2022 Constitution Day Lecture featuring Dr. Jasmine Farrier

Fri, September 16, 2022 1:00 PM at Club Spartan (3rd Floor, Case Hall)

Join Dr. Jasmine Farrier, Professor of Political Science at the University of Louisville, for this year's Constitution Day Lecture. Dr. Farrier's lecture will explore topics addressed in her book Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial.

Can the federal courts fix a broken separation of powers system? Focusing on five decades of lawsuits brought by House and Senate members that challenge presidential unilateralism, Dr. Farrier provides a new diagnostic lens on imbalanced powers across a diverse array of partisan and policy landscapes. But these lawsuits often backfire – leaving Congress as an institution even more disadvantaged, regardless of party in power. This talk will discuss ways that these suits are more symptoms of constitutional dysfunction than the cure. Summarizing her latest book, Constitutional Dysfunction on Trial shows federal judges will not and cannot restore the separation of powers system alone. Fifty years of congressional atrophy cannot be reversed in court.

Constitution Day commemorates the anniversary of the 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution and is intended to increase student awareness and appreciation of this important document.