American Constitutional Law: Structure and Reconstruction, Cases, Notes, and Problems (American Casebook Series)

This law school casebook is concise and rigorous, and yet accessible to students. It contains approximately 100 primary cases, carefully edited to maximize student exposure to constitutional doctrine while not sacrificing coverage in a one semester course. The introductory materials highlight new developments affecting the Court’s role in our constitutional democracy, and important new cases involving the Second Amendment and abortion rights are utilized as vehicles for exploring the interpretive methods employed by the justices. The notes provide context, and introduce questions for deeper exploration in the classroom. Covering structural constitutional law (judicial power, distribution of powers, Congress’ powers, federalism, and judicial protection of interstate commerce) and the reach of the Fourteenth Amendment (citizenship, privileges and immunities, due process, equal protection, and state action), this casebook incorporates entertaining elements and references contemporary controversies. It includes detailed treatment of recent transformations to the constitutionality of the administrative state and a reworking of the substantive due process materials to reflect the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Despite the addition of significant new material throughout, the Seventh Edition is only ten pages longer than its predecessor as a result of judicious editing elsewhere. The result is a casebook that works well for teaching three, four, or five hour introductory Constitutional Law courses.