Guides: 1L Resources, Tips and Tools: Constitutional Law

Q&A

Q: What are treatises, hornbooks and nutshells? A: Click here for brief descriptions of these study aids.

Casebooks: Constitutional Law + A Free, Digital Collection of State Constitutional Law Teaching Materials

Tracking (forthcoming in spring 2026):

BLS Library is tracking future availability of these forthcoming open access ebooks at CALI.org: Constitutional Law with a Twist: Less is More [forthcoming Dec. 2025] by Alisa Klein and Race, Racism, and US Law by Jennifer Wriggins.

Available:

Constitutional Law: Cases, Approaches and Applications by William D. Araiza
Call Number: KF4550 .A7584 2025 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 3rd ed. 2025

Written by BLS Vice Dean and Prof. William D. Araiza.
Constitutional Law by Noah R. Feldman & Kathleen M. Sullivan
Call Number: KF4549 .G85 2025 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 22nd ed. c2025

Older ed. also currently on Reserve:

Constitutional Law by Noah R. Feldman & Kathleen M. Sullivan
Call Number: KF4549 .G85 2022 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 21st ed. c2022
Constitutional Rights by Jud Campbell
Publication Date: 2nd ed. June 2025

This is an open-access CALI e-textbook. CALI requests a user's name, email & law school to access this e-textbook.
Constitutional Law by Erwin Chemerinsky
Call Number: KF4550 .C429 2024 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 7th ed. c2024

Older ed. also currently on Reserve:

Constitutional Law by Erwin Chemerinsky
Call Number: KF4550 .C429 2020 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 6th ed. [2020]

2 copies of 2022 case supplement also are on Reserve: KF4550 .C429 2022
The Constitution of the United States by Michael Paulsen, Michael McConnell, Samuel Bray & William Baude
Call Number: KF4541 .C5874 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 5th ed. c2023
Processes of Constitutional Decisionmaking: Cases and Materials by Sanford Levinson, Jack M Balkin, Akhil Reed Amar, Reva B. Siegel & Cristina M. Rodriguez
Call Number: KF4549 .B74 2022 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 8th ed. c2022
Liberty, Equality, and Due Process: Cases, Controversies, and Contexts in Constitutional Law by Ruthann Robson
Publication Date: 3rd ed. Aug. 2021

This is an open-access CALI e-textbook. CALI requests a user's name, email & law school to access this e-textbook.
Constitutional Law by Susan N. Herman
Call Number: KF4550 .H47 2020 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: Custom ed. 2020

Custom ed. curated by BLS Prof. Susan N. Herman.

Free, digital collection of state constitutional law teaching materials:

Katie R. Eyer & Robert Williams, State Constitutional Law Teaching Materials for 1L Constitutional Law Classes (Supplement, 2nd ed. 2024) (Apr. 2, 2024). Abstract states that this material is "intended to be teachable in a single class session, and offer students an introduction to the 'other' constitutions that offer a basis for constitutional claims and arguments, i.e., state constitutions."

Focus: First Amendment

The First Amendment: Cases and Theory by Lyrissa C. Barnett Lidsky, Caroline Mala Corbin, Timothy Zick & Ronald J. Krotoszynski
Call Number: KF4770 .K74 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 4th ed. c2023
First Amendment Law: Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Religion by Arthur D. Hellman, William D. Araiza, Thomas E. Baker & Ashutosh A. Bhagwat
Call Number: KF4770 .H45 2022 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 5th ed. c2022

Co-authored by BLS Vice Dean and Prof. William D. Araiza.

Treatises & Hornbooks: Constitutional Law

Treatises:

Advanced Introduction to US Civil Liberties (Elgar Advanced Introductions series) by Susan N. Herman
Call Number: JC599.U5 H47 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 2023

Written by BLS Prof. Susan N. Herman.
Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies (Aspen treatise series) by Erwin Chemerinsky
Call Number: KF4550 .C427 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 7th ed. [2023]

Modern Constitutional Law (multi-volume treatise) by William J. Rich
Publication Date: 3rd ed. w/ 2025 update (many sections state: "Feb. 2025 update")

In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - WESTLAW. Enter your Westlaw username/password. BLS Library also provides this treatise as a Proview ebook. Westlaw's content highlights state: "The 2024-2025 Cumulative Supplement addresses all major United States Supreme Court decisions involving constitutional issues from the 2022-2023 term of the Court, integrating such decisions into appropriate sections of the treatise."
Treatise on Constitutional Law: Substance and Procedure (multi-volume treatise) by Ronald D. Rotunda, John E. Nowak, Vikram Amar, khil R. Amar & Steven Calabresi
Publication Date: 5th ed. [2012-], w/ Sept. 2025 update.

n SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - WESTLAW. Enter your Westlaw username/password.Available in Westlaw. BLS Library also provides this treatise as a Proview ebook.

