If 6-3 and 5-4 appears to be a strange title for Barry Robbins’ latest book, it refers to the split in the decisions made by the United States Supreme Court. He cites twenty-five cases where the law has been changed, something that many citizens are not aware of. As in many of his other books, Robbins narrates the truths from the point of view of inanimate objects. He includes a packet of medicinal drugs, money, a turnstile, a fifty-yard line on a game's field, and discourse between James Madison, the primary author of the Bill of Rights, and a modern-day Supreme Court judge. He covers a wide range of topics, from loss of personal freedom to changes in voting, including gerrymandering, religion, one faith being forced on many, gun control, civil rights, labor rights, and executive power. Furthermore, he highlights the power wielded by corporations buying candidates in elections and turning democracy into an auction. Also mentioned are the suppression of education for rural workers, DEI, and the LGBT community. All these freedoms, hard-won in the past, are at risk of being dismantled.

I was totally shocked reading 6-3 and 5-4 by Barry Robbins. I am used to his satire and light-hearted books, but this is an eye-opening account of how the citizens in the United States are being attacked and their freedoms eroded. Even followers of political events may not have realized what is happening behind the scenes. Power is in the hands of a few, and they are prepared to dismantle hard-fought equality in the law by creating a different law. This book should be prescribed reading in every school, college, and library. Together, the same judges in every case have obliterated common sense and destroyed freedom for the citizens they were appointed to protect. Robbins has extensively researched court cases and put forward both sides of the arguments from the judges. It makes for a fascinating, but horrific record of the damage they have done and continue to do. I urge everyone who has any faith in the future of the United States to discover the truth behind these rulings.

Barry Robbins' 6-3 and 5-4 explores how things have changed over the years, turning the Constitution and the courts into tools of oppression rather than protectors of liberty as intended. Marbury v. Madison gave the Supreme Court power to decide what law is, which meant they could declare laws unconstitutional. This damaged the principle of separation of powers, as making laws is in Congress's domain. Later, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization showed what that power could destroy. Salinas v. Texas (2013) curtailed the rights enshrined by the Fifth Amendment. In 2025, Tennessee passed a law banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. Later, the Supreme Court agrees with Tennessee. Is this discrimination against transgender people, and does it infringe on parental rights?

Barry Robbins' 6-3 and 5-4 is wonderfully written and shows some of the gains achieved in past decades, and how easy it is to lose them. This thought-provoking work got me thinking about the importance of the principle of separation of powers and why judges should not be allowed to legislate from the bench. There is also a need for people to be proactive in the protection of liberties and holding their representatives accountable. I loved how Barry uses a warm tone and candidly explains what is at stake, making the work effective in passing on the intended message. There is also not much legal jargon, and the easy-to-understand language used makes the work accessible to all audiences. This was a very informative read, and I look forward to more by this talented author.