Neal E. Devins

Articles and Book Chapters

• The Independent Agency Myth, 108 Cornell L. Rev. 1305 (2023) (with David E. Lewis). Online.
• Circuit Personalities, 108 Va. L. Rev. 1315 (2022) (with Allison O. Larsen).
• Weaponizing En Banc, 96 NYU L. Rev. 1373 (2021) (with Allison Orr Larsen). SSRN.
• State Constitutionalism in the Age of Party Polarization, 71 Rutgers L. Rev. 1129 (2019) (Williams Lecture). SSRN.
• Congress, the Courts, and Party Polarization, 21 Chapman L. Rev. 55 (2018) (symposium).
• The Vanishing Common Law Judge, 165 U. Penn. L. Rev. 595 (2017) (with David Klein). SSRN.
• Split Definitive: How Party Polarization Turned the Supreme Court Into a Partisan Court, 2016 Supreme Ct. Rev. 301 (2017) (with Lawrence Baum). SSRN.
• Why Congress Does Not Challenge Judicial Supremacy, 57 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 1495 (symposium). SSRN.
• Rethinking Judicial Minimalism, 69 Vand. L. Rev. 935 (2016) (symposium). SSRN.
• The Amicus Machine, 102 Va. L. Rev. 1901 (2016) (with Allison Orr Larsen). SSRN.
• 'Ideology' or 'Situation Sense'? An Experimental Investigation of Motivated Reasoning and Professional Judgment, 164 U. Pa. L. Rev. 349 (2016) (with Dan Kahan et al.). SSRN.
• 50 States, 50 Attorneys General, and 50 Approaches to the Duty to Defend, 124 Yale L.J. 2100 (2015) (with Saikrishna B. Prakash). SSRN.
• Measuring Party Polarization in Congress: Lesson from Congressional Participation as Amicus Curiae, 65 Case West. L. Rev. 933 (2015) (symposium article).
• The Constitutional Politics of Congress, in Oxford Handbook on the Constitution of the United States (2015) (M. Graber et al. eds. 2015).
• Congress's (Limited) Power to Represent Itself in Court, 99 Cornell L. Rev. 571 (2014) (with Tara Leigh Grove) (symposium). SSRN.
• Group Formation and Precedent, in Precedent on the United States Supreme Court (C.J. Peters ed., Springer 2014).
• Dicta, Schmicta: Theory Versus Practice in Lower Court Decision-Making, 54 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 2021 (2013) (with David Klein). SSRN.
• Reverse Advisory Opinions, 80 U. Chi. L. Rev. 859 (2013) (with Saikrishna Prakash) (essay). SSRN.
• Party Polarization and Judicial Review: Lessons from the Affordable Care Act, 106 Nw. U. L. Rev. 1821 (2012).
• The Indefensible Duty to Defend, 112 Colum. L. Rev. 507 (2012) (with Saikrisha Prakash). SSRN.
• Why Congress Did Not Think About the Constitution When Enacting the Affordable Health Care Act, 106 Nw. U. L. Rev. Colloquy 261 (2012).
• Congress and Judicial Supremacy, in The Politics of Judicial Independence: Courts, Politics, and the Public (Bruce Peabody ed., Johns Hopkins U. Press 2011).
• Do Judicial Elections Facilitate Popular Constitutionalism; Can They?, 111 Colum. L. Rev. Sidebar 27 (2011) (with Nicole Mansker).
• Party Polarization and Congressional Committee Consideration of Constitutional Questions, 105 Nw. U. L. Rev. 737 (2011) (symposium article).
• Public Opinion and State Supreme Courts , 13 U. Pa. J. Const. L. 455 (2011) (with Nicole Mansker) (symposium).
• How State Supreme Courts Take Consequences Into Account: Towards a State-Centered Understanding of State Constitutionalism, 62 Stan. L. Rev. 1629 (2010) (symposium article).
• Same Sex Marriage and the New Judicial Federalism: Why State Courts Should Not Consider Out-of-State Backlash, in New Frontiers of State Constitutional Law: Dual Enforcement of Constitutional Norms (James Gardner & Jim Rossi eds., Oxford U. Press 2010).
