American Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties, Eighth Edition

Buy a new version of this textbook and receive access to the Connected eBook with Study Center on Casebook Connect, including academic lifetime access to the online ebook with highlight, annotation, and search capabilities. Access also includes practice questions, an outline tool, and other helpful resources. Connected eBooks provide what you need most to be successful in your law school classes.

American Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties provides a broad survey of the field without overwhelming students. The basics of constitutional theory are presented without getting mired in highly theoretical discussions, and cases are tightly edited to focus on the most important aspects, with additional cases on select topics condensed into narrative summaries. The book focuses on cases and expository text rather than extensive academic commentary, and introductory text provides direction to students as they read and analyze the materials that follow. Additionally, challenging hypotheticals are provided throughout the text for use as student self-assessments or to launch stimulating class discussions. This highly teachable book can be used for a one- or two-semester course and is easily adaptable to suit each professor’s preferences. 

New to the Eighth Edition:

• Updated through the Supreme Court’s 2024-25 Term
• Includes excerpts of major cases, including Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Community Financial Services Association of America, Limited; Trump v. United States; Students for Fair Admission, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College; Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton; and 303 Creative v. Elonis
• Continues to battle casebook bloat by summarizing or omitting older or outdated cases
• Additional material introducing Dobbs and Students for Fair Admissions contextualizing both cases, and the case law that was displaced

Benefits for instructors and students:

• Easily adaptable to a one- or two-semester course
• “Just-right” editing of major cases, with less important cases summarized in notes or narrative summary
• Even-handed presentation of cases so adopters don’t have to “teach against” the text
• Narrative introductions provide students with context and organizational structure
• Ideologically neutral tone appeals to professors occupying various points on an ideological spectrum
• Supplemented annually