REQUIRED TEXTS

Lee Epstein & Thomas G. Walker - Constitutional Law for a Changing
                                            America: Rights, Liberties and Justice (5th edition)

 
READING OUTLINE

I.  The Supreme Court and Judicial Review   (Sept. 1)
          Baum OR comparable Supreme Court text - all

II.  Jurisdiction and Decision Making  (Sept. 4)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 3-73

III.  Incorporation of the Bill of Rights  (Sept. 6)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 75-97

IV.  Free Exercise of Religion  (Sept. 8)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 105-145

V.  Religious Establishment  (Sept. 15)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 145-213
 
 
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_           ***   FIRST EXAM,  Tuesday, October 4  ***     ______

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VI.  Free Speech: Development of Legal Standards  (Oct. 6)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 214-245

VII.  Regulating Expression  (Oct. 13)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 246-318
 
VIII.  Freedom of the Media  (Oct. 20)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 319-357

IX.  Obscenity and Libel  (Oct. 27)
          Epstein & Walker, pp. 358-417
 

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_              *****        TAKE-HOME EXAM_____*****_____________

___             due:  end of class on Thursday, November 3_     ________

X.  Equal Protection: Race  (Nov. 3)
           Epstein & Walker, pp. 651-696

XI.  Equal Protection: Nonrace  (Nov. 10)
            Epstein & Walker, pp. 696-744

XII.  Protection of Civil Rights: Legislative and Judicial  Remedies  (Nov. 15)
            Epstein & Walker, pp. 744-778

XIII.  Voting Rights  (Nov. 17)
              Epstein & Walker, pp. 780-835

XIV.  Privacy and Abortion (Nov. 29)
             Epstein & Walker, pp. 429-499
 
 
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                            FINAL EXAM________________
  Wednesday, December 7, 10:15a.m. - 12:15 p.m._

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NOTE: 

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the polices and procedures in the
Undergraduate Catalog (pp. 274-76) that pertain to Student Academic Conduct, particularly the section
pertaining to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery,
mulitiple submission, plagarism, complicity and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe that any
student(s) has been involved in academic dishonesty, that student(s) will be referred to the Office of
Student Judicial Affairs. Students who may be uncertain about an issue of academic dishonesty are
invited and urged to consult with me prior to the submission of any assignment or test.
 

INCOMPLETE POLICY (p. 29, Undergraduate Catalog).
An incomplete is a "temporary grade" given when "illness, necessary absence, or other
reasons beyond the control of the student prevent completion of the course requirements
by the end of the semester or session." The student must be PASSING the course and
have completed a majority of the coursework to be eligible to receive an "I"; The grade
of incomplete "MAY NOT BE GIVEN AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR A FAILING GRADE."
If the unfinished work is not completed within a calendar year from the time the incomplete
is assigned, "the grade shall be converted to an 'E' (failure)."
 
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A. Class Participation
 
Each student will be expected to stay current with the reading assignments and come to class prepared to discuss
each day's assignments. No specific portion of the semester grade is designated for this requirement, but regular
participation in class discussions will weigh favorably and substantially in the determination of the final semester grade.

B.  Examinations
 
The semester grade will be based in large part on three exams. The first and final exams will be of the in-class type and
will contain fill-in, short answer, and essay questions. The first exam will be worth 75 points, and the final will be
comprehensive and worth 100 points. Study guides are available by clicking on the links in this syllabus. The second
exam will be a take-home exam. It is available by clicking on the second exam link. The take-home exam will be worth
75 points. If an exam is scheduled on a day when the university is officially closed (e.g., a snow day), the exam will be
given at the next class session. Make-up exams will be allowed when warranted. If an exam is to be missed, students
are expected to make arrangements prior to the scheduled exam if possible. Once exams have been graded and returned,
make-up exams will be possible only under the most extenuating of circumstances. The instructor reserves the option
of altering any or all elements of a make-up exam including substantial changes in content and format.

C.  The "Justice/Case" Paper

Each student will be given an index card with the name of a Supreme Court justice, a case title, and a Roman numeral.
Each student is to research the justice and the case, and prepare a 5-6 page paper examining how the justice's background
"explains" his/her behavior in the assigned case. In most cases, the assigned justice has written the opinion of the Court,
or issued a separate concurring or dissenting opinion. You are to discuss how this justice's pre-Court background and
personal value orientation show up in the case. Don't just give a brief biographical description of the justice. Focus on
those things that influenced his/her value development. Then connect those values to the case. Focus on the justice's
thinking in the case. The same justice will be assigned to several students, but the justice is combined with a particular
case only once. While any background material will be helpful, there is a five-volume set of books in Waldo that can
provide a solid base for almost everyone. This set of volumes is Leon Friedman and Fred L. Israel's, The Justices of the
United States Supreme Court (KF 8744.F75 1995). Check as well Melvin I. Urofsky's, The Supreme Court Justices
(KF 8744.5859 1994). These are reference volumes and cannot be checked out, but you can photocopy what you need.
You need to use an online database such as Firstsearch for additional sources on your justice. Use the OYEZ PROJECT
link at the top of the page for justice information. Full text of your assigned case can be found by using LEXIS or FINDLAW
(link to FINDLAW at the top of the page).

The paper is worth 50 points. The critical element will be your causal analysis -- what can you find from your justice's
background that "explains" the position taken in the case. The paper is due at the class session of Thursday, November 17.
Late papers will be accepted, but a 2-point deduction will be assessed for each day the paper is submitted after November 17
(including weekends and Thanksgiving break). No late paper will be accepted after the end of class on December 1, and a
score of 0 (zero) for the project will automatically result if not in my hands by December 1. Save your paper on at least one
disk or a photocopy in the event something occurs which requires you to reproduce the paper.
 
D.   Reading cases from this year

There are several cases decided by the Court since our textbook was published that everyone will be expected to locate
and read. The simplest way is to click on the Findlaw link at the top of the first page. Down the first Findlaw page is a heading
called "Browsing." Click on 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, or Recent Decisions. An alphabetical list of last year's cases will appear.
The cases you are to read are listed on the reading assignment outline. You will be expected to know these cases for exams --
just as though they came from the casebook.
 

Dr. Peter Renstrom	peter.renstrom@wmich.edu
3420 Friedmann Hall	269.387.5697

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