CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I
Professor Mike Ramsey
Spring 2013
Reading List
Part 2 – Federalism: The Scope of State and National Powers
Note: All paginated assignments refer to the casebook (Sullivan & Gunther, Constitutional Law
[17th ed. 2010]). Assignments designated as supplemental reading, hypotheticals or writing
assignments are available for download from the course webpage.
I.
Introduction: Enumerated Powers
A.
B.
II.
Commerce Power: (i) – Historical Perspective
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
III.
Gibbons v. Ogden & related introductory comment (pp. 82-84)
Pre-New Deal cases: U.S. v. E.C. Knight, Hammer v. Dagenhart and
related notes (pp. 84-91)
The Commerce Power and the New Deal: Schechter, Carter Coal, Jones &
Laughlin, and Darby (pp. 91-101)
Judicial deference and Wickard v. Filburn (notes 1-3 on pp. 101-103)
Heart of Atlanta and McClung (note 4 on pp. 103-106), and Perez v. U.S.
(note 5 on p. 106)
Commerce Power: (ii) – The Modern Commerce Clause
A.
B.
C.
D.
IV.
The idea of federalism and enumerated powers
(pp. 60-62; re-read U.S. Const. Article I & Amendment X)
McCulloch v. Maryland and accompanying notes (pp. 63-76)
Lopez and Morrison (pp. 106-119)
Gonzales v. Raich (pp. 119-126)
Commerce Clause hypotheticals
Supplemental reading: NFIB v. Sebelius (part I)
Other Powers of Congress
A.
B.
C.
D.
Taxing and Spending Power (pp. 151-167, esp. South Dakota v. Dole on
pp. 163-167)
Supplemental reading: NFIB v. Sebelius (part II)
War and Treaty Power (pp. 167-170)
Section 5 Power: Katzenbach v. Morgan, Boerne v. Flores, U.S. v.
Morrison & accompanying notes (pp. 726-749)
1
V.
Federalism Rights of the States
A.
B.
C.
VI.
Limitations on State Power: (i) B Preemption
A.
B.
C.
VII.
C.
D.
Introduction (note 4 on pp. 184-185)
Facial discrimination: Philadelphia v. New Jersey and related notes (pp.
185-95)
Protectionist Purposes and Effects: Baldwin, H.P. Hood & related cases
and comments (pp. 209-216)
Disproportionate effects: Pike v. Bruce Church, Kassel v. Consolidated
Freightways & related notes (pp. 216-225)
Limitations on State Power: (iii) – Privileges and Immunities
A.
B.
IX.
U.S. Const. Art. I, Sec. 10 & Art. VI
Pacific Gas & related notes (pp. 232-41)
Supplemental reading: Gade v. NSWMA,Crosby v. Nat=l Foreign Trade
Council and related notes and questions
Limitations on State Power: (ii) B The ADormant@ Commerce Clause
A.
B.
VIII.
National League of Cities and Garcia (notes 1-4 on pp. 127-34)
Supplemental reading: Gregory v. Ashcroft
New York v. United States, Printz v. United States, and accompanying
notes (pp. 134-143, beginning with note 5 on p. 134)
U.S. Const. Art. IV, Sec. 2, cl. 1
Piper and related notes and comments, pp. 231-232
Writing Assignment
A.
Federalism writing assignment
2