Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints
Books / Paperback
Books › Political Science › Constitutions
ISBN: 1604265167 / Publisher: CQ Press, April 2010
Epstein (law, Northwestern U.) and Walker (political science, Emory U.) offer a seventh edition of their popular casebook on constitutional law. The authors note that, because of their dual roles as educators and researchers, they wanted to provide a text that not only addressed Supreme Court decisions and the application of the legal precedents that grew from them, but also wanted to integrate the lessons of the legal model with the influence of the political process. The book addresses the US Constitution and its underlying principles, institutional authority, nation-state relations, and economic liberties. It includes a chronological table of significant cases and extensive reference material. Online access is included in the purchase price. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Political factors influence judicial decisions. Arguments and input from lawyers and interest groups, the ebb and flow of public opinion, and especially the ideological and behavioral inclinations of the justices all combine to shape the development of constitutional doctrine. Drawing on political science as much as from legal studies, Constitutional Law for a Changing America helps students realize that Supreme Court cases are more than just legal names and citations. As always, Epstein and Walker account for new scholarship as well as reconsider all excerpted cases for both additions and cuts. With meticulous updating throughout, the authors feature reworked and revised discussion on: the methods of constitutional interpretation, jurisdiction stripping and standing, the appointments clause and theories of presidential power, theories of the separation-of-powers system, all cases related to the war on terrorism, theories of federalism and the current state of the federalism/commerce doctrine; in particular, linkages between chapters 6 and 7 have been made more explicit. Two important improvements in the book’s design lead to more focused and effective reading: a revamped interior layout clearly delineates between author commentary and opinion excerpts, a new “Arguments” section in the case commentary details the attorneys’ arguments for each side.
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