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Syllabus elements
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Description
Literature
Description
Freedom of Religion in the US Supreme Court Jurisprudence
Law and Administration, Chair of Roman Law, classes at
Olszewskiego Street 2
WPA-00.P-0000
English optional
1st-5th year students
2010/2011 summer semester dr hab. Franciszek Longchamps de Berier, prof. UJ f.lb@uj.edu.pl lecture
30
5
No prerequisites, 50 participants only
Classes held once a week for 90 minutes are skills oriented. Therefore presence (three absences allowed only) and active participation in class discussion are essential to complete the course successfully, although a written exam, i.e. a short essay, will be necessary to get a final grade.
The course is designed as an introduction to common law. The very first freedom of the First Amendment to the US Constitutions, i.e. freedom to exercise religion and no establishment clause, gives an occasion to discuss the jurisprudence and methods of the US Supreme
Court.
1. The Ten Commandments on state grounds permissible ( Van Orden v. Perry , 2005) or not ( McCrearyCounty v. ACLU , 2005)?
2. The first questions on the meaning of the First Amendment freedom to believe and to act ( Cantwell v. Connecticut , 1940, and
Murdock v. Pennsylvania , 1943).
3. Worship of a graven image – to overturn a precedence ( Minersville
School District v. Gobitis , 1940, and West Virginia State Board of
Education v. Barnette , 1943).
4. Parochial schools saga begins ( Everson v. Board of Education of the Township of Ewing , 1947).
5. To avoid political division along religious lines – the Lemon test
(1973).
6. The wall of separation? – the Earl Warren’s Court.
7. The line of precedence or the bunch of contradictory decisions?
( Aguilar v. Felton , 1985).
8. From permissible accommodation to impermissible establishment
( Board of Education of Kiryas Joel School District v. Grumet , 1994).
9. “ Aguilar is no longer good law.” Remarks on the doctrine of stare decisis ( Agostini v. Felton , 1997).
10. The crèche and the endorsement test of Justice O’Connor ( Lynch v. Donnelly , 1984).
11. Christmas tree and menorah. The coercion test of Justice Kennedy
( County of Allegheny v. ACLU , 1989).
12. School prayer policy ( Lee v. Weisman , 1992).
13. Keeping holy the Sabbath – Sunday closing laws ( Sherbert v.
Verner , 1963).
14. Freedom to exercise: consuming peyote ( People v. Woody , 1964)
15. New perspectives of the Roberts’ Court
Handout with cases of the US Supreme Court and articles related to them.
1