Public Employment and the Constitution

Supreme Court Decisions

All students should read the summary of each case. You need only read the full decision for the case assigned to you. For that case you should be prepared to:

• Provide a summary of the case
   
• Respond to questions about it, and
   
• Defend the position taken by the side assigned to you (majority or dissent).

Note: do not be concerned with whether the justices correctly interpret precedents or issues of justiciability (e.g., mootness). Focus on the other reasons they give for supporting their positions.

Rankin v. McPherson 483 U.S. 378 (1987)

Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill 470 U.S.. 532 (1985)

Harlow et al. v Fitzgerald 457 U.S. 800 (1981)

Board of County Commissioners v. Umbehr No. 94-1654 (1996)

University of Alabama v. Garrett 531 U.S. 356 (2001)

Faragher v. City of Boca Raton 524 U.S. 775 (1998) In his dissent, Thomas refers to his dissent in another case (Burlington v Ellerth). This is it.