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Constitution Land – A Theme Park from the Harlan Institute

Virtual Reality Simulators

• FantasySCOTUS: Think you know how the Justices will vote on a current case? Sharpen your wits and compete in FantasySCOTUS, the Harlan Institute’s Supreme Court Fantasy League.
• The “10th Justice” Experience: What would have happened if the Supreme Court decided a case differently? Marshall ordered Madison to deliver Marbury’s commission?  Dred Scott was found to be a citizen? Homer Plessy was not forced to ride in the segregated car?  This simulator explores these constitutional what ifs.
• The Originalist Time Machine: What would James Madison think about violent video games, gun violence, or mandating the eating of broccoli? With the Originalist Time Machine, you can ask Founding Fathers avatars–which are programmed based on their writings and philosophies–what they think about contemporary constitutional questions.
• Scrutiny Land: Witness first-hand deprivations of liberty, and determine what tier of scrutiny is appropriate, and whether the act was unconstitutional.

Thrill Rides

• Marbury v. Madison Dueling Roller-Coasters: Learn about President John Adams’ midnight appointees, and John Marshall’s failure to timely deliver Marbury’s commission on this speedy coaster that goes from zero to judicial review in (article) 3 seconds.
• Gibbons v. Ogden Flume Ride: Get wet in interstate commerce as you traverse the treacherous waters between New York and New Jersey.
• The Zones of Twilight Steel Mill of Terror: Based on Justice Jackson’s famed zone of twilight framework from the Steel Seizure case, this thrilling ride flies you through a haunted steel mill during the height of the Korean War.

Shows

• Interrogation. The Experience: Volunteers will be subjected to interrogation technique by trained law enforcement officers to illustrate how duress and pressure can influence a suspect.
• The Footnote Four String Quartet: Enjoy a musical revue exploring constitutional law in song.

Accommodations

• Lochner’s Bakery- Sample some of the most “healthful,” and delicious baked goods, including breads, muffins, and hot cross buns.
• Carolene Products Creamery: Enjoy your favorite dairy products, including cheese, ice cream, and yogurt, made from fresh, or filled milk.
• The Slaughter-House Cases New Orleans BBQ- You have the “privilege” to savor some of the best flavors of Southern BBQ, or the “immunity” to sample healthy desserts.
• Granholm v. Heald Dormant Wine Bar- Imbibe delicious wines imported from out of state.

The Harlan Institute

The words fantasy player and U.S. Supreme Court have never had a reason to be heard in the same breath, but for any law geek who’s ever dreamed of serving as the 10th justice, your fancy now can be fulfilled. The year-old website FantasySCOTUS lets aspiring Supreme Court justices, legal pundits and those of you with a tad too much time on your hands predict the outcome in pending U.S. Supreme Court cases. An aspiring academic, Blackman also has developed a version of the website for high school students atfantasySCOTUS.org. The offshoot was unplanned, but Blackman says he developed it after teachers began asking for it. So far an estimated 200 teachers and 1,000 students play. To support that offshoot, Blackman founded the Harlan Institute and spent his summer developing lesson plans. The Harlan Institute also places volunteer attorneys into classrooms using FantasySCOTUS. “We’ve created a savvy way for attorneys to do pro bono,” Blackman says. “They can even use Skype and volunteer right from their desks.”