Current Issues in US Constitutional Law

SLN #: 11190
Course Prefix: LAW-691
Course Section: 1005
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor(s): Bender
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
This is an advanced course that addresses current important issues in U.S. Constitutional law. The topics each year depend on the issues that are prominent at the time the course is given. For the spring, 2024, semester the topics will include the Court's recent holding invalidating race-conscious affirmative action and important cases that the Court will hear and decide during its 2023-2024 Term. There will also be discussion of non-case specific issues such as the extent to which President Trump’s three appointments to the Supreme Court have affected or will affect the development of U.S. constitutional law, whether the life-tenure system or the size of the Supreme Court should be changed and whether the Court should use a “shadow docket” to resolve important constitutional questions without oral argument and full briefing.

There is no casebook for this course. Class discussion will be based on unedited Supreme Court opinions and other materials available on the internet.

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 3
Grading Option: Pass/Fail Only
Written Assignment: No
Graduation Writing Requirement: No
Flexible/Upper-Level Writing Requirement: No
Skills Requirement: No
Simulation Course: No
Experiential Learning: No
Seminar: No
Special Withdrawal Course: No
Final Exam Given: Yes
Final Exam Type: Take-Home
Mid Term Or Other Exam: No
Paper Or In-Class Presentation: No
Participation Points: No
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies
Teaching Method: In Person

* The law school has a policy that is used to calculate credit hours. Please see the Statement of Student Policies.