His first book, The Brandeis/ Frankfurter Connection: The Secret Political Activities of Two Supreme Court Justices (Oxford University Press, 1982), became the subject of a nationwide debate on judicial ethics. It was featured in a front-page story in The New York Times, serialized in The Washington Post, reviewed in major national media, and earned the American Bar Association's certificate of merit.

Fortas: The Rise and Ruin of a Supreme Court Justice (William Morrow, 1988) was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and Robert F. Kennedy Book Award.

Murphy's teaching and research interests include constitutional law and civil rights and liberties, 20th century American political history, American presidency, and American national institutions. He is author or coauthor of two textbooks, Portraits of American Politics: A Reader and Approaching Democracy: An Introduction to American Government, now in its fourth edition from Prentice Hall.

Since coming to Lafayette in 1998 Murphy reestablished forensics and mock trial teams and has mentored several students in advanced research. With Scott Featherman '01 he coauthored entries on Abe Fortas and F. Lee Bailey in Great American Lawyers: An Encyclopedia (ABC-CLIO, 2001).

"My goal has always been to pay homage to the marvelous learning environment provided by my teachers by recreating it for my own students," he says.