内容
Rather than attempting a general survey of constitutional law, this text is designed for the sort of introductory Constitutional Law course taught at most law schools. The first half is a largely chronological survey of the Supreme Court's experience with judicial review, from Marbury v. Madison up through Planned Parenthood v. Casey. By covering the Court's most significant constitutional cases, this survey integrates structural and rights decisions into a coherent story of institutional development that sets the stage for later surveys of contemporary doctrine. The second half offers an in-depth survey of contemporary doctrine concerning federalism, separation of powers, due process, and equal protection. The text thus maximizes an instructor's flexibility to teach a course focusing on structure, on rights, or a combination of the two. Throughout, the book focuses on generous cuts of a few principal cases, and it integrates aspects of constitutional theory - including methodological debates about interpretation as well as empirical evidence on courts' ability to effect social change - with particular cases that raise these theoretical concerns.