The Road to <i>Bush v. Gore</i>: The History of the Supreme Court's Use of the Per Curiam Opinion

I. Introduction II. The History of the Per Curiam Opinion as a Form of Judicial Expression ... A. The Background: An Instrument of Consensus ... B. The Transformation: The Decline of Consensus III. The Per Curiam and the Idea of Individualism ... A. The Emergence of the Separate Voice ... B. The Pursuit of Consensus IV. The Per Curiam as a Strategic Device ... A. Achieving Efficiency ... B. Working by Indirection ... C. Creating New Law ... D. Using Procedure as a Screen ... E. Disciplining Courts and Litigants V. The Per Curiam and Individual Expression ... A. The Minimalist Opinion and Efficiency: New York Times Co. v. United States ... B. The Minimalist Opinion and Personal Liberation: Furman v. Georgia ... C. Collaboration and the Broader Vision: Buckley v. Valeo VI. The Per Curiam and the Rehnquist Court ... A. The Prologue: A Limited Role ... B. Bush v. Gore: The Return to Center Stage VII. Conclusion