Voices of American Law

Welcome to the Voices of American Law website. This Project is an initiative of the Duke University School of Law to provide high-quality educational materials to assist in studying the Supreme Court and its role in American society. We have selected important topics in American constitutional law and identified a number of critical cases. In those cases, we have prepared detailed 20-minute case documentaries focusing on interviews with the parties themselves, their lawyers, and the judges who shaped the case. These videos tell the stories of the real people behind the Court's opinions, and they present an exceptional opportunity to bring the cases alive to students in the classroom.

It is impossible to hear the stories of people like Barry Black, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan who was arrested for cross-burning in Virginia v. Black; or Senator Ernie Chambers from Nebraska, who challenged the State Chaplain in his State; or Susette Kelo, who didn't want to sell her house so that New London could turn her neighborhood into a mixed-use waterfront development, without becoming profoundly interested — and better informed — about what is at stake. Once the student is engaged, the true opportunity to teach the case is realized.

This website also includes court documents and opinions, articles, interviews, and photographs related to the cases studied. Please contact us at voices@law.duke.edu for a password to access these materials.

For more information on purchasing videos or customizing this website for your course, or to be added to our mailing list, please e-mail voices@law.duke.edu or download a printable order form.


Punitive Damages Punitive damages are a highly controversial area of American law. Large, high-profile awards have led to calls for tort reform, and the Supreme Court has placed important limits on punitive damages in recent years. Case video: BMW v. Gore *View trailer*
Search & Seizure The Fourth Amendment to the Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. As many school boards try to combat illegal drug use, drug testing of students has become a lightning rod for controversy. Case video: Board of Education v. Earls *View trailer*
Takings & Eminent Domain The Constitution requires that the government compensate landowners for property that it takes through regulation. How should the government balance the need for environmental regulations and economic development against the rights of property owners? Case videos: Lucas v. South Carolina Coastal Council *View trailer* Kelo v. New London *View trailer*
Hate Speech & the First Amendment How does the First Amendment assure freedom of expression and yet appropriately guard against the use of symbols or speech that many find intolerable? Case video: Virginia v. Black View trailer
Religion & the First Amendment Perhaps no other constitutional values are as cherished or as controversial as the values inherent in the First Amendment, particularly the American system's treatment of religion. WEB ONLY: *Interview with Michael Newdow* Case videos: Van Orden v. Perry *View trailer* Locke v. Davey *View trailer* Marsh v. Chambers *View trailer* Lee v. Weisman *View trailer* Lynch v. Donnelly *View trailer*
Free Speech & Legal Ethics Many American states elect their judges, believing that elections lead to greater accountability. However, judicial campaigns are often limited by strict ethical rules. How should states balance democratic values with the need for an independent judiciary? Ethics rules also limit what prosecutors and defense lawyers can say to the press. Where should the line be drawn between free speech rights and fair legal proceedings? Case videos: Republican Party of Minnesota v. White *View trailer* Gentile v. State Bar of Nevada (coming soon)
The Commerce Clause The Commerce Clause of the Constitution is an important source of Congressional lawmaking power, and it has been the basis for federal regulation of areas from interstate transportation to water quality. Case video: Swedenburg v. Kelly *View trailer*
Abortion & Privacy Abortion has been one of America's most controversial legal and political issues since Roe v. Wade (1973). The cultural battle over abortion has been waged in the Supreme Court ever since Roe, most recently over the constitutionality of bans on so-called "partial birth" abortion. Case video: Stenberg v. Carhart *View trailer*
Affirmative Action For the past generation, Americans have been sharply divided over whether "affirmative action" should be used in various settings to help those who were victims of past discrimination or to promote diversity in the classroom and the workplace. Case video: Grutter v. Bollinger (coming soon)
Intellectual Property One of the most important issues for American business is how to protect "intellectual" property such as trademarks and copyrights from infringement not only in the Unites States but throughout the world. Case video: Moseley v. V Secret (coming soon)
Sexual Orientation & the Constitution Homosexuality has long been a controversial political issue in the United States. Recent Supreme Court and state court cases have considered the question of what rights gay people have under the federal and state constitutions. Case video: Romer v. Evans (coming soon) WEB ONLY:Interview with Julie Goodridge
Issues of Civil Procedure Case video: Leatherman v. Tarrant County (coming soon)
Antitrust Law Case videos: Leegin Creative Leather Products v. PSKS (coming soon) Goldfarb v. Virginia State Bar (coming soon)