Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Short Course Book

Meeting the needs of professors who teach one-term courses --or for those teaching two terms who wish to assign other readings--this condensed, one-volume text spans the breadth of institutional powers and civil rights and liberties. So much more than a traditional casebook, this innovative text powerfully demonstrates that Supreme Court cases are more than just legal names and citations. The landmark cases analyzed and excerpted involve real people embroiled in real disputes whose cases have real political consequences. Epstein and Walker's emphasis on political context --arguments and input from lawyers and interest groups, justices' ideological and behavioral inclinations, elected officials' partisan positions, as well as public opinion --allows students to see the development of constitutional doctrine within its decidedly political environment. For this new third edition, material has been thoroughly updated through the end of the 2003-2004 term of the Supreme Court, with coverage and analysis of terrorism, campaign finance reform, executive power, religious establishment, and regulation of the Internet. Authored commentary, wrapped around the cases, helps students understand a particular case, as well as place it within the larger picture of an evolving and dynamic body of law. To assist students in evaluating alternative points of view, the authors have included excerpts of important concurring and dissenting opinions. Curious students will appreciate both the Aftermath boxes, which describe what happened to litigants after a ruling, and the Global Perspective boxes, which compare U.S. case law to similar rulings and tenets in foreign judicial systems. Epstein and Walker also include profiles of influential groups and justices, photographs of litigants, exhibits from cases, and lively descriptions of the events that led to the suits. Website addresses are included throughout, giving students easy access to the full text of opinions as well as to an audio recording of oral arguments when available.Read More