The U.S. Supreme Court, composed of nine justices, has been likened to "nine scorpions in a bottle" - individuals who answer solely to the Constitution and the law, operating as independent and equal entities. The process of judicial decision-making unfolds within a complex institutional ecosystem: whether to grant certiorari, how to vote on cases, who drafts opinions... All these steps follow a robust framework of rules and procedures. Against this backdrop, the nine justices engage in intricate strategic interplay. In essence, nine scorpions share a single bottle, coexisting in a dynamic of collaboration and conflict. This book predominantly features highly contentious cases where rulings rarely offer black-and-white clarity, often residing in subjective gray areas. Only by scrutinizing full opinions word-for-word can one grasp that dissenting views frequently shine equally-and sometimes outshine-majority rationales.

Hu Guowei holds a Master' s in International Business from Columbia University' s School of International and Public Affairs and a Juris Doctor from Cardozo School of Law. Licensed to practice law in New York State and the District of Columbia, he assisted Paramount Pictures in distributing films like Roman Holiday in mainland China. He previously served as legal counsel and president of Liantai High-Tech Corporation and as continuing legal advisor to Nan Hai Petroleum Holdings.