Political factors influence judicial decisions. Arguments and input from lawyers and interest groups, the ebb and flow of public opinion, and especially the ideological and behavioral inclinations of the justices all combine to influence the development of constitutional doctrine. The Eleventh Edition of Constitutional Law for a Changing America: Institutional Powers and Constraints draws on political science as well as legal studies to analyze and excerpt landmark cases, including key opinions handed down through 2021.

This book is ideal for Constitutional Law courses in the two-semester sequence that covers powers and constraints. For courses that cover both rights and liberties and the separation of powers in one semester, see