Law Review: Clarence Thomas’s jurisprudence unexplained

Timothy Sandefur, Clarence Thomas’s Jurisprudence Unexplained (September 22, 2008). NYU Journal of Law & Liberty, Forthcoming. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1272053

This is a review of Henry Mark Holzer’s The Supreme Court Opinions of Clarence Thomas. I contend that Holzer’s book ignores significant debates within the conservative/libertarian community. I describe some of these debates – over the role of natural rights, the proper understanding of federalism, and the meaning of originalism – to determine how Justice Thomas’ record compares to a freedom-centered interpretation of the Constitution.