Constitutional Law (LAW-503-002)
Steve Wermiel
Meets: 03:00 PM - 04:50 PM (TTH) - Warren - Room NT01
Enrolled: 100 / Limit: 95
Notices
There are no notices at this time.
Description
The basic Constitutional Law course surveys the constitutional foundations of our legal system. Three main topics will be covered: the structure of government and government exercise of power, including separation of powers within the federal government and allocation of power between the federal government and the states, known as federalism; substantive due process rights; and equal protection issues. Study of these topics will also provide students with understanding about the role of courts in interpreting the Constitution and the role of the Constitution in protecting individual rights. The vast array of constitutional issues makes it impossible to cover the entire Constitution in one course. The course is intended to provide a solid grounding in basic constitutional analysis that carries over to the aspects of the Constitution that are not covered.
Students will develop their analytical skills in evaluating constitutional arguments and their advocacy skills in being able to develop and defend a view of cases and constitutional doctrines. Students will also learn to think critically about the role of the Supreme Court and about influences on our constitutional system including history, text, structure and contemporary values. Student progress will be measured with case analysis, role-playing, team collaboration and class discussion. The semester will conclude with an examination that may include multiple choice, short answer and essay questions to allow students to demonstrate their ability in different forms of analysis and writing.
Textbooks and Other Materials
The textbook information on this page was provided by the instructor. Students should use this information when considering purchases from the AU Campus Store or other vendors. Students may check to determine if books are currently available for purchase online.
The casebook for this course will be a brand new 5th edition of CONSTITUTIONAL LAW by Erwin Chemerinsky (5th edition 2016) (ISBN # 9781454876472).
Aspen Wolters-Kluwer which publishes this casebook has advised that it is eligible for new special online features through CasebookConnect.com. The options to be able to access the electronic features will be included in the course syllabus which will be posted on this page and on MyWCL.
First Class Readings
Not available at this time.
Syllabus
Use your MyAU username and password to access the syllabus in the following format(s):
Microsoft Word (DOC)