Current Issues in US Constitutional Law

SLN #: 12586
Course Prefix: LAW-691
Course Section: 003
Credit Hours: 3
Instructor(s): Bender
Course Books: View List of Books

Course Description:
This is an advanced course that discusses current important and controversial 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, 2021, semester, the topics will include constitutional issues connected with the November, 2020, presidential election, issues connected with the nomination of a Justice to fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Ginsberg, the possibility of enlarging or "packing" the membership of the Supreme Court in response to recent Court appointments, cases pending before, or recently decided by, the Supreme Court, such as the Court's recent decision not to address the constitutionality of political gerrymandering and the pending case involving the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and the trend on the Court toward using "originalism" or "textualism" as the preferred mode of constitutional interpretation.

There is no casebook for this course. Relevant case and legislative material will be accessed through the internet

Additional Information:
Credit Hours: 3
Grading Option: Pass/Fail Only
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: In-Class - Completely Unsecure
Attendance Policy: Per Statement Of Student Policies
Additional Attendance Policy: Attendance and class participation required
Teaching Method: Remotely

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