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U.S.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
Course
#: 2520.04
Term: Winter, 4 hours
Credits: 4
Prerequisite Courses: None
This is a survey
course which focuses on four issues in the American constitutional tradition:
judicial review; the separation of powers; federalism; and individual
rights. Some attention will be given to textual and structural differences
between the Canadian and American Constitutions; some attention, as well, will
be given to the roles history and ideology have played in the evolution of
doctrine. There will be more emphasis placed on the rights jurisprudence
[i.e., due process, equal protection and the first amendment] than on federalism
and the separation of powers. Attention to judicial review and its
legitimacy is pervasive throughout the course. An American casebook will
be used.
Evaluation:
Two in-course writing assignments.
SYLLABUS:
WINTER 2000
Text:
Gunther
& Sullivan, Constitutional Law (13th ed. 1997) & 1999 Supplement
Class:
Tuesday,
12:40-2:30 - Room 206
Thursday, 12:40-2:30 - Room
104
Evaluation:
Final
examination - April 18, 2000, or
3 in-term papers [10 pages each] - instructions to be
handed out
Office hours:
Tuesday, after class [2:30-3:30]
Thursday, after class [2:30-3:30] or
by appointment
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SUMMARY
Part 1
Institutions
(4 weeks)
The U.S. Constitution
Judicial review
Federalism
Separation of powers
Part 2
The
14th amendment landmark cases
(4 weeks)
Slavery: Dred Scott v. Sandford
[M.D.C.]
Due Process: from Lochner v. New York
to Roe v. Wade
Segregation and desegregation: Plessy v.
Ferguson and Brown I
Part 3
The
modern era
(5
weeks)
Equal protection
levels of scrutiny
gender
sexual orientation
affirmative action
The First Admendment
clear and present danger
the public forum
fighting words
current issues: 1 or more of
obscenity/pornography; commercial
expression; the Internet; the
press
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PART 1
INSTITUTIONS
Week 1
January 4 & 6
Introduction
The U.S. Constitution: Appendix A
judicial review: Marbury v. Madison:
1-11
Week 2
January 11 & 13
Marbury (cont'd):
11-19; 24-29; *19-24 [* = recommended v. required]
federalism: McCulloch v. Maryland:
87-98; 113-14; *107-13; *98-107
the commerce clause:
Gibbons v. Ogden:
159-62; 259-63
The pre-crisis cases: 176-85; *185-9
Post crisis: 189-95
Civil rights: 201-6
Week 3
January 18 & 19
the anti-federalist revival:
National League of Cities:
207
U.S. v. Lopez: 141-59
A note on the dormant commerce clause: 259-60; 270-1
separation of powers:
The Steel Seizure case: 354-65
Week 4
January 25 & 2
executive privilege:
U.S. v. Nixon:
404-13
Supplement
Breathing space
PART 2
THE 14th AMENDMENT LANDMARK CASES
Week 5
February 2 & 4
The Bill of Rights: 417-21
Dred Scott v. Sandford
[M.D.C.]
The Slaughter-House Cases:
420-29
Lochner v. New York:
*453-60; 460-65; *465-74
Week 6
February 8 & 10
The Carolene Products footnote: 478-86
Incorporating the Bill of Rights into the 14th a.:
432-42
Week 7
February 15 & 17
segregation & desegregation
Plessy v. Ferguson:
671-73
Brown I & II:
673-81
modern due process
Griswold v. Connecticut:
516-30
Roe v. Wade: 530-37;
*538-43
*** READING WEEK ***
February 22 & 24
PART
3
THE MODERN ERA
Week 8
February 29
[leap] & March 2
Planned Parenthood v. Casey:
*543-547; 557-82; *583-92
Bowers v. Hardwick: 592-99
Cruzan v. Missourie, 602-9
Supplement: right to die
The equal protection clause
Levels of scrutiny and the concept of same treatment: *628-635; 635-43;
648-53
Railway Express
v. New York
Williamson v. Lee Optical
U.S. Dept of Agriculture v. Moreno
Massachusetts Bd of Retirement v. Murgiaw
Week 9
March 7
& 9
race:
663-71
gender:
Craig v. Boren: *681-86; 86-90
Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan: 698-701
U.S. v. Virginia: 704-15
other distinctions:
Fundamental interests: 840-1; 850-7
Alienage and non-marital children: *720-36
Mental disability: Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center: 728-34
Sexual orientation: Romer v. Evans: 737-46
purpose and impact: 749-52; 755-64
Week 10
March 14
& 16
affirmative action:
793-828
Regents of California v. Bakke: 795-810
Richmond v. Croson: *810-14; 814-28
Adarand Constructors v. Pena: *830-39
introduction to the first amendment: 1022-34
Week 11
March
21 & 23
clear
and present danger:
1034-43; 1055-58
Cold War balancing: 1061-66
fighting words: 1076-78; 1081-85
incitement: 1071-74
content neutrality: 1204-12
the public forum: 1235-44; 1254-60;
*1263-66; *1268-72
Week
12/13
Hate speech: *1109-15, RAV v. City of St. Paul, 1115-23
Sexually explicit expression: 1125-28; 1132-35; 1151-55
Classes end April 7th
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