This up-to-date analysis of the Supreme Court's landmark rulings on civil rights and liberties is a discussion of the facts, legal issues, and constitutional questions surrounding those rulings. Domino's book serves as either a core text in courses on civil liberties and civil rights, or as a supplementary text in courses on constitutional law and the judiciary. The book is written in the belief that the key to understanding constitutional law is not having the right answers but asking the right questions. It encourages students to be critical thinkers and provides a historical context so students can better understand competing social, legal, and political interests affecting the Supreme Court's decisions today. The text also includes numerous short excerpts from some of the more influential, eloquent, and controversial Supreme Court opinions to illustrate the handiwork of the powerful legal minds who have helped to shape our society. It reminds us that "the Court" is not an abstract legal mechanism, but rather a group of human beings with divergent opinions.

New to the Fourth Edition