Previous edition, 6th, published in 1994.

For undergraduate courses in Constitutional Law, Civil Rights & Liberties, Introduction to American Government,Introduction to Law and Legal Process, and Judicial Process & Politics. Examining contemporary and perennial constitutional issues in civil liberties and rights, this text engages students in an exploration of how and why U.S. Supreme Court Justices have interpreted the provisions of the U.S. Constitution relating to freedom of expression and religion, and equal protection and privacy.

This time-honored text/casebook explores civil liberty problems through a study of leading judicial decisions drawn mostly from the U.S. Supreme Court. Civil Liberties and the Constitution: Cases and Commentaries, Seventh Edition, provides readers with an overall assessment of the political-social context in which the formulation and implementation of civil liberties policies take place. In addition, the authors work to promote a general rather than technically legal understanding of the issues involved in an effort to make the material accessible to everyone, especially those with limited knowledge of the legal system. Content Highlights: allows readers to examine significant portions of court opinions, including major arguments from majority, concurring, and dissenting opinions; expands the introductory chapter to paint a fuller picture of various factors and forums that constitute the overall contextual framework in which ongoing battles over civil rights and liberties are fought; includes a new section on the nature and operation of the Supreme Court, with particular emphasis on the nature and dynamics of judicial election and judicial decision making; and introduces groups of featured cases with in-depth commentaries that set specific historical-legal contexts and demonstrate clearly the changes and continuity in legal doctrines, particularly judicial policies.