POL-­‐UA 332 Prof. Anna Harvey Civil Liberties 19 W. 4th, Rm. 308 Fall 2012, M W 9:30 anna.harvey@nyu.edu 5 Washington Place, 101 Office hours: M 11-­‐12 Course description: This course examines the Supreme Court’s major rulings in cases involving civil liberties and civil rights. Particular attention will be paid to discrimination and equal protection law, rights of the criminally accused, government establishment of religion, and freedom of speech and assembly. In addition to considering the doctrinal principles established by the Court in these cases, we will also consider political context. Do the rulings suggest an independent Court, or one that is responsive to the elected branches? We will also consider the Court’s exercise of judicial review in comparative context. Are civil rights and liberties more or less protected in the United States because of the presence of judicial review, or does the Court have no independent effect on outcomes? Grading: There will be one midterm (October 22) and one final (December 17). The midterm will comprise 30% of the class grade; the final will comprise 40%. Students are also required to complete the reading and brief cases for each week prior to that week’s lectures (a guide to briefing cases is attached). Each case excerpted in the casebook as well as those noted on the syllabus must be briefed each week. There will be several in-­‐class pop quizzes on this material (25% of class grade). Attendance is required and will be taken at each lecture (5% of class grade). Required book: Lee Epstein and Thomas G. Walker, Constitutional Law For a Changing America: Rights, Liberties, and Justice 7th Ed. (CQ Press, 2010). Required Software: All students enrolled in the course are required to purchase a one-­‐semester subscription to Top Hat Monocle ($20.00). This subscription will enable students to use a mobile device (cell, smartphone, laptop) in class to register attendance, to participate in in-­‐class online discussions, and to take in-­‐class quizzes. Subscription information may be found here: https://www.tophatmonocle.com/register/student
Sep. 5 Text pp. 3-­‐9, 47-­‐57 Federalist Paper, No. 78 (Text, Appendix 2) Sep. 10 Sep. 12 Text pp. 577-­‐600 Text pp. 10-­‐36 Also brief: Scott v. Sandford 60 U.S. 393 (1857) (online archive) Sep 17 Sep. 19 Text pp. 36-­‐46, 57-­‐66 Harvey, A Mere Machine: The Supreme Court, Congress, and American Democracy (Yale University Press, forthcoming), PDF exerpt (on Blackboard) Sep. 24 Sep. 26 Read and brief: U.S. v. Reese 92 U.S. 214 (1876) U.S. v. Cruikshank 92 U.S. 542 (1876) Hall v. de Cuir 95 U.S. 485 (1877) U.S. v. Harris 106 U.S. 629 (1883) Civil Rights Cases 109 U.S. 3 (1883) (online archive) James v. Bowman 190 U.S. 127 (1903) Hodges v. U.S. 203 U.S. 1 (1906) Oct. 1 Oct. 3 Text pp. 601-­‐624 Text pp. 659-­‐689 Also brief: Bolling v. Sharpe 347 U.S. 497 (1954) (online archive) Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. FCC 497 U.S. 547 (1990) Gratz v. Bollinger 539 U.S. 244 (2003) Oct. 8 Oct. 10 Text pp. 690-­‐711, 718-­‐738 Also brief: Louisiana v. U.S. 380 U.S. 145 (1965) (online archive) Harper v. VA State Board of Elections 383 U.S. 663 (1966) (online archive) United Jewish Orgztns of Wlmsburgh v. Carey 430 U.S. 144 (1977) (online archive) Shaw v. Reno 508 U.S. 630 (1993) Oct. 15 NO LECTURE Oct. 17 Text pp. 624-­‐659 Text pp. 385-­‐440 Also brief: Hoyt v. Florida 368 U.S. 57 (1961) U. S. v. Morrison 529 U.S. 598 (2001) Oct. 22 Midterm Exam Oct. 24 Text pp. 67-­‐87, 443-­‐497 Also brief: Weeks v. U.S. 232 U.S. 383 (1914) (online archive) Wolf v. CO 338 U.S. 25 (1949) (online archive) U.S. v. Martinez-­‐Fuerte (428 U.S. 543) (1976) Oct. 29 Oct. 31 Text pp. 497-­‐574 Also brief: Akins v. Texas 325 U.S. 398 (1945) Swain v. Alabama 380 U.S. 202 (1965) (online archive) Furman v. Georgia 408 U.S. 238 (1972) (online archive) McCleskey v. Kemp 481 U.S. 279 (1987) (online archive) Nov. 5 Nov. 7 Text pp. 91-­‐99; 129-­‐191 Nov. 12 Nov. 14 Text pp. 193-­‐248 Nov. 19 Nov. 21 Text pp. 248-­‐290 Also brief: Virginia v. Black (2003) (online archive) Nov. 26 Nov. 28 Text pp. 291-­‐318; 711-­‐718; 374-­‐384 December 3 December 5 Jennifer Nedelsky, Private Property and the Limits of American Constitutionalism (Chicago, 1990) (pdf excerpt on Blackboard) December 10 December 12 David Waldstreicher, Slavery’s Constitution (Hill and Wang, 2009) (pdf excerpt on Blackboard) Final Exam: Monday 12/17 8 AM in classroom Briefing a Case: 1. Case Name and Year Decided 2. Challenged Statutory Provision/Governmental Action (be specific) 3. Relevant Constitutional Provision 4. Disposition 5. Legal Rule (be sure to follow Marks’ rule if no opinion majority)