Should a president be immune from civil lawsuits? Can the federal government force local governments to enforce the Brady bill gun control law?Analyzes the institutional authority of government as it is interpreted in important Court decisions, including nation-state relations and economic liberties.

Capturing the authors’ excitement for constitutional law, this updated Tenth Edition of Constitutional Law for a Changing America shows students how judicial decisions are influenced by political factors—from lawyers and interest groups, to the shifting sentiments of public opinion, to the ideological and behavioral inclinations of the justices. Authors Lee Epstein and Thomas G. Walker show how these dynamics shape the development of constitutional doctrine. Known for fastidious revising and streamlining, the authors incorporate the latest scholarship in the fields of both political science and legal studies and offer solid analysis of both classic and contemporary landmark cases, including key opinions handed down through the 2017 session. Filled with additional supporting material—photographs of the litigants, sidebars comparing the United States with other nations, and "Aftermath" boxes that tell the stories of the parties′ lives after the Supreme Court has acted—the text helps students develop a thorough understanding of the way the U.S. Constitution protects civil rights and liberties. Bundle with the Resource Center for FREE! Take your constitutional law class beyond the book with Epstein and Walker’s newly redesigned Resource Center, featuring more than 500 excerpted, supplemental cases referenced in the commentary of the Constitutional Law for a Changing America volumes. The Resource Center offers a place for students to study core content with online quizzes and explore court cases. Instructors can find teaching materials, including hypothetical cases paired with discussion questions and writing assignments, moot-court simulations, test banks, and more. Ensure FREE access—use bundle ISBN: 978-1-5443-5051-6.

Constitutional Law for a Changing America shows students how political factors influence judicial decisions and shape the development of constitutional law. Updated with additional material such as recent court rulings, more than 500 supplemental cases, and greater coverage of freedom of expression, the Eleventh Edition of this bestseller will develop students’ understanding of how the U.S. Constitution protects civil rights and liberties.

Judicial decisions are influenced by myriad political factors, from lawyers and interest groups, to the shifting sentiments of public opinion, to the ideological and behavioral inclinations of the justices. Authors Lee Epstein and Thomas G. Walker show how these dynamics shape the development of constitutional doctrine. Known for fastidious revising and streamlining, the authors incorporate the latest scholarship in the fields of both political science and legal studies and offer rock-solid analysis of both classic and contemporary landmark cases, including key opinions handed down through the 2015 session. Filled with supporting material—photographs of the litigants, sidebars comparing the U.S. with other nations, and "Aftermath" boxes that tell the stories of the parties' lives after the Supreme Court has acted—the text encourages greater student engagement with the material and a more complete understanding of the American constitution.

Meeting the needs of professors who teach one-term course - or for those teaching two terms who wish to assign other reading - this condensed, one-volume text spans the breadth of institutional powers and civil rights and liberties. So much more than a traditional casebook, this ... text ... demonstrates that Supreme Court cases are more than just legal names and citations. The landmark cases analyzed and excerpted involve real people embroiled in real disputes whose cases have real political consequences. [The authors'] emphasis on political context - arguments and input from lawyers and interest groups, justices' ideological and behavioral inclinations, elected officials' partisan positions, as well as public opinion - allows students to see the development of constitutional doctrine within its decidedly political environment.-http://www.cqpress.com.

The great liberties and guarantees of the United States Constitution are stated as general principles, to be perpetuated and reapplied in a changing America. This book provides a basic understanding of Constitutional law, addressing both the history of the U.S. Constitution and each of its individual clauses. It explains the power of the Supreme Court, whereby a bare majority of five justices, each with lifetime tenure, can overrule the president, the Congress, and state and local governments--effectively declaring the rights and obligations of persons and organizations across the land. Referencing more than 950 Supreme Court decisions, the book treats each subject objectively and without opinionated commentary.

A host of political factors—both internal and external—influence the Court’s decisions and shape the development of constitutional law. Combining lessons of the legal model with the influences of the political process, Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints shows how these dynamics shape the development of constitutional doctrine.