Hornbooks:

Principles of Constitutional Structure (Concise Hornbook series) by Dan T. Coenen & Michael Coenen
Call Number: KF4606 .C64 2022 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 2022
Principles of Constitutional Law (Concise Hornbook series) by John E. Nowak & Ronald D. Rotunda
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 N69 2016 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 5th ed. [2016]
Constitutional Law (Hornbook series) by John E. Nowak & Ronald D. Rotunda
Call Number: KF4550 .N683 2010 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 8th ed. [2010]

Study Aids Containing Multiple-Choice Questions: Constitutional Law

Constitutional Law (Emanuel Law Outlines series) by Steven L. Emanuel
Publication Date: 42nd ed. 2025

Access through Aspen Learning Library. In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - ASPEN.
Includes: "Exam Tips" at end of each outline chapter. Also includes "Quiz Yourself" short-answer questions throughout each chapter.
The Glannon Guide to Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties: Learning Constitutional Law Through Multiple-Choice Questions and Analysis by Brannon P. Denning
Publication Date: 4th ed. 2025

Access through Aspen Learning Library.
Constitutional Law (CrunchTime series) by Steven L. Emanuel
Publication Date: 21st ed. 2023

Access through Aspen Learning Library. In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - ASPEN.
Preface states that this CrunchTime study guide is designed "to be used in the last few weeks (or even less) before your final exams." Includes: flow charts; "Exam Tips"; short-answer questions; and multiple-choice questions.
Questions & Answers: Constitutional Law: Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Questions and Answers by Paul E. McGreal, Linda S. Eads & Charles W. Rhodes
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 M4 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 4th ed. c2023
Constitutional Law (also known as: Friedman's Practice Series for Constitutional Law) by Joel Wm. Friedman, ed.
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 C672923 2009 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 2nd ed. 2009

Access through Aspen Learning Library. In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - ASPEN. Includes 115 multiple choice questions + answers/analysis. Recommended by BLS faculty. 2 print copies also are available on Reserve.

Additional Study Aids: Constitutional Law

Constitutional Analysis in a Nutshell by Thomas E. Baker
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 W53 2025 (Main)

Publication Date: 4th ed. 2025

BLS Library provides 1 digital copy (which circulates for 2 hours like a Reserve book) + 1 print copy on Reserve.
Understanding Constitutional Law by William D. Araiza
Call Number: KF4550 .R43 2025 (2 copies on Reserve)

Publication Date: 6th ed. c2025

Written by BLS Vice Dean and Prof. William D. Araiza. Note: Understanding Constitutional Law (5th ed. c2020) also will remain on Reserve, per BLS faculty members' request.
Constitutional Law in a Nutshell by Jerome A. Barron & C. Thomas Dienes
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 B35 2024 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 11th ed. 2024

BLS Library provides 1 digital copy (which circulates for 2 hours like a Reserve book) + 1 print copy on Reserve.
Constitutional Law: Individual Rights (Examples and Explanations series) by Allan Ides, Christopher N. May & Simona Grossi.
Publication Date: 10th ed. 2024

Access through Aspen Learning Library. In SARA catalog record, click: ACCESS ONLINE VERSION - ASPEN. 1 print copy also is on Reserve.
Constitutional Law: National Power and Federalism (Examples and Explanations series) by Christopher N. May, Allan Ides & Simona Grossi
Publication Date: 10th ed. 2024

Access through Aspen Learning Library.
Election Law In A Nutshell by Daniel Tokaji & Robert Yablon
Call Number: KF4886 .T65 2024 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 3rd ed. c2024

BLS Library provides 1 digital copy (which circulates for 2 hours like a Reserve book) + 1 print copy on Reserve.
First Amendment Law in a Nutshell by Jerome A. Barron & C. Thomas Dienes
Call Number: KF4770.Z9 B37 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 6th ed. c2023

BLS Library provides 1 digital copy (which circulates for 2 hours like a Reserve book) + 1 print copy on Reserve.
Understanding the First Amendment by Russell L. Weaver
Call Number: KF4770 .W43 2023 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 8th ed. 2023
Acing Constitutional Law: A Checklist Approach to Solving Constitutional Law Problems by Russell Weaver & Steven Friedland
Call Number: KF4550.Z9 W43 2022 (On Reserve)

Publication Date: 2nd ed. [2022]

Selected CALI Lessons: Constitutional Law

The following CALI lessons cover issues typically addressed in a Constitutional Law class. CALI requires users to log in. Feel free to contact askthelibrary@brooklaw.edu or to text (718) 734-2432 for assistance.

Marbury v. Madison
This lesson is designed to help students understand Marbury v. Madison and its relevance.
Ripeness and Mootness
This lesson is geared to students who have studied these concepts in class and wish to explore these topics more deeply.
Standing (Introduction)
A key issue in many administrative cases is the question of constitutional standing to litigate. At its most basic level, standing is the requirement that a litigant must have a sufficient interest in the outcome of the litigation to be entitled to sue. This lesson provides both an introduction to constitutional standing issues and a basis for more in-depth review in later lessons.
Contemporary Commerce Clause
This lesson covers Congress's authority to enact legislation pursuant to the Commerce Clause under the Supreme Court's rulings since 1995.
State Action
This lesson covers the basic Constitutional doctrine of state action. The first part, State Action Basics and History, considers the basic principles and history of the state action doctrine. The second part, United States Supreme Court State Action Cases, treats major cases generally covered in Constitutional Law courses, casebooks and study materials. The third section, A State Action Hypothetical, examines a recent case decided by a circuit court.
The Early Commerce Clause
This lesson covers the historical evolution of Congress's authority to enact legislation pursuant to the Commerce Clause. Congress's contemporary Commerce Clause authority is covered in a separate lesson.