• Talk Loudly and Carry a Small Stick: The Supreme Court and Enemy Combatants, 12 U. Pa. J. Const. L. 491 (2010) (symposium article).
• The Supreme Court, Social Psychology, and Group Formation, in The Psychology of Judicial Decision Making (David Klein & Greg Mitchell eds., Oxford U. Press 2010) (with Will Federspiel).
• Why the Supreme Court Cares about Elites, Not the American People, 98 Geo. L.J. 1515 (2010) (with Lawrence Baum).
• How Planned Parenthood v. Casey (Pretty Much) Settled the Abortion Wars, 118 Yale L.J. 1318 (2009) (symposium article) *Featured in The New York Times (Kate Zernike, How did Roe Fall?, June 25, 2022).
• Presidential Unilateralism and Political Polarization, 45 Willamette L. Rev. 395 (2009) (symposium article).
• The More Things Change, 12 Green Bag 137 (2009).
• Ideological Cohesion and Precedent, 86 N.C. L. Rev. 1399 (2008) (symposium article).
• Not-So-Independent Agencies, 88 B.U. L. Rev. 459 (2008) (with David Lewis) (symposium article).
• Can We Make the Constitution More Democratic?, 55 Drake L. Rev. 971 (2007) (with Ilya Somin) (symposium article).
• Congress, the Supreme Court, and Enemy Combatants: How Lawmakers Buoyed Judicial Supremacy by Placing Limits on Federal Court Jurisdiction, 91 Minn. L. Rev. 1562 (2007) (symposium article).
• Constitutional Avoidance and the Roberts Court, 32 U. Dayton L. Rev. 339 (2007) (symposium article).
• How Congress Paved the Way for the Rhenquist Court's Federalism Revival: Lessons from the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban, 21 St. John's J. Legal Comment. 461 (2007) (symposium article).
• Law Review Article Placement: Benefit or Beauty Prize, 56 J. Legal Educ. 374 (2007) (with Dennis Callahan).
• Politique partisane et indépendance judiciare, 7 Politique Américaine 103 (2007) (symposium article).
• Signing Statements and Divided Government, 16 Wm. & Mary Bill Rts. J. 63 (2007) (symposium article).
• The D'Oh! of Popular Constitutionalism, 105 Mich. L. Rev. 1333 (2007) (reviewing Jeffrey Rosen, The Most Democratic Branch: How the Courts Serve America (2006)) (book review).
• Should the Supreme Court Fear Congress?, 90 Minn. L. Rev. 1337 (2006) (symposium article).
• Smoke, Not Fire, 65 Md. L. Rev. 197 (2006) (symposium article).
• The Constitution and Congressional Committees, 1971-2000, in The Least Examined Branch: The Role of Legislatures and Constitutionalism (Richard W. Bauman & Tsvi Kahana eds., Cambridge U. Press 2006) (with Keith Whittington & Hutch Hicken).
• Tom Delay: Popular Constitutionalist?, 81 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. 1055 (2006) (symposium article).
• Alexander Bickel and the New Judicial Minimalism, in The Judiciary and American Democracy (Ken Ward ed., SUNY Press 2005) (with Christopher J. Peters).
• Congressional Factfinding and the Scope of Judicial Review, in Congress and the Constitution (Neal Devins & Kevin Whittington eds., Constitutional Conflicts Series, Duke U. Press 2005).
• Judicial Review and Nongeneralizable Cases, 32 Fla. St. U. L. Rev. 323 (2005) (with Alan Meese) (symposium article).
• Substantive Due Process, Public Opinion, and the Right to Die, in The Rehnquist Legacy (C. Bradley ed., Cambridge U. Press 2005).
• The Academic Expert Before Congress: Observations and Lessons from Bill Van Alstyne's Testimony, 54 Duke L.J. 1525 (2005) (symposium article).
• Better Lucky Than Good, 8 Green Bag 33 (2004).
• Bring Back the Draft?, 19 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 1107 (2004) (symposium article).
• Is Judicial Policy-Making Countermajoritarian?, in Making Policy, Making Law: An Interbranch Perspective 189 (Mark Miller & Jeb Barnes eds., Georgetown U. Press 2004).
