Tuesday afternoons 1:00 – 3:00
This course tracses the development of decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States in interpreting the free exercise of religion clause and the establishment of religion clause of the First Amendment. We begin with pre-revolutionary documents which formed the basis of the language and concepts adopted by the Framers in the First Amendment. We consider the opinions surrounding the actual adopted language. The bulk of the course deals with the case law established by the Court with particular emphasis on the shift by the Roberts’ Court from emphasis on the establishment clause to emphasis on the free exercise clause. Specific attention is paid to the decisions of the past seven years of decisions where the two clauses have come into actual conflict. We will conclude with some thoughts about where the Court is headed in this topic, which has now become a top priority of the Court.
James Baer received a B.A. Ancient Mesopotamian History, Ursinus College 1966. LLB, University of Virginia School of Law 1969. He is a member of the Maryland Bar, Supreme Court Bar, and D.C. bar. Vice President for Development/Attorney in Residence at Ursinus College and Adjunct Professor, FCC/ILR teaching Constitutional Law and related law courses. Member of four Episcopal Parish vestries, Senior Warden, St. Francis, Potomac.