In this tense novel of legal and political intrigue, Tim Quinn, the former judge previously seen in "The Majority Rules", is assigned to investigate and compile a dossier on the newly appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court before his Senate confirmation hearing. The President has achieved lame duck status with a soon-to-be unfriendly Congress bent more on politics than policy. He realizes that the chance of establishing a legacy before his Presidency comes to an end is slim at best. So when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a reasonably young and vigorous man, unexpectedly dies, the President happily appoints an interim successor to the position - the first black Chief Justice in US history. But one of the most conservative justices on the court feels that the position should have been his. He is hell-bent on claiming it no matter who gets in the way...even if it means Quinn's report will bring dishonor to the highest court in the land.