constitutional law
Foundational legal principles
Constitutional law is the body of legal principles derived from a nation's constitution, governing the structure of government, the powers of its branches, and the rights of citizens.
It addresses how laws must comply with constitutional limits: The Supreme Court struck down the statute on constitutional law grounds.
Constitutional law shapes disputes over free speech, due process, and federalism.
Authorities explicitly granted by constitution
- supremacy clauseRule establishing legal precedence
- federal systemGovernment with layered jurisdictions
- states' rightsProvincial governmental autonomy
- Tenth AmendmentStates retain unassigned powers
preemption · dual sovereignty · reserved powers · intergovernmental · nullification · devolution · concurrent powers · sovereign immunity
Lawmaking governmental branch
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
- bicameralHaving two chambers
senate · veto · impeachment · appointment · confirmation · executive order · judicial review · cabinet
Nation's top tribunal
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- precedentPrior authoritative example
- appellateRelating to appeals
- Marbury v. MadisonLandmark ruling establishing judicial review
original jurisdiction · certiorari · textualism · originalism · standing · justiciability · mootness · ripeness
Formal approval by authority
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- repealAnnul a statute
- articleWritten piece or grammatical word
- clauseProvision in agreement
provision · equal protection · due process · Fourteenth Amendment · First Amendment · Fifth Amendment · supermajority · incorporation
Initial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- equal protectionUniform legal treatment
- freedom of speechProtected right to speak
freedom of religion · right to bear arms · search and seizure · cruel and unusual punishment · suffrage · privacy · assembly · petition
First Treasury secretary
- MadisonWisconsin's governmental seat
- JayMasculine given name
- Federalist PapersFounding-era persuasive essays
- PhiladelphiaPennsylvania's largest metropolis
framers · Marbury · original intent · founding fathers · Articles of Confederation · Great Compromise
enumerated powers
Authorities explicitly granted by constitution
- supremacy clauseRule establishing legal precedence
- federal systemGovernment with layered jurisdictions
- states' rightsProvincial governmental autonomy
Tenth Amendment · preemption · dual sovereignty · reserved powers · intergovernmental · nullification · devolution · concurrent powers · sovereign immunity
legislature
Lawmaking governmental branch
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- judiciaryLaw-interpreting government branch
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
bicameral · senate · veto · impeachment · appointment · confirmation · executive order · judicial review · cabinet · enumerated powers
Supreme Court
Nation's top tribunal
- judicial reviewCourts invalidating unconstitutional acts
- precedentPrior authoritative example
- appellateRelating to appeals
Marbury v. Madison · original jurisdiction · certiorari · textualism · originalism · standing · justiciability · mootness · ripeness · landmark decision
ratification
Formal approval by authority
- Bill of RightsInitial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- repealAnnul a statute
- articleWritten piece or grammatical word
clause · provision · equal protection · due process · Fourteenth Amendment · First Amendment · Fifth Amendment · supermajority · incorporation · enumerated
Bill of Rights
Initial constitutional amendments guaranteeing freedoms
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- due processGuaranteed judicial fairness
- equal protectionUniform legal treatment
freedom of speech · freedom of religion · right to bear arms · search and seizure · cruel and unusual punishment · suffrage · privacy · assembly · petition · self-incrimination
Hamilton
First Treasury secretary
- MadisonWisconsin's governmental seat
- JayMasculine given name
- Federalist PapersFounding-era persuasive essays
Philadelphia · framers · Marbury · original intent · founding fathers · Articles of Confederation · Great Compromise
- legal fieldscivil law, criminal law, administrative law, common law, civil procedure
- Caribbean Lawcriminal code, court system, legal history
- civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
- lawlaw, lawyer, lawyers, attorney, attorneys
- legallawyer, judge, jury, trial, verdict
- college coursesbiology, calculus, chemistry, physics, quantum physics
constitutional lawstatutory law
Legislature-made legal rules
common law · administrative law · case law · ordinances · bylaws
constitutional lawcommon law
Jurisprudence from judicial decisions
unwritten law · case law · natural law · precedent · equity
constitutional lawmartial law
Armed forces governance
rule by decree · absolutism · tyranny · despotism · autocracy
constitution, constitutional, unconstitutional, constitutionally, constitutionality, unconstitutionality, nonconstitutional