Details

This is a seminar that will examine Supreme Court cases as they are pending before the Court, as well as new cases that come down during the Term. Each week, we will examine in detail one case that the Court is either considering or has just decided in the current Term. We will engage with many forms of analysis, including reading briefs, listening to oral arguments, reading slip opinions as well as reading relevant contemporary commentary. Students will have input into which cases we examine. Each student will be responsible for introducing the discussion of one case in a 10 minute presentation, and suggesting complementary readings. Assessment will consist of this class presentation, general class participation, and a final short paper. The short paper will be 10 pages and will involve minimal research, providing analysis of one or more cases studied (not including the case the student led class on). This study will give students an insight into the range of issues that the Supreme Court faces in any given year, and will introduce topics that students may be unfamiliar with. It will also allow us to examine the process by which Supreme Court cases take form, the political-legal context of cases, and the short-term impact of Supreme Court jurisprudence.