Calendar

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
I. Introduction  
1 Introduction  
II. Judicial Review: The What, Who, And How Of Constitutional Interpretation
2 The Role of Courts in Our Federal System  
3 Judicial Review I: Origins of Judicial Review  
4 Judicial Review II: Limits on Judicial Review  
5 What types of disputes are suitable for Courts?  
6 The Art of Judicial Interpretation  
III: Nation-State Relations (Federalism)
7 Principles  
8 Commerce Clause I: Historical Evolution of Commerce Clause  
9 Commerce Clause II: Limits on Congress' Commerce Clause Power  
10 Taxing and Spending Power  
11 Power to Enforce Constitutional Rights Paper 1 due
IV: Balance Of Powers Within Federal Government
12 Introduction  
13 Legislature I: Legislative Powers  
14 Legislature II: Separation of Powers  
15 Executive I: Principles of Executive Power  
16 Executive II: Appointments and Removal Power  
17 Executive III: Judicial Authority over Executive  
V: Substantive Due Process
18 Principles  
19 Economic Liberty  
20 Personal Liberty & Right to Privacy I: Abortion Paper 2 due
21 Personal Liberty & Right to Privacy II: Right to Privacy Beyond Abortion  
22

Class exercise: Legal Simulation (PDF)

The class is broken up into two groups. Each group makes legal arguments regarding the hypothetical case in the pdf above.

  
VI: Equal Protection
23 Principles  
24 Racial Discrimination I: Historical Evolution  
25 Racial Discrimination II: Brown v. Board of Education and its aftermath  
26 Racial Discrimination III: Affirmative Action Cases  
27 Gender Discrimination  
28 Economic Discrimination  
29

Sexual Orientation and Same-Sex Marriage I:

Sexual Orientation / Same-Sex Marriage Cases

  
30a

Sexual Orientation and Same-Sex Marriage II:

Future of same-sex marriage laws at the state level

  
30b Voting  
31 Optional review session  
32 Final exam