The distinctive feature of this Federal Courts casebook—and the principal way it differs from other texts in the field—is its systematic and sustained focus on remedial issues, particularly the challenges that arise when litigants seek to enforce federal constitutional or statutory rights against state or federal governments and their officers in federal court. Rather than treating remedies as an ancillary topic, this book places them at the center of the Federal Courts curriculum.

Departing from the traditional structure of Federal Courts casebooks, the text opens with a full chapter on § 1983 litigation, immediately grounding students in the practical and doctrinal realities of rights enforcement. Throughout, the book emphasizes economy of means, clarity of presentation, and sustained attention to real-world litigation problems—the kinds of issues students must understand and anticipate in actual federal court practice.

This edition is fully updated to reflect major Supreme Court decisions from the past four years, ensuring that students engage with the most current and evolving doctrine. New principal cases include Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County v. Talevski (Chapter 1), Egbert v. Boule (Chapter 2), United States v. Texas and Haaland v. Brackeen (Chapter 4), and Torres v. Texas Department of Public Safety (Chapter 5). These decisions deepen the book’s analysis of remedies, sovereign immunity, federal jurisdiction, and the enforcement of federal rights.

The edition also incorporates a robust set of new note cases, including Biden v. Nebraska, California v. Texas, Department of Education v. Brown, FEC v. Cruz, Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez, Federal Republic of Germany v. Philipp, Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson, Lac du Flambeau Band v. Coughlin, Allen v. Cooper, Moore v. Harper, and Jones v. Hendrix. These cases expose students to cutting-edge disputes involving standing, federalism, separation of powers, sovereign immunity, and the scope of judicial remedies.

Designed to be both intellectually rigorous and practically grounded, this casebook equips students with a deep understanding of how federal courts operate—not just in theory, but in the real-world context of enforcing rights against government actors.

Cases and Materials on Federal Courts 5th Edition Michael L. Wells ISBN 9781685612689, 978-1685612689 & 9781636598628