King of the Mountain

by Caher, John M.

• ISBN13: 9781573921978
• ISBN10: 1573921971
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-03-01
• Publisher: Prometheus Books

Summary

This is a forthright picture of Wachtler's persecuted boyhood in North Carolina, his early years in law, his rise to the top of New York political circles, and his appointment as chief judge by Governor Mario Cuomo. Caher chronicles Wachtler's impact on the national scene, through his judicial and administrative decisions, and his role in shaping the court and influencing other judges to follow his ground-breaking lead, the steamy affair, and his efforts to rise from the ashes of disgrace and shame.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	7	(8)
Introduction	15	(18)
Part I: The Man	33	(120)
1. Early Life	33	(10)
2. Politics	43	(25)
3. Judicial Career	68	(17)
4. Downfall	85	(29)
5. The Chief	114	(39)
Part II: The Mind	153	(120)
6. The Court of Appeals	153	(14)
7. Crime	167	(26)
8. Pornography and Free Speech	193	(30)
9. Human Rights	223	(19)
10. The Last Right	242	(15)
11. Errant Knights and Activism	257	(16)
Part III: The Mystery	273	(50)
12. Mental Illness	273	(16)
13. An Abuse of Power?	289	(24)
14. Redemption	313	(10)
Appendix A: Wachtler's Key Opinions	323	(28)
Appendix B: Timeline	351	(6)
Appendix C: Speeches	357	(16)
Appendix D: Comparison of U.S. and N.Y. Constitutions	373	(4)
Selected Bibliography	377	(2)
Index	379