Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints

by Lee J. Epstein, Thomas G. Walker (Editor)

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.

Genres: Law, Politics, Reference, Nonfiction, History, Textbooks

784 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Anthony Zupancic · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good collection of cases, organized thematically, for an undergrad constitutional law class.

[Jasper · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps one of Epstein's worst works. A complete slog, the author seems to be fixated on ancient, irrelevant jurisprudence that isn't even precedent anymore. All this is done for an indeterminate purpose, but I can only assume it's done with the (obviously failed) goal of providing the reader with a well-rounded analysis of ConLaw.

It does a mediocre (at best) job of presenting contemporary cases. All the case examples seem to meld into each other, and it truly is difficult to distill each case down to it's bare essentials (that is, why the case is pertinent to the topics being explored). Rather than summarizing and dissecting key elements, Epstein frontloads entire opinions in the middle of chapters for the reader's displeasure.

Perhaps when Epstein publishes his 13th edition of this $85.00 waste of paper, he will be so kind as to just tell us directly why we should give a shit about the dozens of pages of opinion and dissent, without the pretentious claptrap.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good for an undergraduate Con Law book.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a textbook, but I thought that it was a very good one if you have any interest in the topic. The book mixes case law review and interpretation in a very symbiotic way.

[Jim Twombly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good, thorough text on the basics of Con Law - the institutional foundations.