, has a seat on the Supreme Court to fill. The Senate's judiciary chair, the pompous Dexter Mitchell of Connecticut, wants the appointment. Turned down by the president, Mitchell vows to thwart any other nominees. Vanderdamp's selections, respected appellate judges, are rejected by the Senate. Buckley's depiction is not too far from what happens in these bitter confirmation battles.

Angry at Mitchell's conduct, Vanderdamp gets an idea. While channel surfing at Camp David, he finds Courtroom Six, a television show similar to "Judge Judy" and "People's Court." In the episode, Judge Pepper Cartwright, a Texan with an inexhaustible supply of western sayings, presides over a case involving French wine being replaced with grape juice by an angry ex-spouse. The president makes his selection. Cartwright will be the next justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Senate doesn't dare reject Cartwright, with her high ratings and popularity, and she...