• The Judicial Safeguards of Federalism, 99 Nw. U. L. Rev. 131 (2004) (symposium article).
• The Majoritarian Rehnquist Court?, 67 Law & Contemp. Probs. 63 (2004) (symposium article).
• Congress and the Making of the Second Rehnquist Court, 47 St. Louis U. L.J. 773 (2003) (symposium article).
• Congress, Civil Liberties, and the War on Terrorism, 11 Wm. & Mary Bill Rts. J. 1139 (2003) (essay).
• Executive Privilege and Congressional and Independent Investigations, in Separation of Powers: Documents and Commentary (Katy Haringer ed., C.Q. Press 2003).
• Explaining Grutter v. Bollinger, 152 U. Pa. L. Rev. 347 (2003).
• The Uneasy Case for Department of Justice Control of Government Litigation, 5 U. Pa. J. Const. L. 558 (2003) (with Michael Herz) (symposium article).
• Government Lawyering, in Oxford Companion to American Law (Kermit Hall ed., Oxford U. Press 2002).
• Misunderstood, 82 B.U. L. Rev. 293 (2002) (reply) (symposium article).
• The Federalism-Rights Nexus: Explaining Why Senate Democrats Can Tolerate Rehnquist Court Decisionmaking But Not the Rehnquist Court, 73 U. Colo. L. Rev. 1307 (2002) (symposium article).
• The Law: Defending Congress's Interests in Court: How Lawmakers and the President Bargain over Department of Justice Representation, 32 Pres. Stud. Q. 157 (2002).
• The Steel Seizure Case: One of a Kind?, 19 Const. Comment. 63 (2002) (with Louis Fisher) (symposium article).
• Congress as Culprit: How Lawmakers Spurred on the Court's Anti-Congress Crusade, 51 Duke L.J. 435 (2001) (symposium article).
• Congressional Factfinding and the Scope of Judicial Review: A Preliminary Analysis, 50 Duke L.J. 1169 (2001) (symposium article).
• Social Meaning and School Vouchers, 42 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 919 (2001) (symposium article).
• Abdication by Another Name: An Ode to Lou Fisher, 19 St. Louis U. Pub. L. Rev. 65 (2000) (symposium article).
• Asking the Right Questions: How the Courts Honored the Separation of Powers by Reconsidering Miranda, 149 U. Pa. L. Rev. 251 (2000) (point/counterpoint).
• On Casebooks and Canons or Why Bob Jones University Will Never Be Part of the Constitutional Law Canon, 17 Const. Comment. 285 (2000) (symposium article).
• Reanimator: Mark Tushnet and the Second Coming of the Imperial Presidency, 34 U. Rich. L. Rev. 359 (2000) (symposium article).
• The Consequences of Department of Justice Control of Litigation Authority on Agency Programs, 52 Admin. L. Rev. 1345 (2000) (with Michael Herz) (symposium article).
• The Last Word Debate Revisited, in The Constitutionalism of Louis Fisher (Robert Spitzer ed., SUNY Press 2000).
• Bearing False Witness: The Clinton Impeachment and the Future of Academic Freedom, 148 U. Pa. L. Rev. 165 (1999).
• I Love You Big Brother, 87 Cal. L. Rev. 1283 (1999) (reviewing Malcolm M. Feeley & Edward L. Rubin, Judicial Policy Making and the Modern State (1998)) (book review).
• Reflections on Coercing Privacy, 40 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 795 (1999) (symposium article).
• The Democracy-Forcing Constitution, 97 Mich. L. Rev. 1971 (1999) (reviewing Cass R. Sunstein, One Case at a Time (1999)) (book review).
• Foreward: Government Lawyering, 61 Law & Contemp. Probs. 1 (1998) (symposium article).
• How Not to Challenge the Court, 39 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 645 (1998) (symposium article).
• Judicial Exclusivity and Political Instability, 84 Va. L. Rev. 83 (1998) (with Louis Fisher) (essay).
• The Battle that Never Was: Congress, The White House, and Agency Litigation Authority, 61 Law & Contemp. Probs. 205 (1998) (with Michael Herz) (symposium article).
