Spring 2010 syllabus (pdf)
Class Schedule (subject to change as necessary)
February 8
Course Introduction
Letter of Introduction due via email by 5pm on February 9, 2010. Assignment available here.
February 10
Supreme Court Background
O'Brien, 1-21 (with particular emphasis on Amendments 1-10 and 14), 175-205; SCW 1-5; Primer on Supreme Court Procedures; Tushnet, "The Politics of Constitutional Law".Know 9 current justices of U.S. Supreme Court; know content of first 10 amendments to the Constitution; familiarize yourself with glossary terms from syllabus.
February 15
Theories of Constitutional Interpretation
O'Brien, 66-101; Farber and Sherry, "The Originalism Debate"; "Theories of Constitutional Interpretation".Complete the chart on the last page of the "Theories of Constitutional Interpretation handout.
Theories of Constitutional Interpretation essay assignment distributed. Also available here (after 2/15).
February 17
Nationalization of the Bill of Rights
Levy, "Why We Have the Bill of Rights"; O'Brien, 324-339.Know five approaches to incorporation described on page 337 in O'Brien.
February 22
Free Speech and the First Amendment
Kairys,"Freedom of Speech"; O'Brien 408-427; Schenk v United States 427-428; Gitlow v United States 428-433; Schenck and Gitlow flyers.Brief Schenk v United States; Gitlow v United States. Bring extra copy of Gitlow brief to hand in.
February 24
Free Speech and the First Amendment
Dennis v United States 433-444; Brandenburg v Ohio 445-447; Smith Act of 1940.Brief Dennis v United States; Brandenburg v Ohio.
March 1
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Levy, "The Eighth Amendment"; Wittes, "Cruel and Unusual?"; O'Brien 1157-1163.Theories of Constitutional Interpretation essay due in class.
March 3
The Eighth Amendment and the Death Penalty
Scalia, "God's Justice and Ours"; Latzer, "Capital Punishment: The Law and the Issues"; Francis v Resweber.Brief Francis v Resweber.
March 8
The (Temporary) Abolition of the Death Penalty
O'Brien 1168-1178; Furman v Georgia 1178-1188; Gregg v Georgia.Brief Furman v Georgia; Gregg v Georgia.
March 10
Capital Punishment and Non-Homicides/Racial Disparities
Coker v Georgia; McCleskey v Kemp 1194-1204.Brief Coker v Georgia; McCleskey v Kemp.
March 15
Capital Punishment and Juveniles
Atkins v Virginia 1208-1214; Roper v Simmons 1214-1222.Brief Atkins v Virginia; Roper v Simmons.
March 17
The Latest Decisions
SCW 120-122; Baze v Rees SCW 122-134; Kennedy v Louisiana 134-143.Brief Baze v Rees; Kennedy v Louisiana.
March 22
Privacy and Liberty: Sterilization, Contraception, and Abortion
O'Brien, 1232-1246, 357-358, 1249-1253; Buck v Bell 1247-1248; Griswold v Connecticut 359-368; Roe v Wade 1253-1262.Brief Buck v Bell; Griswold v Connecticut; Roe v Wade.
March 24
Privacy and Liberty: Abortion
O'Brien, 1270-1271; Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v Casey 1271-1283.Brief Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v Casey.
March 29
Spring Break
March 31
Spring Break
April 5
Spring Break
April 7
Privacy and Liberty: Abortion
Stenberg v Carhart; Gonzales v Carhart 1283-1292.Brief Stenberg v Carhart; Gonzales v Carhart.
April 12
Privacy and Liberty: Sex and Sexual Orientation
O'Brien, 1296-1305; Bowers v Hardwick; Lawrence v Texas 1304-1315.Brief Bowers v Hardwick; Lawrence v Texas.
April 14
Racial Discrimination and State Action
O'Brien, 1334-1360; Dred Scott v Sandford 1360-1371; The Civil Rights Cases 1371-1378.Brief Dred Scott v Sandford; The Civil Rights Cases.
April 19
Racial Discrimination and State Action
Plessy v Ferguson 1379-1383; Shelley v Kraemer 1383-1385.
Brief Plessy v Ferguson; Shelley v Kraemer.
April 21
Racial Discrimination in Education
O'Brien, 1388-1401; 1406-1412 Brown v Board of Education (1) 1401-1406; Bolling v Sharpe 1412-1413; Brown v Board of Education (2) 1413-1416.
Brief Brown v Board of Education (1); Bolling v Sharpe; Brown v Board of Education (2).
April 26
Racial Discrimination in Education
O'Brien, 194-195; Cooper v Aaron 1416-1421; Swann v Charlotte-Mecklenberg Board of Education 1422-1426.
Brief Cooper v Aaron; Swann v Charlotte-Mecklenberg Board of Education.
April 28: MayDay!
Racial Discrimination in Education
Milliken v Bradley 1427-1430; O'Brien, 1434-1439; Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 1440-1453.
Brief Milliken v Bradley; Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1.
May 3
Racial Discrimination in Education
O'Brien, 1456-1463; Regents of the University of California v Bakke 1464-1473; Gratz v Bollinger 1500-1505; Grutter v Bollinger 1505-1513.Brief Regents of the University of California v Bakke; Gratz v Bollinger; Grutter v Bollinger.
May 5
Gender-Based Discrimination
O'Brien, 1513-1517; Frontiero v Richardson 1521-1524; Craig v Boren 1525-1529.Brief Frontiero v Richardson; Craig v Boren.
May 10
Gender-Based Discrimination
Michael M. v Superior Court of Sonoma County 1529-1532; United States v Virginia 1533-1544.Brief Michael M. v Superior Court of Sonoma County; United States v Virginia.
May 12
Sexual Orientation-Based Discrimination
O'Brien, 1548-1549; Romer v Evans 1550-1560.Brief Romer v Evans.
May 17
Wealth and Alienage-Based Discrimination
San Antonio Independent School District v Rodriguez 1567-1574; Plyler v Doe 1583-1588.Brief San Antonio Independent School District v Rodriguez; Plyler v Doe.