Constitutional Law for Dummies

by Smith, Glenn; Fusco, Patricia

• ISBN13: 9781118023785
• ISBN10: 1118023781
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-12-13
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Constitutional Law For Dummies gives readers an analytical outline of the parameters of the U.S. Constitution in modern, easily-understood language. This overview includes critical information on the Constitution's foundations, powers, and limitations, as well as detailed information on the U.S. Supreme Court and federalism. Students studying government or law will find this to be a useful supplement to a variety of courses, and will be helpful when studying the rights and liberties that the Constitution guarantees such as rights of criminals (due process, cruel and unusual punishment, etc.), right to privacy, freedom of religion, and more. Constitutional Law For Dummies provides students and readers with modern analysis of the Constitution's amendments and explains outdated governmental jargon in current, up-to-date terms.

Author Biography

Glenn C. Smith is a professor of constitutional law at California Western School of Law in San Diego, CA, and creator of a nationally recognized seminar in which law students learn about the Supreme Court by role-playing as current justices and lawyers arguing before them.

Patricia Fusco is a government attorney and a criminal prosecutor working in the California Attorney General's Office, Special Crimes Unit. As a trial attorney, she deals with issues of constitutional law on a daily basis.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Studying Constitutional Law: The Foundations 9

Chapter 1: Understanding the Constitution 11

Chapter 2: Constitutional Law: A View from 30,000 Feet 33

Chapter 3: Mapping Out Key Concepts and Distinctions in Constitutional Law 49

Part II: Allocating Governmental Roles 59

Chapter 4: “Constituting” a New Federal Government 61

Chapter 5: Charting the Reach of National Government Powers 83

Chapter 6: Sorting Out National Powers: Inter-Branch Conflict and Cooperation 105

Chapter 7: The Constitution and Federalism 125

Part III: Protecting Property Rights and Avoiding Arbitrary Action141

Chapter 8: Avoiding Arbitrary Government Action: Due Process of Law 143

Chapter 9: Protecting Property: Land, Contracts, and Guns 161

Chapter 10: Preventing Government from Discriminating 177

Part IV: Rights to Self-Expression and Political Participation 199

Chapter 11: "Express Yourself!" Freedom of Speech 201

Chapter 12: The Constitution and Religion 225

Chapter 13: Getting Involved: Voting and Becoming or Supporting a Candidate 247

Part V: Understanding Privacy Rights 263

Chapter 14: Implied Privacy Rights — Fundamental and Otherwise 265

Chapter 15: Preventing Unreasonable Searches and Seizures 289

Chapter 16: The Right against Self-Incrimination 311

Part VI: The Part of Tens 331

Chapter 17: Ten Landmark Court Decisions about Governmental Structure 333

Chapter 18: Ten (Plus Three) Top Individual-Rights Cases 341