American Constitutional Law: Volume One, Constitutional Structures: Separated Powers and Federalism

Available in two formats a single, hardback volume or two paperback volumes American Constitutional Law is the only book that develops constitutional law in the comprehensive sense. The book contains an analysis and excerpts of court decisions but also: highlights the efforts of legislatures, executives, the states, and the general public to participate in an ongoing political dialogue rather than passively receiving a series of unilateral judicial commands, covers all new developments in case law, congressional statutes, presidential policies, and initiatives undertaken by states under their own constitutions, adds a substantially revised chapter on equal protection that addresses immigration law and the rights of aliens, and includes readings not only from cases but congressional floor debates, committee reports, committee hearings, presidential vetoes and other statements, state actions, Federalist papers, and professional journals. Unlike other textbooks, American Constitutional Law illustrates how judicial and non-judicial forces intersect to shape and decide legal doctrines and practices. Compared to other texts, this book offers more citations to earlier decisions, allowing the student (and professor) to better understand the process of trial and error used to develop constitutional principles. Fisher and Harriger cover state involvement in constitutional law by offering examples of how states often depart from U.S. Supreme Court doctrines by interpreting their own constitutions.

Louis Fisher is the Senior Specialist in Separation of Powers for the Congressional Research Service of the Library of Congress. Katy Harriger is a professor at Wake Forest University.