Abhinav Chandrachud

Supreme Whispers

1. IDEA 1

   A historian interviewed the judges

   Chandrachud builds the book on interviews that the American scholar George Gadbois recorded with Supreme Court judges in the 1980s. These conversations were kept private for years and give rare insight into the court.

2. IDEA 2

   Appointments depended on personal networks

   The interviews show that judges were often chosen through informal consultation and personal recommendations. Chandrachud describes how region, background and connections could influence who reached the Supreme Court. Merit was not the only factor.

3. IDEA 3

   The government once bypassed senior judges

   Chandrachud describes the 1973 decision to appoint a Chief Justice over the heads of more senior judges. Many judges saw it as punishment for rulings against the government, and it damaged trust.

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