LAW 645LEC - Local Government Law

This course explores the legal structure of local governments and its effect on the spatial and social organization of American society. We will examine the doctrines that govern the power and operations of localities, their relationship with the state and federal government, and the role of decentralized power in our constitutional order. In addition, this course investigates the profound consequences of these doctrines on our everyday lives, including their effects on key issues such as school funding and other municipal services, land-use planning and economic development, housing policy, city-suburb relations, racial and ethnic segregation, and democratic participation.

Credits: 3