The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) acts as the highest judicial authority in the nation and the ultimate guardian of the U.S. Constitution. The Court holds the unique responsibility of interpreting the law and ensuring equal justice for all Americans. This curated resource list provides foundational materials, coverage and analysis, book recommendations, and databases to help you better understand the relationship between constitutional law and landmark judicial decisions. Information in this blog has been gathered by the Glenview Public Library and League of Women Voters - Glenview and Glencoe.
The National Constitution Center
- Interactive Constitution: shows Constitutional experts interacting with each other and exploring the Constitution’s history and the evolving meaning of each provision.
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Foundational Videos
- Walkthrough of the Constitution | Constitution 101 with Jeffrey Rosen
- Methods of Interpretation | Constitution 101 with Jeffrey Rosen
- Why Have Civil Dialogue? | Constitution 101 with Jeffrey Rosen
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Podcasts
- We the People
- Live at the National Constitution Center
- Book Club Series
Supreme Court Justices and Cases: Online Resources
- U.S. Supreme Court Justices: Info about current and past justices.
- U.S. Supreme Court Cases: Case summaries and full-text Supreme Court opinions.
- U.S. Supreme Court Landmarks: Information about landmark cases.
- Landmark Cases of the U.S. Supreme Court: Summary of landmark cases.
- Independent Judiciary Resources: ABA on judicial independence.
The Constitution: Online Resources
- Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation: Provides plain-English legal analysis of the Constitution based on Supreme Court case law and historical practices. Useful for scholars and those new to the Constitution.
- Center for the Study of the American Constitution: Nonpartisan center providing resources on the Constitution’s historical context for scholars, educators, and students.
- Constitutional Sources Project: Promotes understanding, research, discussion, and connection to the Constitution’s history.
- DocsTeach: The Constitution: National Archives resources for teaching the Constitution, including primary sources and document-based learning activities.
Podcasts
- America's Constitution with Yale Law School Professor Akhil Reed Amar
- Law Talk with Epstein, Senik & Yoo | Hoover Institution
- Our Constitution Tailored for non-lawyers, the official podcast of the Constitution Annotated website from the Library of Congress.
- Strict Scrutiny with Leah Litman, Kate Shaw, and Melissa Murray
Blog
SCOTUSblog.com: Provides comprehensive coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court, including cases, petitions, briefs, nominations, emergency applications, financial disclosures, and the Court’s schedule. Its contributors include lawyers, law professors, and journalists.
Library Resources
Books
- The Court at War: FDR, His Justices, and the World They Made by Cliff Sloan
- Decisions and Dissents of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Federalist Papers: 85 essays by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay advocating for ratification of the Constitution. Notable essays include Federalist Nos. 51 on checks and balances, 70 on an energetic executive, and 78 on judicial independence.
- A Matter of Interpretation: Federal Courts and the Law by Antonin Scalia
- We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution by Jill LaPore
- The Words We Live By: Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution by Linda R. Monk
Find more books in our list below:
It's the highest court in the land. Its decisions effect all Americans. Learn about its history, the Court today, and the Constitution.
Digital Resources
- Nexis Uni: News articles, business directories, and legal sources from LexisNexis, including historic U.S. Supreme Court decisions.
- Legal Information Source: Law guides from NOLO, state and federal legal forms, and full-text articles from scholarly law journals.
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