Federal Constitutional Law

This casebook provides an approach to the study of constitutional law by focusing on the history of how each clause of the original Constitution and the Reconstruction Amendments has been interpreted over time. It includes commentary, notes, and questions to guide readers, explain allusions, and challenge students to assess whether they understand and agree with the decision's implications. The result provides students with a deep understanding of modern constitutional doctrine, the historical contingencies that produced it, and a vocabulary for applying or challenging it.

Format: Hardback
Length: 1532 pages
Publication date: 30 October 2022
Publisher: West Academic Publishing

This casebook takes a unique approach to the study of constitutional law by delving into the historical interpretation of each clause of the original Constitution and the Reconstruction Amendments. Assuming a lack of prior knowledge in U.S. history, the author's commentary provides a comprehensive historical context, shedding light on the political disputes and ideological principles that shaped each interpretation. Within each excerpted case, the casebook includes informative notes and thought-provoking questions to guide readers, elucidate allusions, and encourage students to critically assess the decision's implications.

When viewed collectively, the commentary, notes, and questions revolve around a fundamental understanding of the Constitution as a dynamic document that has historically failed to provide clear answers to the most pressing constitutional questions. As such, interpreters must navigate major constitutional debates by not only examining the text but also weighing competing normative principles such as distributive justice, individual autonomy, and white supremacy. The outcome of this approach empowers students with a profound grasp of modern constitutional doctrine, the historical circumstances that shaped it, and a valuable vocabulary for applying or challenging this doctrine in pursuit of establishing justice, as outlined in the preamble.

Dimension: 254 x 191 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781647085834