The University of Maryland at College Park Department of Government and Politics GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS 436: THE LEGAL STATUS OF WOMEN Fall 1995 Robin M. Wolpert MWF 11-11:50 am Tydings 1147, 405-0054 Tydings 1101 Office Hours: MW 1-2pm COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course focuses on the role of the courts in promoting gender equality. We will begin by examining the rights of women under the due process clause and the equal protection clause of the Constitution. We will then turn our attention to the abortion controversy and the current status of the right to choose. The next topic of study will be employment discrimination and the role of Title VII in protecting women's equality in the work place. Finally, we will examine the legal controversy over pornography and the inequalities women face in the legal profession. READING: There are four required books for this course: (1) Leslie Friedman Goldstein, _The Constitutional Rights of Women_, (2) Lee Epstein and Joseph Kobylka, _The Courts and Legal Change_, (3) Catharine MacKinnon, _Only Words_, and (4) Mona Harrington, _Women Lawyers_. All of these books are available at the campus bookstore. In addition, we will be reading several cases and articles not contained in the books listed above. These readings are on reserve at Hornbake Library. REQUIREMENTS: There will be two examinations for this class. The first will take place on October 11 and will count for 30% of the final grade. The final exam will take place on the date established by the University. It will _not_ be comprehensive and will count for 40 % of the final grade. Students will also participate in a moot court and will submit a short paper (5-7 pages) defending a particular case outcome and point of view. The paper will count for 30 % of the final grade. COURSE OUTLINE: 6 September: Introduction to the Course no reading 8 September: Introduction to Judicial Process *David M. O'Brien, _Constitutional Law and Politics: Volume One_, pp. 97-121; 161-166; 168-175; 179-189, on reserve. 11 September: Models of Equality *Patricia Cain, "Feminism and the Limits of Equality," _Georgia Law Review_ (1990), p. 803-847, on reserve. I. EQUAL PROTECTION AND DUE PROCESS 13 September: Ancient History Leslie Goldstein, _The Constitutional Rights of Women_ (hereafter referred to as Goldstein), pp. 70-72 (_Bradwell_); 73-82 (_Minor_); 101-103 (_Goesaert_); 104-109 (_Hoyt_). 15 September: Sex as a Semisuspect Classification Goldstein, pp. 109-125 (_Reed_, _Frontiero_). 18 September: Sex as a Semisuspect Classification Goldstein, pp. 127-131 (_Kahn_). 20 September: Sex as a Semisuspect Classification Goldstein, pp. 132-150 (_Schlesinger_, _Taylor_). 22 September: Sex as a Semisuspect Classification Goldstein, pp. 151-162 (_Weisenfeld_, _Stanton_). 25 September: The New Rule Under _Craig_ Goldstein, pp. 165-195 (_Craig_, _Goldfarb_, _Webster_). 27 September: Fathers' Rights Goldstein, pp. 196-221 (_Stanley_, _Craig_). 29 September: Fathers' Rights and Marriage Goldstein, pp. 221-240 (_Lehr_, _Orr_) 2 October: Discriminatory Impact and Separate but Equal Goldstein, pp. 240-249 (_Feeney_); pp. 282-296 (_Mississippi University for Women_). 4 October: The Military Goldstein, pp. 249-266 (_Rostker_). 6 October: Rape Goldstein, pp. 267-282 (_Michael M_). 9 October: Assessing Equality *Wendy Williams, "The Equality Crisis: Some Reflections on Culture, Courts, and Feminism," _Women's Rights Law Reporter_ (1982), excerpts on reserve. *Catharine MacKinnon, _Feminism Unmodified_ (1987), excerpts on reserve. 11 October: EXAM II. PRIVACY, CONTRACEPTION, AND ABORTION 13 October: Contraception Goldstein, pp. 298-302; 310-334 (_Griswold_, _Eisenstadt_). 16 October: The Road to _Roe_ Lee Epstein and Joseph Kobylka, _The Courts and Legal Change_ (referred to hereafter as Epstein and Kobylka), pp. 137-167. 18 October: _Roe v. Wade_ Epstein and Kobylka, pp. 167-202. Goldstein, pp. 334-358 (_Roe_). 20 and 23 October: Restrictions on Abortion Epstein and Kobylka, pp. 203-265 Goldstein, pp. 438-454; 396-412 (_Harris v. McRae_, _Thornburgh_). 25 October: _Webster_ Epstein and Kobylka, pp. 265-298 *_Webster v. Reproductive Health Services_, on reserve. 27 October: _Casey_ *_Planned Parenthood v. Casey_, on reserve. 30 October: Recent Abortion Controversies *_Rust v. Sullivan_, on reserve. *_Madsen v. Women's Health Center_, on reserve. III. TITLE VII OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT 1 November: Employment Discrimination Goldstein, pp. 498-512 (_Martin-Marietta_, _Dothard_) 3 November: Employment Discrimination *_Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins_, on reserve. *_Hishon v. King and Spaulding_, on reserve. 6 November: Penalties on Pregnancy Goldstein, pp. 455-497 (_LaFleur_, _Geduldig_, _GE v. Gilbert_, _Nashville Gas_, _Newport News_). 8 November: Penalties on Pregnancy Goldstein, pp. 49-65 (_Guerra_, _Wimberly_). 10 November: Penalties on Pregnancy *_UAW v. Johnson Controls_, on reserve. 13 November: Sexual Harassment Goldstein, pp. 552-61 (_Meritor_). *_Harris v. Forklift Systems_, on reserve. 15 November: Affirmative Action Goldstein, pp. 562-583 (_Johnson_). IV. PORNOGRAPHY 17 and 20 November: Pornography as Sex Discrimination Catharine MacKinnon, _Only Words_ (entire book). 22 November: Pornography v. Freedom of Expression *_Hudnut v. American Booksellers' Association_, on reserve. V. CONCLUSION 27 November: Introduction to the Moot Court Cases no reading 29 November: MOOT COURT: SHANNON FAULKNER CASE no reading; papers due. 1 December: MOOT COURT: GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THE MILITARY no reading, papers due. 4 December: MOOT COURT DECISIONS DUE no reading, papers due. 6 December: Inequalities in the Legal Profession Mona Harrington, _Women Lawyers_ (1993), pp. 3-172. 8 December: Inequalities in the Legal Profession Harrington, pp. 175-268. 11 December: The Legal Status of Women no reading