First Week Reading Assignments

First Readings for Spring 2025

This may not be an exclusive listing of all faculty members’ first assignment and class meeting notices. If you do not see a class that you are in listed below, it may be necessary to check with the faculty member.

Dates for Spring 2025

  •  The form for submitting assignments will be activated on Monday, December 9, 2024.
    • Assignments will begin to be posted Monday, December 9, 2024.
  • The form for submitting assignments will be deactivated on Monday, February 3, 2025.
    • Assignments will be removed on Monday, February 3, 2025.

Constitutional Law (LAWS 523 Sections 1 & 2)

Instructor Name(s)

Rhodes

Textbook Information

There are two sets of materials for this course. The first set is excerpted materials from my forthcoming co-authored textbook that West Academic will publish this summer, Constitutional Law: Foundations, Interpretations & Commentaries. I have attached excerpts from the first five chapters in the PDF below. I will provide additional excerpted chapters at the semester progresses.

The second book is highly recommended but not required: McGreal & Rhodes, Questions & Answers: Constitutional Law 4th ed. (Carolina Academic Press 2023). I believe you can access it through the Lexis Digital Library, or you can purchase a hard copy for around $30 here. As the semester progresses, there will be suggested assignments from the Q&A, but there won’t be any for the first few weeks. 

General Assignment Information

Assignment for Class 1
 
Pages 1-29 in the PDF attached below. Pay particular attention to the functions and purposes of the U.S. Constitution and how it compares to prior efforts at constitutionalism.
Assignment for Class 2
 
Pages 30-44in the PDF, paying particular attention to the modalities of constitutional interpretation and the judicial reliance on such modalities in cases such as Hayburn’s Case and Chisolm v. Georgia. We may have some carryover from the prior class and not quite finish this assignment.
Assignment for Class 3
Pages 44-54 in the PDF on Marbury v. Madison and judicial review, plus any materials remaining from Class 2.
Some of this is difficult reading. Please be sure to read the textual discussion in the materials before and after the cases — we have written that material to assist your understanding of the cases.
I will distribute a syllabus for the rest of the semester on or before the first day of classes.
I’m looking forward to seeing you all next week. Be sure to choose a seat you like and where you are comfortable seeing the board — I don’t use PowerPoint, but I do use the whiteboard extensively.

Download Additional Materials

Rhodes-1-LAWS523textCh1-5.pdf