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By Tanner O’Neal Riley
When it comes to constitutional scholars, few blend intellect and accessibility quite like Charles W. “Rocky” Rhodes. A nationally recognized expert on constitutional law, Rhodes joined the University of Missouri School of Law this fall as the Edward H. Hunvald Professor of Law and Wall Fellow in Constitutional Law. For Rhodes, Mizzou represents a fitting culmination of a lifelong conversation about justice, power, and the meaning of the foundational elements of the law that shape our society.
“It’s a rare opportunity,” Rhodes said. “Mizzou Law has an exceptional balance of scholarship, teaching, and service to the community. At some schools, the focus tilts too far one way—either scholarship over students or the reverse—but here, both are valued equally, with a faculty of renowned scholars and devoted teachers. I’ve always believed our role is to advance knowledge while ensuring our students’ success. That balance is what drew me here.”
Rhodes’s teaching and scholarship focus on the United States Constitution, state constitutions, and judicial power. His passion for these subjects is both scholarly and civic, rooted in the belief that constitutional law shapes every corner of American life—from the rights we claim to the courts we trust to protect them.
“When I went to law school, I never planned to teach constitutional law,” Rhodes said. “I wanted to be a trial lawyer, fighting the good fight. But in my second year, a constitutional law class with an engaging, dynamic, and thoughtful professor changed everything. I learned constitutional law blends law, history, politics, philosophy, and the practical realities of how we govern ourselves.”
The author or co-author of six textbooks and treatises, Rhodes is a prolific scholar in his field. His forthcoming two-volume work, Rhodes & Usman on State Constitutional Law, aims to deepen understanding of how state constitutions interact with the federal system. More than forty judicial opinions—spanning five federal circuit courts and seven state supreme courts—have cited his writings, underscoring the practical influence of his research.
Still, Rhodes is quick to highlight that ideas matter most when they reach people. His work, though academically rigorous, is grounded in the human dimensions of justice.
“I’ve always said that if the Supreme Court cites one of my pieces, it might be time to retire,” Rhodes said with a laugh. “It’s nice to influence the direction of the law, but my scholarship comes from an intrinsic love of the work. Most of what I write will never be cited by a court, and that’s fine. Recognition—whether from a court, other scholars, or journalists—is rewarding, but the real value is intrinsic.” Rhodes continued, “What we do today lays the foundation for the society that will stand on our works tomorrow—we have an obligation to our posterity to do the right thing, the honest thing, the just thing.”
Before joining the Mizzou Law faculty, Rhodes served as the Charles Weigel II Research Professor of State and Federal Constitutional Law at South Texas College of Law Houston, where he earned multiple awards for teaching and scholarship. He has also taught at Baylor Law School and served as a visiting professor at the University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law.
In the classroom, Rhodes is known for his clarity, patience, and willingness to challenge assumptions. His students describe his approach as exacting but encouraging—designed to sharpen minds while nurturing curiosity.
That dedication to thoughtful public discourse extends far beyond campus. Rhodes’s commentary on constitutional and procedural issues has appeared on CNN, NPR, BBC Radio, and Bloomberg Radio, as well as in The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. Through those outlets, he helps audiences understand complex legal issues with nuance and perspective.
A native Texan, Rhodes earned both his undergraduate and law degrees from Baylor University, graduating summa cum laude and later as valedictorian of his law school class. Before entering academia, he clerked and served as a staff attorney at the Supreme Court of Texas and practiced appellate law at the firm now known as Troutman Pepper Locke. He earned board certification in Civil Appellate Law—a mark of distinction.
Even now, he remains active in practice, writing amicus briefs and testifying before legislatures on constitutional issues. For Rhodes, those experiences aren’t separate from his teaching—they’re essential to it.
At heart, Rhodes is driven by a belief that law is not a static set of rules but a living conversation. At Mizzou Law, he found a university where that conversation thrives—a place where ideas are tested, shared, and refined in the pursuit of justice.
“We lawyers, and prospective lawyers, have a unique gift,” Rhodes said. “We know and respect the law, and those of us who are especially fortunate love the law. It’s that love I want to pass on to my students. Yes, I want them to pass the bar, and they will. Yes, I want them to go off and get good jobs, and they will. What I really want, however, is for them to be comfortable, competent, and captivated by the law. If I accomplish that, then my work will have, without a doubt, been worth it.”