Midcoast Senior College
Instructor: Kevin Hart: kevindhart@gmail.com
Tech Cohost: Bob Jordan: rmj.host.mcsc@gmail.com
Date/Time: (6) Thursdays starting September 11 from 9:30 - 11:00 AM
No Class on Septerber 25. Final Class Meets October 23rd.
Reading: Greenhouse, ch. 6
Questions:
Are executive orders constitutional? When not?
Which branch of government is given responsibility for writing laws? How do administrative agencies fit into this scheme?
Which branch of is given responsibility to enforce the laws?
What the Founders Would Say Now - The Atlantic.pdfhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/10/02/politics/video/shadow-docket-trump-supreme-court-explained
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/345301.Becoming_Justice_Blackmun
Supreme court justices by length of service. Current members highlighted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_justices_by_time_in_office
Powers and duties of Chief Justice: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Justice_of_the_United_States#:~:text=%5B3%5D-,Powers%20and%20duties,-%5Bedit%5D
Books That Shaped America The Common Law: https://www.c-span.org/program/books-that-shaped-america/the-common-law/631117
Blackmun, in pondering the Roe v Wade, did RESEARCH . Which ties into the assigned readings, the profound differences among the approaches of justices as to what information should be weighed in their decisions. https://brooklynworks.brooklaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1366&context=blr
stare decisis Stare decisis is the doctrine that courts will adhere to precedent in making their decisions. Stare decisis means “to stand by things decided” in Latin. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/stare_decisis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/sep/28/clarance-thomas-precedence-supreme-court-docket
Modes of Constitutional Analysis Readings. Link to Folder
Greenhouse, ch. 2
Storm Center, ch. 3 and 4
Questions:
1. What factors influence whether the Court decides to take a case?
2. Does the Court control its agenda? How?
Book Review: ‘The Shadow Docket,’ by Stephen Vladeck - The New York Times
New book 'Shadow Docket' explores Supreme Court's growing influence on American law - YouTube
Legal Scholar Says Supreme Court Could Become a “Pointless Institution” | Amanpour and Company
Supreme Court Keeps Ruling in Trump’s Favor, but Doesn’t Say Why - The New York Times
On the Supreme Court’s Emergency Docket, Sharp Partisan Divides - The New York Times
Opinion | ‘Hypercharged’ Is the Only Word for This Supreme Court - The New York Times
Useful Links: (These will always be available on the Resources page of this website)
Legal Dictionary: https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex
Annotated Constitution: https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan
Constitution (Text only): https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/full-text
Required Reading: Linda Greenhouse, The U.S. Supreme Court: A Very Short Introduction (3rd Ed.), ISBN 978-0197689462.
Suggested Reading: David O’Brien, Storm Center: The U.S. Supreme Court in American Politics, ISBN 978-0393696738.
Least Known Branch Syllabus.pdf
