The Mason Court ushered in a new age of Australian jurisprudence. Adopting a more explicit style of judicial reasoning, it drew its precedents from a wider range of jurisdictions and presided over new directions in Australian law in areas ranging from contract to constitutional and equity to native title. Why did this happen and where will it lead? Why are courts overseas feeling similar pressures and how are they reacting? The papers in this book, conceived as a tribute to Sir Anthony Mason, debate the role of courts of final jurisdiction and of their chief justices at the end of the 20th century.