Balkin– Con Law Fall 2023 Syllabus

Constitutional Law

Yale Law School

Syllabus

Unless otherwise noted, all page references are Levinson, Balkin, Amar, Siegel and Rodriguez, Processes of Constitutional Decisionmaking (8th ed. 2022). Supplemental Materials are directly linked to or are available on Canvas.

We will meet regularly on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4:10pm to 6:00pm in Baker Hall, Room 124 on the first floor of Baker Hall.

We will also have two makeup classes on Friday, September 8th, from 2:10pm to 4:00pm, and Friday, October 6th, from 2:10pm to 4:00pm, also in Baker Hall, Room 124.

My regular office hours are on Mondays from 6:10pm to 7:10pm in Baker Hall Room 411B, immediately after our Monday class, and on Wednesdays from 6:10pm to 7:10pm on Zoom.

1. Introduction: Interpreting the Constitution (9/01/2023)

A. Getting to know the text

The Constitution of the United States, pp. xliii-lix

B. Kinds of constitutional arguments

Note on the Louisiana Purchase, pp. 148-151
Note on the First Bank of the United States, pp. 12-19

C. McCulloch v. Maryland and implied federal powers

Note on the Second Bank, pp. 23-26
McCulloch v. Maryland and Notes, pp. 26-40, 54-62
Note on Constitutional Interpretation, pp. 43-54

2. Judicial Review (09/05/2023)

A. The Election of 1800 and Marbury v. Madison

Note on Judicial Review before Marbury, pp. 99-102
The Election of 1800 and Notes, pp. 103-106
Note on Political Early Struggles over the Federal Judiciary, pp. 106-109
Stuart v. Laird and Notes, pp. 109-110
Marbury v. Madison and Notes, pp. 111-132

3. Constitutional Interpreters and Judicial Review (09/08/2023 at 2:10pm, Baker Hall 124)

A. Judicial Review

Notes on Jurisdiction Stripping, Standing and Political Questions, pp. 132-137
Theories of Judicial Review, pp. 137-148 (note Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee, pp. 139-140)
Brutus, Letter XV

B. What if the President disagrees with the Court about the meaning of the Constitution?

Andrew Jackson’s Veto Message and Notes, pp. 65-70
Note on Presidential Authority, pp. 70-72

4. Commerce “among the several states” (09/11/2023)

Gibbons v. Ogden and Notes, pp. 183-197
Note on Federal Preemption, pp. 197-198
Note on Interstate Federalism and the National Economy, pp. 850-867
National Pork Producers Council v. Ross (on Canvas)

5. The Jacksonian Era and Slavery (09/12/2023)

Note on the Natural Law Tradition and Calder v. Bull, pp. 160-167 (Note particularly Barron v. City of Baltimore, p. 167)
Note on The Jacksonian Era, pp. 215-221
Note on Slavery, p. 245
Notes and Prigg v. Pennsylvania, pp. 251-261
Note on the rights of Black People before the Civil War, pp. 261-263
Note on Prelude to Secession, pp. 263-266
Dred Scott v. Sandford and Notes, pp. 266-292
Frederick Douglass, The Constitution of the United States: Is it Pro-Slavery or Anti-Slavery? and Notes, pp. 292-297

6. The Civil War and the War Power (09/18/2023)

The Prize Cases, pp. 313-318
Note and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co. v. Sawyer, pp. 1015-1036
Note on the War Power, pp. 1037-1046
Lincoln and the Suspension of Habeas Corpus, pp. 318-323
Note on the Emancipation Proclamation, pp. 323-328
Note on Reverence for Law, pp. 328-331
The Legal Tender Cases, pp. 337-346
Table of Justices, pp. 1801-1818

7. Reconstruction and Reaction I– Adoption of the Reconstruction Amendments (09/19/2023)

The Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments, pp. liv-lv
History of the Adoption of the Reconstruction Amendments, pp. 347-357
Senator Howard’s Speech on the Fourteenth Amendment and Notes, pp. 357-367
United States v. Hall, pp. 367-369
Note on The Unusual Procedural History of the Fourteenth Amendment, pp. 369-378
Note on The Fifteenth Amendment, pp. 378-379
The Slaughterhouse Cases and Notes, pp. 381-398
United States v. Cruikshank and Notes, pp. 398-399
Bradwell v. Illinois and Notes, pp. 399-402
Note on The New Departure and Minor v. Happersett, pp. 402-408
Note on The Fourteenth Amendment, Birthright Citizenship, and American Indians, pp. 408-411

8. Reconstruction and Reaction II–Equal Protection and Congress’s Enforcement Power (09/26/2023)

Strauder v. West Virginia and Notes, pp. 413-421
The Civil Rights Cases and Notes, pp. 421-436

