Constitutional interpretation discussed by legal scholar Richard Epstein in Willamette Law lecture

by Sarah Carlson,

  • Richard Epstein
    Renowned legal scholar Richard Epstein will present the 2017 Peterson Lecture “Our Implied Constitution.”

With the upcoming inauguration of a new President who will select a new justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, attention is focused on the Constitution and its interpretation by the court.

Professor Richard Epstein, renowned legal scholar and professor from New York University School of Law, will discuss how the Supreme Court deciphers the Constitution in his lecture “Our Implied Constitution.” The address will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Jan. 17, in room 201 of the Truman Wesley Collins Legal Center at Willamette University College of Law.

Norman Williams, associate dean for academic affairs at Willamette Law, said that with the inauguration looming, Epstein’s talk is particularly timely. Even those who may not have a background in law should enjoy the lecture, he said.

“Professor Epstein brings a breadth and depth to his analysis of current legal issues that is very interesting and accessible to lawyers and non-lawyers alike,” Williams said.

Among other topics, Epstein will discuss whether it is possible to ascertain the original public meaning of key terms in the Constitution. He will cover topics including police power, the doctrine of unconstitutional conditions and the distribution of powers in the conduct of foreign affairs.

Epstein is considered one of the most influential thinkers in legal academia and is well known for his work in the areas of tort, property and constitutional law.

“Epstein is a true Renaissance scholar and expert in multiple areas,” Williams said.

A long-time faculty member at the University of Chicago School of Law, Epstein joined the faculty at NYU School of Law in 2010, and in 2013, he became the founding director of its Classical Liberal Institute. He has served as the Peter and Kirstin Bedford Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution since 2000.

Part of the law school’s Peterson Lecture series made possible by the Ken and Claudia Peterson Foundation, the lecture is sponsored by Willamette’s Center for Constitutional Government. The Petersons endowed the lecture series to give attorneys, judges and students access to cutting-edge legal scholars.

Find more information here.

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