State and Local Government Law

Local government entities provide essential services and shape much of our contemporary daily life. In this course we will study the source, scope, and limits of local government power—specifically the law that governs counties, cities, and special districts. We will examine federalism, government formation, governmental liability, zoning, educational equity, policing, and public finance. We will examine the relationship between states and local entities, conflicts between neighboring public entities, the relationship between local government and the individuals and communities both within and around these entities. We will discuss the capacity for local governments to engage constituents and neighbors and to be responsive democratic communities, as well as the impact of local governments on the regional metropolitan political economy. This course will examine the social-equitable impact of this body of law—specifically addressing themes of race, gender, and class to understand how local governance is both structured and experienced.