Showcase Panel I - Textualism and the Bill of Rights 11-14-2013




Federalist Society Event Audio show

Summary: The new textualism has had a big impact on interpretation of the Bill of Rights. Freedom of speech is vigorously protected on the current Supreme Court but in two recent cases over the lone dissent of Justice Alito. This panel will examine the Justices' view on free speech. The Justices have also diverged recently in some striking Fourth Amendment cases. Justices Scalia and/or Thomas have construed the Fourth Amendment broadly, and Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kennedy and Alito have disagreed. This is also an area where the more liberal Justices disagree in interesting ways. This panel will try to shed light on why the Justices disagree. Bill of Rights literalism will also be considered in terms of its effect on the Takings and Confrontation Clauses, as well as the doctrine of substantive due process. -- The Federalist Society's Practice Groups presented this showcase panel on "Textualism and the Bill of Rights" on Thursday, November 14, during the 2013 National Lawyers Convention. -- Featuring: Prof. Stephanos Bibas, Professor of Law and Criminology and Director, Supreme Court Clinic, Pennsylvania University Law School; Prof. Richard A. Epstein, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law, New York University School of Law and James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School; Prof. Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, Georgetown University Law Center; Prof. Nadine Strossen, New York Law School and former President, American Civil Liberties Union; and Prof. Eugene Volokh, Gary T. Schwartz Professor of Law, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Moderator: Hon. Thomas M. Hardiman, United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.