Office Hours: MWF 9:30-10:30 Denny 301

1

Fall 2006 H. L. Pohlman

Office hours: MWF 9:30-10:30 Denny 301

Ext. 1249

READING LIST AND REQUIREMENTS

Political Science 220

Constitutional Law I

I. Course Description:

This course examines judicial review, separation of powers, federalism, and the individual rights associated with substantive due process. The purpose of the course is to give students a better understanding of the constitutional structure of the United States and the role that constitutional norms (and judges) play in our system of government. Special attention will be given to Marbury v. Madison (judicial review),NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. (the extent of the commerce power),Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (presidential emergency power), Korematsu v. United States (war powers and detention),United States v. Nixon (the limits of executive privilege),Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (abortion). Students will explore the legal briefs that were filed in these cases and assess how the Supreme Courtevaluated the conflicting arguments of the opposing sides.

II. Course requirements, standards, and expectations:

-- Final Exam:30%

--Three 5-page papers: 40%

-- Attendance, tardiness, participation, unannounced

quizzes,mock arguments and treasure hunts30%

(Mock arguments are based on major Supreme Court decisions excerpted in Constitutional Debate in Action. The class is divided into teams and the teams debate the issues of a major case before a panel of student judges. The procedures will be discussed in class. Treasure hunts are student-initiated searches for interesting readings off the internet on relevant topics. Topics will be explained in class. The quality of a student’s contributions to mock arguments and treasure hunts will be factored into this part of the grade.)

-- Students are responsible for all announcements made in class, regardless if the student is absent or if the announcement changes the requirements of the course.

-- Exams are short answer and essay and the final exam is comprehensive. Please check the date of the final exam: December 13, at 9 a.m. Make-ups are not given unless the instructor judges the illness or emergency serious enough to justify the absence. A doctor or some other individual of the instructor's choice will have to verify the relevant facts. If you cannot make the exam, you should still notify me before hand, regardless if your absence is excusable or not. There will be opportunities for individual and peer feedback on drafts of papers, but no late papers or re-writes of final drafts are allowed. The system of feedback will be explained in class.

-- No extra-credit is granted.

-- Note the definition of plagiarism in the Student Handbook.

III. Required Texts:

--Gerald Gunther and Kathleen M. Sullivan. Constitutional Law (15th ed.) Foundation Press [Text].

--H. L. Pohlman. Constitutional Debate in Action (2nd ed.) Rowman and Littlefield [CDA].

-- Strunk and White. Elements of Style. Pearson.

IV. Readings:

1. Judicial Review (4 days):

-- The Constitution and Structure of Courts: (8/28).

-- Marbury v. Madison: CDA, Chap. 1: (8/30-9/1).

-- Evaluation of Judicial Review: Text, 15-21 (9/1-9/4).

-- Authoritativeness: Text, 21-31: (9/4).

2. Separation of Powers (18 days):

-- Presidential Emergency Power: Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer: CDA, Chap 4: (9/6-9/8). (Mock Argument): pp. 171-189 and 189-217 for 9/6 and 181-188 and 217-231 for 9/8.

-- Presidential Foreign Affairs Power: Text, pp. 354-360: (9/11).

-- War and Liberty: Korematsu v. United States, CDA, Chap. 3: (9/13-9/15)

(Mock Argument).

-- Executive Discretion in Times of War: Text, pp. 360-385: (9/18/-9/20).

** Professor Charles Fried from HarvardLawSchool will deliver the Constitution Day Address on September 20. Attendance is required. Location and Time will be announced. Topic is an overview of constitutional development from the Warren Court to the Roberts Court.

-- Discussion of Charles Fried’s talk and a reading that will be assigned (9/22).

-- Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 126 S. Ct. 2749 (available on lexis/nexis): (9/25).

-- Treasure hunt: future implications of the war on terrorism: (9/27)

Topic of first paper: Constitution and War Power

Outline of first paper due 9/27

Draft of first paper due 9/29: Class editing and peer review day and review outside of class

FIRST PAPER DUE 10/2

-- Legislative Veto: Text, pp. 385-396: (10/2).

-- Line Item Veto: Text, pp. 396-402: (10/4).

-- Appointments and Removals: Text, 402-419: (10/6-10/9).

-- Executive Priv. & Amenability : U.S. v.Nixon:CDA, Chap. 5. (10/11-10/13)

(Mock Argument).

Midterm Pause: 10/16 and 17th

-- Presidential Immunity & Impeachment: Text, pp. 427-441: (10/18).

Self-graded Midterm Exam Exercise: October 20:

3. Federal Commerce Power (8 days):

-- Rise of Commerce Power: Text, 123-141: (10/23).

-- NLRB v. Jones and Laughlin Steel: CDA, Chap. 2: (10/25-10/27)

(Mock Argument).

-- Further Extensions of Commerce Power: Text, 146-153 (10/30).

-- New Limits on Commerce Power: Text, 153-178: (11/1).

-- Federalism Limits on the Commerce Power:

-- State Autonomy: Text, 178-204 (11/3).

-- State Immunity: Text, 204-215 (11/6).

-- Treasure Hunt: Future implications of state immunity decisions: (11/8).

Second Paper Topic: Commerce Power or Federalism

Outline of second paper due 11/8

Draft of second paper due 11/10: Class editing and peer review day and review outside of class

SECOND PAPER DUE 11/13

4. Substantive Due Process & Privacy (9 days)

-- Contraceptives: Text, 544-557: (11/13).

-- Abortion: Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey: CDA, Vol. II

Chap. 3 (Handout) and Text, pp. 587-591: (11/15-11/17)

(Mock Argument).

-- Family Relationships: Text, 591-600: (11/20).

Thanksgiving Vacation: November 22 and 24th

-- Sexual Autonomy: Text, 600-614: (11/27).

-- Treasure Hunt: Future Implications of Lawrence v. Texas: (11/29).

-- Right to Die: Text, 614-629: (12/1-12/4).

Third Paper Topic: Substantive Due Process & Privacy

Outline of thirdpaper due 12/4

Draft of third paper due 12/6: Class editing and peer review day and review outside of class

THIRD PAPER DUE 12/8

-- Review for Final Exam: (12/8)

FINAL EXAM: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 at 9 a.m.