Constitutional Law

In its first edition, Erwin Chemerinskys CONSTITUTIONAL LAW proved that a casebook does not have to be simplistic to be student-friendly. Revised and updated for its Second Edition, this class-tested casebook is a comprehensive, accessible, and current alternative that will enliven your class and enlighten your students.

The book retains its distinctive characteristics:

• thorough, yet concise to avoid overwhelming students with superfluous detail
• presents the law solely through case excerpts and author-written essays
• provides both background information and context on constitutional law doctrine
• flexible organization, no chapter assumes that students have read other chapters for adaptability in the classroom
• straightforward, accessible writing style

Look for these changes in the Second Edition:

• new subsection, Presidential Powers and the War on Terrorism, in the chapter on federal executive power, which examines executive authority, detentions, Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, and the constitutionality of military tribunals
• expanded treatment of sovereign immunity, to better reflect the way the topic is taught
• enriched coverage throughout the book, with fuller presentation of some cases and the inclusion of some dissents

This careful revision also presents the most recent and significant cases in a number of areas, such as:

• partisan gerrymandering and the political question doctrine (Vieth v. Jubelirer)
• sovereign immunity (University of Alabama v. Garrett, Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs, Tennessee v. Lane)
• preemption (Lorrilard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly, American Insurance v. Garimendi)
• state action, emphasizing entwinement (Brentwood Academy Secondary School v. Tennessee Athletic Association)
• the taking clause (Palazzolo v. Rhode Island, Tahoe Sierra Preservation Counci, Inc.l v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Brown v. Legal Foundation of Washington)
• the overruling of Bowers v. Hardwick in Lawrence v. Texas
• affirmative action (Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger)
• the First Amendment (Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union, Ashcroft v. The Free Speech Coalition, Virginia v. Black, McConnell v. Federal Election Commission, Good News Club v. Milford Central School)
• the Establishment Clause as it pertains to vouchers (Zelman v. Simmons Harris), the Pledge of Allegiance (Elk Grove Unified School Dist. v. Newdow), and the question of whether the government must allow its scholarships to be used by students studying for the clergy (Locke v. Davey)

Please visit the new companion website to learn more about this book.

Website: http://www.aspenlawschool.com/chemerinsky_constitutionallaw2