SYLLABUS
FIRST AMENDMENT LAW
PROFESSOR RUDNICK
FALL, 2008
Text: Chemerinsky Constitutional Law (Aspen, 2d Ed.)
Tuesday, August 19- Thursday, August 21
Introduction, Text pp. 1045-1053
State of the First Amendment 2007 survey, available at
www.firstamendmentcenter.org
Free Speech Methodology
Content Based and Content Neutral Speech
Vagueness and Overbreadth
Text, pp. 1053-1092
Tuesday, August 26
Free Speech Methodology
Prior Restraints, Text, pp. 1092-1129
Thursday, August 28- Tuesday, September 2
Unprotected and Less Protected Speech
Incitement to illegal conduct
Historical cases, Text, pp. 1150-1171
Modern Approach, Text, pp. 1171-1173
Fighting Words and Hate Speech
Text, pp. 1173-1202
Thursday, September 4
Obscenity, Profanity and Indecency
Text, 1203-1226, 1230-1252
United States v. Williams, 128 S.Ct. 1830 (2008)
Tuesday, September 9
Commercial Speech, Text, pp. 1283
Thursday, September 11
Expressive Conduct
Text, pp. 1314-1325, 1226-1230
Tuesday September 16
Campaign Finance cases
Text,
Thursday, September 18- Tuesday, September 23
The Forum Concept/ Speech in particular places
Text, pp. 1342-1395
Morse v. Frederick, 127 S.Ct. 2618 (2007)
Beard v. Banks, 548 U.S. 521, 126 S.Ct. 2572 (2006)
Speech on Private Property
City of Ladue v. Gilleo, 512 U.S. 43, 114 S.Ct. 2038 (2004)
Thursday, September 25
Compelled Speech
Text, pp. 1129-1150
Tuesday, September 30
Speech Rights of Public Employees
Garcetti v. Ceballos, 547 U.S. 410, 126 S.Ct. 1951 (2006)
Pickering v. Board of Ed. Township, 391 U.S. 563, 88 S.Ct. 1731 (1968)
Connick v. Myers, 461 U.S. 138, 103 S.Ct. 1684 (1983)
Thursday, October 2- Tuesday, October 7
Freedom of Association
Membership disclosure and non-discrimination laws, Text, pp. 1395-1418
Rumsfield v. FAIR, 547 U.S. 47, 126 S.Ct. 1297 (2006)
Political Parties
Clingman v. Beaver, 544 U.S. 581, 125 S.Ct. 2029 (2005)
New York State Board of Elections v. Lopez-Torres, 128 S.Ct. 791
(2008)
California Democratic Party v. Jones, 530 U.S. 567 (2000)
Washington State Grange v. Washington State Republican Party,
128 S.Ct. 1184 (2008)
Thursday, October 9
Freedom of Religion
Free Exercise
Text, 1453-1482
Supplemental Material
Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Benefidente, 546 U.S. 2006
Tuesday, October 14- Tuesday, October 23
Establishment Clause
Text, 1486-1491
Government Funding for Education
The Old Approach, Text, pp. 1498-1502
The Modern Approach
Agostini v. Felton, 521 U.S. 203 (1997)
Text, 1526-1556, 1482-1486
Thursday, October 25
Religious Displays on Public Property
Text, pp. 1491-1495
McCreary County v. ACLU, 545 U.S. 844, 125 S.Ct. 2722 (2005)
Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677, 125 S.Ct. 2854 (2005)
Tuesday, October 30
Religious Use Public Buildings/ Religious Speech
Text, pp. 1502-1524
Lamb’s Chapel v. Center Moriches, 543 U.S. 384 (1993)
Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 533 U.S. 98 (2001)