University of Wisconsin–Madison

Tag: Andrew Coan

Dobbs v. Brown

By Andrew Coan. The ongoing debate over the Dobbs majority’s attempt to claim the mantle of Brown v. Board of Education has many threads. This Essay will focus on three—stare decisis, the interpretive method, and Herbert Wechsler’s famous “neutral principles” critique— none of which is as clear-cut as the defenders or the critics of Dobbs have supposed.

Interpreting Ratification

By Andrew Coan and David S. Schwartz. A proper interpretation of the ratification debates undermines any principled originalist case for limiting federal power. It also calls into question the resolving power of originalism as a practical method for deciding controversial cases.