Constitutional Law Flashcards
(82 cards)
In constitutional law you must FIRST determine whether or not the law is constitutional
- A constitution is an established law or custom, the organic and fundamental laws of the state which may be written or unwritten
- Federalist supported the constitution, Anti-federalist opposed the constitution
- The constitution did not mention a right to vote to avoid individuals from not ratifying it (if people were excluded or included from voting in the constitution people would be hesitant to ratify it)
- The bill of rights was not meant to set out ALL of individual rights
- The body (articles) of the constitution establishes our three branches of government, and the amendments (including bill of rights) sets out individual rights
- Article 1of the constitution = legislative(congress), Article 2 = executive (president), Article 3 = judicial
Marbury v Madison (judicial review of state executive law)
o The government of the United States is one of limited and defined powers.
o Without judicial review, “the distinction between a government with limited and unlimited powers is abolished.”
o Therefore, judicial review is essential to a written constitution granting the government only limited and defined powers.
o Holding: the Court was unable to grant the writ because the Judiciary Act of 1789 conflicted with Article III Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution and was therefore null and void.
Judicial Review
a. Court can review Executive Branch action if action is not political/discretionary.
b. Court can review act of Congress. If act of Congress is contrary to US Constitution, act is void.
2. Court’s original jurisdiction granted in Article III can not be enlarged by Congress.
i. U.S. Constitution Article III Section 1
• The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at all stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.
ii. U.S. Constitution Article III Section 2-1
• The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority; - to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls; - to all Cases of admiralty and maritime Jurisdiction; - to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party; - to Controversies between two or more States; - between a State and citizens of another State; - between Citizens of different States; - between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.
iii. U.S. Constitution Article III Section 2-2
• In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.
iv. U.S Constitution Supremacy Clause
• This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
I. CANONS OF CONSTITTIONAL CONSTRUCTION
1. Ejusdem generis
when specific words are followed by general phrase, general phrase means things of same kind as specific words.
Expressio unius, exclusio alterius
if constitution expressly states what is intended to be included, then that which is not mentioned is excluded
Pari materia
sections containing same language should be interpreted consistently with one another.
Last Two Canons of Construction
- Every word must be given meaning.
5. Words given plain meaning.
Martin v Hunter’s Lessee (judicial review of state judiciary)
• Issue - Does the US Supreme Court have appellate jurisdiction over constitutional decisions made by state courts?
• Judicial Review - Court can review decision of a State’s highest court.
o Pursuant to Article III, section 2[1], federal courts have jurisdiction over all cases and controversies arising under federal law (includes Constitution and treaties). If state court has original jurisdiction over case, then Supreme Court has appellate jurisdiction pursuant to Article III, section
o Justice Story concludes that all judges swear on an oath of office to uphold the laws of the United States (which include being bound by the rules of the Constitution)
o We want federal question matters heard in the US supreme court for uniformity of the law (so the law is upheld the same in every state)
• Policy Reasons for Supremacy Clause
o Final judgment must reside somewhere, and possible abuse of power is not an argument against the existence or use of such power.
o State jealousies would obstruct justice, thus requiring Supreme Court review of state court decisions.
o Uniformity of decisions.
o Preventing forum shopping.
McCulloch v Maryland (judicial review of legislative state law)
- Issues: Does Congress have the power to incorporate the bank and can a state tax a federal bank?
- Rule: Necessary and Proper Clause - Article I. Section 8.[18] To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States or in any Department or Officer thereof.
- The necessary and proper clause is NEVER used alone as a rule for congress’ power, just as a justification, must use articles either powers 1-17 first
- Marshall reasons that the necessary and proper clause would not be placed in a section setting out Congress’ allowed powers if they were not permitted to use them
- Maryland does not have the power to tax the bank of the US because the constitution gives Congress the supreme power to create and destroy banks. States do not have the power to create the bank, so therefore they cannot destroy one (or tax banks). Maryland ONLY has the power to tax people and banks inside of Maryland, or there would be no one to check their power (representation reinforcement)
Calder v. Bull
Held. The legislation was not an ex post facto law. The Court drew a distinction between criminal rights and “private rights,” arguing that restrictions against ex post facto laws were not designed to protect citizens’ contract rights
• Justice Chase – Natural Law is enforceable against the state government.
• Justice Iredell – Written constitution controls. Courts cannot rely upon natural justice.
D.C v Heller Facts
Dick Anthony Heller was a D.C. special police officer who was authorized to carry a handgun while on duty. He applied for a one-year license for a handgun he wished to keep at home, but his application was denied. Heller sued the District of Columbia. He sought an injunction against the enforcement of the relevant parts of the Code and argued that they violated his Second Amendment right to keep a functional firearm in his home without a license. The district court dismissed the complaint. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed and held that the Second Amendment protects the right to keep firearms in the home for the purpose of self-defense, and the District of Columbia’s requirement that firearms kept in the home be nonfunctional violated that right.
