The provided excerpts from the novel Protect and Defend center on a high-stakes political and legal battle following the sudden death of a Supreme Court Chief Justice. President Kerry Kilcannon faces a contentious nomination process for his successor, Judge Caroline Masters, which becomes entangled with a landmark abortion case involving a pregnant teenager named Mary Ann Tierney, represented by attorney Sarah Dash. The narrative explores the complex confirmation hearings led by Senator Chad Palmer, whose political ambitions clash with those of Majority Leader Macdonald Gage. Simultaneously, the novel details the intense emotional and legal struggles surrounding Mary Ann's decision to have a late-term abortion for a severely compromised fetus, against the wishes of her religious parents, highlighting the intersection of private tragedy, constitutional law, and public opinion. The political maneuvering culminates in personal tragedy for Palmer and the eventual, narrowly won confirmation of Masters.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.