Constitutional Law – JURI 520

CG • Section 8WK • 12/17/2019 to 05/25/2020 • Modified 07/16/2021

Course Description

An analysis of the basic principles of constitutional law, including the nature of a written constitution, the covenantal framework of the U.S. Constitution, the Marshall legacy and judicial review, theories of interpretation, and principles of interpretivism. Emphasis is given to the distribution of governmental powers in the federal system; separation of powers; the federal commerce, taxing, and foreign affairs powers; intergovernmental relations; due process; and equal protection.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

The purpose of Constitutional Law is to introduce students to the fundamental principles of our constitutional republic by focusing on the text of the United States Constitution, the major Supreme Court decisions interpreting and applying it, as well as the biblical foundations that support it. Constitutional law issues appear throughout many areas of the law. A true understanding of our legal system requires that lawyers and students understand the basic principles and doctrines of constitutional law.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each Discussion. Each thread must be 300–600 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 200–400 words. Any source used to support your assertions must be cited in current Bluebook format.

Essay Assignments (2)

The student will write a 3–5-page research-based paper in current Bluebook format that focuses on a topic selected by the instructor for that module. The paper must include at least 3 scholarly sources in addition to the course textbook and the Bible.

Quizzes (4)

There are four quizzes. Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the Module: Week in which it is assigned. The quizzes will be open-book/open-notes.