Why the Supreme Court Is Now the Last Branch Standing.

The article focuses on Sarah Isgur’s book *Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court*, which challenges common narratives about the U.S. Supreme Court’s partisan nature and role in politics. Isgur, a Republican legal commentator, argues that the court’s justices cannot be simply divided along partisan lines but instead vary on two dimensions: legal ideology (liberal to conservative) and institutionalism (concern for the court’s credibility). She categorizes the nine justices into three groups reflecting these dimensions, offering a nuanced understanding of their decisions. The book also highlights how the court’s central role in political controversies results from failures by Congress and the executive branch, which increasingly defer legislative responsibilities to the judiciary. [Extracted from the article]