7730. Legislation and Statutory Interpretation

We live in an age of statutes: common-law rules and constitutional principles have largely given way to statutes as the primary source of law for modern government. This seminar investigates how statutes get enacted, interpreted, and implemented. We cover how legislatures (primarily Congress) enact statutes, then look at how other government institutions bring them to life. Courts interpret statutes in litigation. We study the theories, rules, commitments, and materials meant to guide that process, and critically evaluate the results. Agencies work with statutes to produce regulations. We cover the relevant practices and procedures, interrogating the relationship between agencies, legislatures, courts – and the public they govern. Throughout the semester, students engage in projects that apply the material we cover. For instance, students research statutory enactment materials to produce their own statutory interpretations, analyze live questions of statutory interpretation in the courts, and draft amendments to existing laws.