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An excellent introduction to judicial politics as a method of analysis, the eighth edition of Judicial Process and Judicial Policymaking focuses on policy in the judicial process. Rather than limiting the text to coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court, G. Alan Tarr examines the judiciary as the third branch of government, and weaves four major premises throughout the text: (1) Courts in the United States have always played an important role in governing and their role has increased in recent decades; (2) Judicial policymaking is a distinctive activity; (3) Courts make policy in a variety of ways; and (4) Courts may be the objects of public policy, as well as creators. New to the Eighth Edition Discusses appointments by Presidents Donald Trump and Joseph Biden to the federal courts, including the confirmations of Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Coney Barrett, and Jackson to the Supreme Court Introduces the controversy of the Supreme Court’s “shadow docket” Analyzes the legal and political aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overruling Roe v. Wade Examines other key state and federal rulings on non-unanimous verdicts in criminal cases, gerrymandering, climate change, and separation between church and state

For many Americans, the word "constitution" means just one thing: the national Constitution. According to a recent survey, almost half do not know that individual states also have constitutions. Scholars have also paid little attention to state constitutions, favoring the apparently more dynamic and significant federal scene. G. Alan Tarr seeks to change that in this landmark book. A leading authority on state legal issues, he combines history, law, and political science to present a thorough and long-needed account of the distinct and important role of state constitutions in American life. Tarr shows that state constitutional politics are dominated by three crucial issues with little salience at the national level: the distribution of power among groups and regions within states, the scope of state and local governmental authority, and the relation of the state to economic activity. He explains how state constitutions differ from the national Constitution in treating not only matters of high principle but also such mundane subjects as ski trails and motor vehicle revenues. He also explores why state constitutions, unlike their federal counterpart, have been so frequently amended and replaced. Tarr concludes that the United States not only has a system of dual constitutionalism but also has dual constitutional cultures. Powerfully argued and meticulously researched, the book fills an important gap in political and legal studies and finally gives state constitutions the scholarly attention they richly deserve.

Enhance your understanding of the nationÂ's defining document with AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT! With a focus on federal rights and power, this political science text provides you with the information you need to understand the principles, prospects, and problems of America. Chapter and case introductions frame the development of the law and help you understand both the material and its context. Precedent-setting cases in areas such as privacy, criminal procedure, and abortion rights are included in the text and you can use the companion website to read additional cases of historical significance and current cases as they are decided.

An excellent introduction to judicial politics, the seventh edition of this classic text focuses on policy in the judicial process. G. Alan Tarr examines the judiciary as the third branch of government and weaves four major premises throughout the text covering the courts' role, policymaking, process and two-way impact, including the Supreme Court.

AMERICAN CONSITITUTIONAL LAW provides a comprehensive account of the nation's defining document. Based on the premise that the study of the Constitution and constitutional law is of fundamental importance to understanding the principles, prospects, and problems of America, the text puts current events in terms of what those who initially drafted and ratified the Constitution sought to accomplish. Each volume examines the interpretations of a variety of sources, including the founding generation, the Supreme Court, lower federal courts and state judiciaries, and extrajudicial materials of constitutional significance (such as congressional acts and resolutions). Volume I focuses on federal rights and powers, and is appropriate for the first semester in the two-semester course sequence in Constitutional Law. Volume II focuses on individuals' rights and responsibilities and is appropriate for the second semester in the two-semester course sequence in Constitutional Law commonly called Civil Rights and Liberties.

American Constitutional Law, Volume I provides a comprehensive account of the nation's defining document, examining how its provisions were originally understood by those who drafted and ratified it, and how they have since been interpreted by the Supreme Court, Congress, the President, lower federal courts, and state judiciaries. Clear and accessible chapter introductions and a careful balance between classic and recent cases provide students with a sense of how the law has been understood and construed over the years. The Tenth Edition has been fully revised to include seven new cases, including key decisions National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, Zivotofsky v. Kerry, Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl, Horne v. Department of Agriculture and Comptroller of the Treasure of Maryland v. Wynne. A revamped and expanded companion website offers access to even more additional cases, an archive of primary documents, and links to online resources, making this text essential for any constitutional law course.

The impartial administration of justice and the accountability of government officials are two of the most strongly held American values. Yet these values are often in direct conflict with one another. At the national level, the U.S. Constitution resolves this tension in favor of judicial independence, insulating judges from the undue influence of other political institutions, interest groups, and the general public. But at the state level, debate has continued as to the proper balance between judicial independence and judicial accountability. In this volume, constitutional scholar G. Alan Tarr focuses squarely on that debate. In part, the analysis is historical: how have the reigning conceptions of judicial independence and accountability emerged, and when and how did conflict over them develop? In part, the analysis is theoretical: what is the proper understanding of judicial independence and accountability? Tarr concludes the book by identifying the challenges to state-level judicial independence and accountability that have emerged in recent decades, assessing the solutions offered by the competing sides, and offering proposals for how to strike the appropriate balance between independence and accountability.

American Constitutional Law, Volume II provides a comprehensive account of the nation's defining document, examining how its provisions were originally understood by those who drafted and ratified it, and how they have since been interpreted by the Supreme Court, Congress, the President, lower federal courts, and state judiciaries. Clear and accessible chapter introductions and a careful balance between classic and recent cases provide students with a sense of how the law has been understood and construed over the years. The Tenth Edition has been fully revised to include twelve new cases, including key decisions Obergefell v. Hodges, Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Shelby County v. Holder, Horne v. Department of Agriculture, and Riley v. California. A revamped and expanded companion website offers access to even more additional cases, an archive of primary documents, and links to online resources, making this text essential for any constitutional law course.

Enhance your understanding of the nationÂ's defining document with AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, VOLUME II! With a focus on individualsÂ' rights and responsibilities, this political science text provides you with the information you need to understand the principles, prospects, and problems of America. Chapter and case introductions frame the development of the law and help you understand both the material and its context. Precedent-setting cases in areas such as privacy, criminal procedure, and abortion rights are included in the text and you can use the companion website to read additional cases of historical significance and current cases as they are decided.

A comprehensive account and examination of the nation s defining document, its foundation, and how it has since been interpreted. "