Federal Courts

The course examines the constitutional and statutory limits on the federal judicial powers and how these limits shape our system.  The course focuses, among other things, on justiciability doctrines such as ripeness, mootness, standing, and the political question.  The course also explores congressional power to control the jurisdiction of the federal courts; the ability of the courts to give relief against governments and government officers (civil rights actions); the federal courts' review of both state court rulings and lower court decisions. The underlying theme throughout the discussions is the proper role of the federal courts relative to the other branches of government, and the proper role of the federal courts relative to the states.