• The Judicial Role in Equality, in Redefining Equality (Neal Devns & Davison Douglas eds., 1998).
• The Pursuit of Equality, in Redefining Equality (Oxford U. Press 1998) (with Davison Douglas).
• A Loss of Control, 84 A.B.A. J. 26 (1998).
• In Search of the Lost Chord: Reflections on the 1996 Item Veto Act, 47 Case W. Res. L. Rev. 1605 (1997) (symposium article).
• The Interactive Constitution: An Essay on Clothing Emperors and Searching for Constitutional Truth, 85 Geo. L.J. 691 (1997) (reviewing Louis Michael Seidman & Mark V. Tushnet, Remnants of Belief (1996)) (book review).
• The Triumph of Timing: Raines v. Byrd and the Modern Supreme Court's Attempt to Control Constitutional Confrontations, 86 Geo. L.J. 351 (1997) (with Michael A. Fitts).
• Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Pena and the Continuing Irrelevance of Supreme Court Affirmative Action Decisions, 37 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 673 (1996) (essay).
• Congressional-Executive Information Access Disputes: A Modest Proposal -- Do Nothing, 48 Admin. L. Rev. 109 (1996) (symposium article).
• Government Lawyers and the New Deal, 96 Colum. L. Rev. 237 (1996) (reviewing William E. Leuchtenburg, The Supreme Court Reborn (1995)) (book review).
• The Countermajoritarian Paradox, 93 Mich. L. Rev. 1433 (1995) (reviewing David J. Garrow, Liberty and Sexuality (1994)) (book review).
• Toward an Understanding of Legal Policymaking at Independent Agencies, in Government Lawyers (Cornell W. Clayton ed., U. Press of Kansas 1995).
• Interest Balancing and Judicially Managed Equal Educational Opportunity, 45 Mercer L. Rev. 1017 (1994) (symposium article).
• Tempest in an Envelope: Reflections on the Bush White House's Failed Takeover of the U.S. Postal Service, 41 UCLA L. Rev. 1035 (1994).
• Through the Looking Glass: What Abortion Teaches Us About American Politics, 94 Colum. L. Rev. 293 (1994) (reviewing Barbara Hinkson Craig & David M. O'Brien, Abortion and American Politics (1993)) (book review).
• Unitariness and Independence: Solicitor General Control Over Independent Agency Litigation, 82 Cal. L. Rev. 255 (1994).
• Committee Leadership and Statutory Interpretation, 45 Admin. L. Rev. 239 (1993) (with Larry Evans & Jarrell Wright).
• Congress, the FCC, and the Search for the Public Trustee, 56 Law & Contemp. Probs. 145 (1993) (symposium article).
• Congressional Procedure and Statutory Interpretation, 44 Administrative Law Review (1993) (with C Lawrence Evans & J. Wright).
• Political Will and the Unitary Executive: What Makes an Independent Agency Independent?, 15 Cardozo L. Rev. 273 (1993) (symposium article).
• Reagan Redux: Civil Rights Under Bush, 68 Notre Dame L. Rev. 955 (1993) (symposium article).
• Foreward: Elected Branch Influences in Constitutional Decisionmaking, 4 Law & Contemp. Probs. 1 (1993) (symposium article).
• Fundamentalist Christian Educators v. State: An Inevitable Compromise, 60 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 818 (1992) (symposium article).
• A Symbolic Balanced Budget Amendment , 9 J.L. & Pol. 61 (1992) (symposium article).
• Correspondence: The Stuff of Constitutional Law, 77 Iowa L. Rev. 1795 (1992).
• Groups Versus Individuals, 1992 Pub. Int. L. Rev. 115 (1992) (reviewing Herman Belz, Equality Transformed: A Quarter Century of Affirmative Action (1991)) (book review).
• Judicial Matters, 80 Cal. L. Rev. 1027 (1992) (reviewing Gerald N. Rosenberg, The Hollow Hope: Can Courts Bring About Social Change? (1991)) (essay review).
• Where's the Politics?, 34 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 1 (1992) (symposium article).
• The Civil Rights Hydra, 89 Mich. L. Rev. 1723 (1991) (reviewing Hugh Davis Graham, The Civil Rights Era (1990)) (essay review).
