Outline - Constitutional Law

Highest level of constitutional question outline

I. Justiciable case or controversy? II. What kind of constitutional issue? III. Individual rights?

Justiciable case or controversy subparts

A SPERM - A. ABSTENTION, B. STANDING, C. POLITICAL question, D. ELEVENTH amendment, E. RIPENESS, F. MOOTNESS

What kind of constitutional issue? - subparts (3)

A. Separation of Powers - branches of government, B. Federal Legislative Powers, C. State interference with Federal System

Separation of Powers - subparts (3)

1. Judicial, 2. Executive (foreign and domestic powers and limitations, especially executive privileges), 3. Legislative (source of power and limitations)

Federal Legislative Powers - subparts (3)

1. Source of power, 2. Necessary & Proper clause, 3. 10th Amendment limitations

State Interference with Federal System - subparts (3)

1. Preemption, 2. Dormant Commerce Clause. 3. Privileges & Immunities Clause (Art. IV and 14th Amendment)

Sources of power - subparts (9)

a. Commerce Clause, b. Spending, c. Taxing, d. Taking Property, e. Citizenship, f. