The New Rules is a memoir of a 38-year career as a practicing criminal defense attorney and legal writer. For sixteen months, John Burns finds himself caught in the crossfire between the highly conservative Republican Legislature and governor on one side and, on the other, a Supreme Court struggling to remain the last independent check on the unfettered power of the other two branches. John’s story seems to be a small one, but it opens a window to the way politics are played in Iowa in 2022 and 2023.