9. Reconstruction and Reaction III– The Reconstruction Amendments and Race (10/02/2023)

Plessy v. Ferguson and Notes, pp. 436-449
Charles Black, the Lawfulness of the Segregation Decisions, pp. 449-450
Note on The Spirit of Plessy and Giles v. Harris, pp. 450-456

10. The Lochner Era (10/03/2023)

A. Police Powers Jurisprudence

Notes on the Rise of Due Process Protection Against State Economic Regulation, pp. 476-481
Note on the Application of the Bill of Rights to the States, pp. 481-485
Lochner v. State of New York and Notes, pp. 485-491
Notes on the Jurisprudence of the Lochner Era, pp. 491- 504 (note Coppage v. Kansas, pp. 494-496, Jacobson v. Massachusetts, p. 496-497, and Muller v. Oregon, pp. 497-498)
Adkins v. Children’s Hospital, pp. 504-505

B. The Decline of Police Powers Jurisprudence

Nebbia v. New York and Notes, pp. 569-571
Home Building & Loan Association v. Blaisdell and Notes, pp. 571-581
Notes and West Coast Hotel v. Parrish, pp. 581-584

11. The New Deal and the Emergence of the Modern Paradigm of Judicial Scrutiny (10/06/2023 at 2:10pm, Baker Hall 124)

U.S. v. Carolene Products Co. and Notes, pp. 584-592
Williamson v. Lee Optical Co. and Notes, pp. 592-600
Note on Constitutional Modernity, pp. 557-558
Note on Incorporation of the Bill of Rights Against the States, pp. 558-567

12. The New Deal Struggle and the Revolution of 1937 (10/10/2023)

A. The Court Enforces Dual Federalism

Hammer v. Dagenhart and Notes, pp. 517-525
Bailey v. Drexel Furniture Co. and Notes, pp. 526-531

B. The Court Strikes Down Early New Deal Programs

Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States and Notes, pp. 600-602
Carter v. Carter Coal Co. and Notes, pp. 602-607
United States v. Butler and Notes, pp. 607-612

C. Roosevelt Responds

Franklin D. Roosevelt, Fireside Chat on the Court Packing Plan, pp. 612-616
NLRB v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp. and Notes, pp. 616-618
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Speech on Constitution Day, pp. 618-620
Table of Justices, pp. 1801-1818

13. The Emergence of the Modern Regulatory State (10/16/2023)

A. The New Deal Settlement

United States v. Darby and Notes, pp. 620-623
Wickard v. Filburn and Notes, pp. 623-626
Note on Constitutional Revolution, pp. 626-628
Notes on the Taxing and Spending Powers, pp. 628-631

B. The Civil Rights Act of 1964

Notes on The Civil Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, pp. 631-637
Note on Congressional Power to Pass the Civil Rights Bill, pp. 637-640
Heart of Atlanta Motel and Katzenbach v. McClung, pp. 640-644

14. The Second Reconstruction and the Voting Rights Act (10/17/2023)

A. The Voting Rights Act of 1965

Note on the Reconstruction Power in the Civil Rights Era, pp. 644-646
Note on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, pp. 646-651
Notes and South Carolina v. Katzenbach, pp. 651-655
Katzenbach v. Morgan and Notes, pp. 655-663
Jones v. Alfred Mayer Co. and Notes, pp. 664-667
Oregon v. Mitchell and Notes, pp. 667-669

B. The Roberts Court and the Right to Vote

Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder, pp. 776-801
Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee, pp. 801-805
Allen v. Milligan (on Canvas)
Moore v. Harper (on Canvas)

15. Presidential Power (10/23/2023)

A. Presidential Appointments and Independent Federal Agencies

Seila Law LLC v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, pp. 955-980
United States v. Morrison and Notes, pp. 924-944
Edmonds v. United States and Notes, pp. 944-949
United States v. Arthrex, pp. 949-955

B. Executive Privilege

United States v. Nixon, pp. 882-893
Trump v. Vance, pp. 893-909
Note on Congressional Oversight, pp. 909-912
Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP, pp. 913-924
Trump v. Thompson (on Canvas)
Note on Presidential Privileges and Immunites, pp. 1090-1094

16. The Contemporary Debate over National Power I (10/24/2023)

A. The Commerce Power

Introduction, pp. 671-672
United States v. Lopez and Notes, pp. 673-691
U.S. v. Morrison, pp. 691-693
Scarborough v. United States, pp. 693-695
Gonzales v. Raich and Notes, pp. 695-699
NFIB v. Sebelius and Notes, pp. 700-713
United States v. Comstock, pp. 713-718

B. The Taxing Power

NFIB v. Sebelius and Notes, pp. 718-727

17. The Contemporary Debate over National Power II (10/30/2023)

A. The Spending Power

Note on the Spending Clause and South Dakota v. Dole, pp. 727-730
NFIB v. Sebelius and Notes, pp. 730-743