D.C v Heller Holding
Held. The first clause of the Second Amendment that references a “militia” is a prefatory clause that does not limit the operative clause of the Amendment. Additionally, the term “militia” should not be confined to those serving in the military, because at the time the term referred to all able-bodied men who were capable of being called to such service. To read the Amendment as limiting the right to bear arms only to those in a governed military force would be to create exactly the type of state-sponsored force against which the Amendment was meant to protect people. Because the text of the Amendment should be read in the manner that gives greatest effect to the plain meaning it would have had at the time it was written, the operative clause should be read to “guarantee an individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation.” This reading is also in line with legal writing of the time and subsequent scholarship. Therefore, banning handguns, an entire class of arms that is commonly used for protection purposes, and prohibiting firearms from being kept functional in the home, the area traditionally in need of protection, violates the Second Amendment. • The justices used the same language of the constitution and the same dictionaries of the times to come to opposite conclusions (militia is a synonym for men) • Scalia is not being consistent with his other methodologies of interpretations as here • If this case was overturned gun rights would not be affected because it is a state law issue, not federal
Review So Far
• Judicial review of congressional action and legislative action (Marbury)
• Marbury also helps show how to use the canons of construction
• Martin Lessee Case – US Supreme Court slaps Virginia Supreme Ct around and holds that US Supreme court has appellate jurisdiction, federal question cases ONLY (not diversity cases, so there can be uniformity of the law) go from the court of the last resort in the state to the US supreme court
o Article 3 Section 1 vests all of the judicial power of the US in the federal judiciary (which consists of the US supreme court and any lower courts created by Congress)
II. POLITICAL CONTROLS OF THE COURT
Ex Parte McCardle
Facts
In 1867, William McCardle was arrested by military authorities for publishing a series of editorials criticizing the Reconstruction in his Mississippi newspaper. McCardle sought a writ of habeas corpus on the ground that the Reconstruction Acts under which he was arrested were unconstitutional. The judge sent him back into custody, finding that military actions legal under Congress’s law. McCardle appealed to the Supreme Court under an 1867 congressional statute that conferred jurisdiction on appeal to the High Court. After hearing arguments in the case, but prior to announcing a decision, the Congress withdrew its 1867 act conferring jurisdiction.
Ex Parte McCardle RUle
Article 3 Section 2-2: In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have appellate Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make. (this is a discretionary power)
Ex Parte McCardle Holding
The Court validated congressional withdrawal of the Court’s jurisdiction. The basis for this repeal was the Exceptions Clause of Article III Section 2. But Chase pointedly reminded his readers that the 1868 statute repealing jurisdiction “does not affect the jurisdiction which was previously exercised.”
• The reconstruction statute act of 1867 allowed federal jurisdiction of habeas cases, but the act of 1868 took it away. So the court would use the act of 1789 to get federal jurisdiction of McCardle’s case (this is another avenue for McCardle to get to federal court)
This is a Habeas Corpus case (“let go of my body” case, which one files when they are being held in jail.)
U.S. v Klein
Facts:
Respondent, Klein (Respondent), brought suit in the United States Court of Claims, seeking compensation for property taken during the Civil War. The Respondent now argues for affirmation on appeal.
U.S. v Klein rule
Rule: Although Congress has power to limit the appellate jurisdiction of the federal courts, it may not use this power to effectively prescribe a rule for the decision of cases before the courts.
U.S. v Klein Reason/Holding
Reason: The Supreme Court of the United States (Supreme Court) had ruled that a presidential pardon had the effect of proof one did not support the rebellion. This allowed pardoned individuals to petition for return of property or compensation from the federal government. In response to the decision, Congress passed a statute stating that a pardon was inadmissible as evidence in a claim for seized property. Congress went further and required that if a court find that a pardon was secured without an express disclaimer of guilt (of aiding the rebellion), such finding was to act as a bar to jurisdiction. The estate of the Respondent who was pardoned had received a judgment granting recovery from the Court of Claims. The United States now appeals, arguing that the statute requires dismissal of the case for want of jurisdiction.
Held. No. Judgment affirmed. By requiring the courts to make a specific finding of fact in a case over which the court has jurisdiction and then removing the court’s jurisdiction after the finding, Congress is not limiting jurisdiction, but rather prescribing a rule of decision for the courts.
Congress impaired the presidential pardons by requiring that they be inadmissible as evidence in these cases. The President of the United States has the constitutional authority to pardon offenses. By disallowing the full effect of the pardons, Congress attempted to reduce the President’s constitutional authority.