• The Rhetoric of Equality, 44 Vand. L. Rev. 15 (1991).
• Metro Broadcasting v. F.C.C.: Requiem for a Heavyweight, 69 Tex. L. Rev 125 (1990).
• Budget Reform and the Balance of Powers, 31 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 993 (1990).
• Affirmative Action After Reagan, 68 Tex. L. Rev. 353 (1989).
• Private Schools and Public Values, in Public Values, Private Schools (Falmer Press 1989).
• Appropriations Redux: A Critical Look at the Fiscal Year 1988 Continuing Resolution, 1988 Duke L.J. 389 (1988) (symposium article).
• Gender Justice and Its Critics, 76 Cal. L. Rev. 1377 (1988) (essay review).
• Judicial Vigilantism: Inherent Judicial Authority to Appoint Contempt Prosecutors in Young v. United States ex rel Vuitton Et Fils. S.A., 76 Ky. L.J. 861 (1988) (with Steven Mulroy).
• The Constitution Between Friends, 67 Tex. L. Rev. 213 (1988) (essay review).
• Averting Government by Consent Decree: Constitutional Limits on the Enforcement of Settlements with the Federal Government, 40 Stan. L. Rev 203 (1987) (with Jeremy Rabkin).
• Centralization in Education: Why Johnny Can't Spell Bureaucracy, 75 Cal. L. Rev. 759 (1987) (essay review).
• The Regulation of Government Agencies through Appropriation Riders, 1987 Duke L.J. 456 (1987) (symposium article).
• Defining Effective Civil Rights Enforcement in Education, 86 Colum. L. Rev. 1093 (1986) (book review).
• Home Instruction, in School Law Update (Tom Jones ed., NOLPE 1986).
• How Successfully Can the States' Item Veto be Transferred to the President?, 76 Geo. L.J. 159 (1986) (with Louis Fisher).
• Nebraska and the Future of State Regulation of Christian Schools, in Government Intervention in Religious Affairs (Dean Kelly ed., Pilgrim Press 1986).
• On the Limits of Court-ordered Social Change: A Critical Look at Dimond's Beyond Busing, 1986 Am. B. Found. Res. J. 559 (1986) (essay review).
• 54 Geo. Wash. L. Rev. 661 (1986) (reviewing John Agresto, The Supreme Court and Constitutional Democracy (1984)) (book review).
• A Constitutional Right to Home Instruction?, 62 Wash. U. L.Q. 435 (1985).
• Religious Symbols and the Establishment Clause, 27 J. Church & St. 19 (1985).
• The State and the Christian Day School, in Religion and the State: Essays In Honor of Leo Pfeffer (James E. Wood ed., Baylor U. Press 1985) (with James C. Carper).
• The Trouble with Jaycees , 34 Cath.U. L. Rev. 901 (1985).
• A Political Analysis of Bob Jones University v. U.S., 1 J.L. & Pol. 403 (1984).
• New Federalism in Education: The Meaning of Chicago School Desegregation, 59 Notre Dame L. Rev. 1243 (1984) (with James B. Stedman) (symposium article).
• School Desegregation Law in the 1980's: The Court's Abandonment of Brown v. Board of Education, 26 Wm. & Mary L. Rev. 7 (1984).
• Standing and Adverseness on the Issue of Tax Exemptions for Discriminatory Private Schools, 52 Fordham L. Rev. 441 (1984) (with Thomas McCoy).
• Integration and Local Politics, 73 Pub. Int. 175 (1983) (essay review).
• State Regulation of Christian Schools, 10 J. Legis. 351 (1983).
• Tax Exemptions for Racially Discriminatory Private School: A Legislative Proposal, 20 Harv. J. on Legis. 153 (1983).
• Tax Policy Analysis of Bob Jones University v. U.S., 36 Vand. L. Rev. 1353 (1983) (with Charles O. Galvin).
• Inconsistent Standards of Review in Last Term's Establishment Clause Cases, 1983 Nat'l L.J. 22 (1983).
• 11 Hastings Const. L.Q. 505 (1984) (reviewing John W. Whitehead, The Second American Revolution (David C. Cook, Publ'g Co. 1982)) (book review).