B. Implied Limits on Federal Regulation of the States

New York v. United States and Notes, pp. 819-835 (skim)
Printz v. United States and Notes, pp. 835-848
Haaland v. Brackeen (on Canvas)
Note on State Sovereign Immunity, pp. 848-854

18. The Reconstruction Power; Brown v. Board of Education (10/31/2023)

A. Congressional Power to Enforce the Civil War Amendments

City of Boerne v. Flores and Notes, pp. 747-763
United States v. Morrison, pp. 763-769
Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama v. Garrett, pp. 769-776

B. Brown v. Board of Education

Notes on the Background to the School Desegregation Case, pp. 1099-1105 (skim)
Brown v. Board of Education, Bolling v. Sharpe, and Notes, pp. 1105-1112
The Southern Manifesto and Notes, pp. 1112-1114
Brown and the Original Understanding, pp. 1114-1121
Brown II and notes, pp. 1121-1122

19. Brown and Its Legacy (11/06/2023)

A. Anticlassification and Antisubordination

Loving v. Virginia and Notes, pp. 1144-1157
Johnson v. California and Notes, pp. 1157-1158
Note on Child Custody and Placement Policies, pp. 1158-1160
Note on Government Collection and Use of Racial Data, pp. 1161-1163

B. Brown in the Roberts Court

Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 and Notes, pp. 1273-1303

20. What Constitutes Discrimination “based on” Race? (11/07/2023)

A. Discriminatory Intention

Washington v. Davis and Notes, pp. 1174-1179
Village of Arlington Heights v. Metro Housing Development Corp. pp. 1179-80
Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney and Notes, pp. 1180-1186
McCleskey v. Kemp and Notes, pp. 1203-1209
Brown v. Oneonta and Notes, pp. 1209-1211

21. Affirmative Action (11/13/2023)

Richmond v. J.A. Croson Co., and Notes, pp. 1225-1239
Adarand Constructors v. Pena and Notes, pp. 1240-1242
Note on Originalism and Affirmative Action, pp. 1242-1247
Students For Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (on Canvas)

22. Sex Classifications and Sex Equality (11/14/2023)

Frontiero v. Richardson and Notes, pp. 1336-1344
United States v. Virginia and Notes, pp. 1366-1389
Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney and Notes, pp. 1402-1411 (skim)
Geduldig v. Aiello and Notes, pp. 1412-1416
Notes and Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs, pp. 1419-1427

23. Other Suspect Classifications and Fundamental Rights (11/20/2023)

A. Alienage and Other Suspect Classifications

Cases and Notes on Alienage and the Equal Protection Clause, pp. 1306-1326
Other Suspect Bases of Classification, pp. 1438-1442
Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center and Notes, pp. 1442-1453

B. Equal Protection and Fundamental Rights

Notes and Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, pp. 1742-1749
Note on Protecting the Poor Through the Fourteenth Amendment, pp. 1749-1753
Dandridge v. Williams and Notes, pp. 1753-1761
San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez and Notes, pp. 1761-1775
Note on the Enforceability of Positive Rights, pp. 1782-1789

24. Modern Substantive Due Process: “Privacy,” Sexual Autonomy or Tradition? (11/21/2023)

A. Reproductive Freedom

Historical Roots of Fundamental Rights Adjudication, pp. 1455-1461
Griswold v. Connecticut and Notes, pp. 1461-1482
Note on The Reach of Griswold, pp. 1482-1485
Note on Tradition as a Source of Fundamental Rights, pp. 1485-1494

B. Sexual Orientation

Romer v. Evans and Notes, pp. 1595-1605
Lawrence v. Texas and Notes, pp. 1605-1626
Note on Sexual Orientation, Equal Protection, and Heightened Scrutiny, pp. 1630-1636
Note on Same Sex Marriage and United States v. Windsor, pp. 1636-1645
Obergefell v. Hodges, pp. 1645-1676

25. Sexual Orientation and Transgender Rights (11/27/2023)

A. Sexual Orientation and Religious Liberty

Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, pp 1689-1696
Note on Backlash and Social Movements, pp. 1696-1699

B. Transgender Rights

Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, pp 1676-1688
Doe v. Ladapo (on Canvas)
L. W. by and through Williams v. Skrmetti (on Canvas)

26. Abortion and Sex Discrimination (11/28/2023)

Roe v. Wade and Notes, pp. 1494-1513
Balkin, Roe v. Wade: An Engine of Controversy (on Canvas)
Abortion and the Equal Protection Clause, pp. 1513-1520
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (on Canvas)

27. The Second Amendment (12/04/2023)

District of Columbia v. Heller and Notes, pp. 1703-1740
New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen (on Canvas)
United States v. Rahimi (on Canvas)