CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I

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1 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW SPRING 2018 Course: Instructor: Office Hours: Administrative Assistant: Course Days/Time: Constitutional Law I (4 credits) Professor Mortimer Sellers AL 527 msellers@ubalt.edu Wednesday: 3:20pm 4:20pm; Friday: 11:50am 12:30pm Laurie Schnitzer, AL 1008, , lschnitzer@ubalt.edu Wednesday and Friday / 10:00am 11:50am Location: Angelos Law Center 802 Course Description: An introduction to the structure of the U.S. Constitution and the powers, rights, and liberties it defines. Topics include judicial review; limitations on judicial power; nature of and separation of powers; federalism, including the Commerce Clause and the 10th Amendment; state action; procedural and substantive due process; and equal protection. Course Materials: Stone, Seidman, Sunstein, Tushnet, and Karlan, Constitutional Law. 7 th edition. Aspen Publishers (2013). Student Learning Outcomes: Students will learn the basic principles, doctrine, and history of the United States Constitution. They will become proficient in discerning the constitutional structure and interpretation best suited to forming a more perfect Union, establishing Justice, insuring domestic Tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the Blessings of Liberty to all those within the jurisdiction of the Constitution of the United States of America. Grades: Grades will be based on the final examination, but class participation may affect a student s grade by up to one grade level. Participation will be valued for knowledge, lucidity and preparation. Course Expectations: American Bar Association Standards for Law Schools establish guidelines for the amount of work students should expect to complete for each credit earned. Students should expect approximately one hour of classroom instruction and two hours of out-of-class work for each credit earned in a class, or an equivalent amount of work for other academic activities, such as simulations, externships, clinical supervision, co- 1

2 curricular activities, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours. Students are expected to complete all reading assignments before class and to participate consistently in class discussion to demonstrate their grasp, understanding, and reflection on the law and principles raised by the assigned reading. Attendance: Class attendance is a primary obligation of each student whose right to continued enrollment in the course and to take the examination is conditioned upon a record of attendance satisfactory to the professor. A student who exceeds the maximum allowed absences (generally 20% of class sessions) as illustrated below may be compelled to withdraw from the course, or may be barred from sitting for the final exam. Students who are forced to withdraw for exceeding the allowed absences may receive a grade of FA (failure due to excessive absence). This policy is consistent with American Bar Association Standards for Law Schools. Regular Semester Hours Credit Hours Meetings Per Week absences 5 absences 3 2 absences 5 absences absences Course Website: This course has a TWEN page that links to this syllabus, announcements, the class assignments, and other class materials. You are responsible for self-enrolling in the TWEN page and for checking it regularly for course information. Computers: Students may use laptop computers for class related purposes. Class Cancellation: If the instructor must cancel a class, notices will be sent to students via and posted on the classroom door. If there is inclement weather, students should visit the University of Baltimore web site or call the University's Snow Closing Line at (410) If the University is open, students should presume that classes are running on the normal schedule. Academic Integrity: Students are obligated to refrain from acts that they know or, under the circumstances, have reason to know will impair the academic integrity of the University and/or School of Law. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, misuse of materials, inappropriate communication about exams, use of unauthorized materials and technology, misrepresentation of any academic matter, including attendance, and impeding the Honor Code process. The School of Law Honor Code and information about the process is available at Title IX Sexual Misconduct and Nondiscrimination Policy: The University of Baltimore s Sexual Misconduct and Nondiscrimination policy is compliant with Federal laws prohibiting discrimination. Title IX requires that faculty, student employees and staff members report to the university any known, learned or rumored incidents of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, 2

3 sexual misconduct, stalking on the basis of sex, dating/intimate partner violence or sexual exploitation and/or related experiences or incidents. Policies and procedures related to Title IX and UB s nondiscrimination policies can be found at: Disability Policy: If you are a student with a documented disability who requires an academic accommodation, please contact Leslie Metzger, Director of Student Services, at or lmetzger@ubalt.edu. 3

4 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW/ SCHEDULE OF CLASSES Week 1 Wednesday, January 17 A More Perfect Union Friday, January 19 (The Constitution of the United States) Week 2 Wednesday, January 25 The Judicial Power Friday, January 27 (Article III, Article VI) Week 3 Wednesday, January 31 Constraints on the Judiciary Friday, February 2 (Article III, Article V) Week 4 Wednesday, February 7 Federal Power Friday, February 9 (Article I, Article VI, Amendment XIV) Week 5 Wednesday, February 14 State Power Friday, February 16 (Article I(10), Article IV, Amendments X, XI) Week 6 Wednesday, February 21 Congressional Power Friday, February 23 (Article I(8), Amendment XIV) Week 7 Wednesday, February 28 Presidential Power Friday, March 2 (Article II) Week 8 Wednesday, March 7 The Separation of Powers Friday, March 9 (Articles I, II, III) Week 9 Wednesday, March 14 The Equal Protection of the Laws Friday, March 16 (Amendments XIII, XIV) SPRING BREAK MARCH 18-25, 2018 Week 10 Wednesday, March 28 Improper Discrimination Friday, March 30 (Amendments XIII, XIV, XV) Week 11 Wednesday, April 4 Fundamental Rights Friday, April 6 (Article I(9), Amendments IX, XIV) Week 12 Wednesday, April 11 Due Process of Law Friday, April 13 (Amendment V, XIV) Week 13 Wednesday, April 18 The Right to Privacy Friday, April 20 (Amendments IV, IX, XIV) Week 14 Wednesday, April 25 The Blessings of Liberty (Preamble) Friday, April 27 The General Welfare (the Constitution of the United States) 4

5 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW CLASS ASSIGNMENTS Week 1A Week 1B Week 2A Week 2B Week 3A Week 3B Week 4A Week 4B Week 5A Week 5B Week 6A Week 6B Week 7A Week 7B Week 8A Week 8B Week 9A Week 9B Week 10A Week 10B Week 11A Week 11B Week 12A Week 12B Week 13A Week 13B Week 14A Week 14B pp. xli-lvi: The Constitution pp. 1-25: The Framing pp : Judicial Review pp : Precedent pp : Cases or Controversies pp : Political Questions pp : Federalism pp : The Commerce Clause pp : State Sovereignty pp : Legislative Power pp : Limits on Legislative Power pp : Executive Power pp : Limits on Executive Power pp : Administrative Agencies pp : Private Power pp : Racial Discrimination pp : Desegregation pp : Heightened Scrutiny pp : Affirmative Action pp : Liberty pp : Substantive Due Process pp : Fundamental Interests pp : Abortion pp ; : Sexuality pp : Procedural Due Process pp : the Contracts Clause A More Perfect Union Summary and Conclusion 5

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I SYLLABUS

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW I SYLLABUS UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW SPRING 2018 Course: Instructor: Days/Time: Location: Constitutional Law I LAW 650-329 NUMBER 2010 Professor Phillip J. Closius, Office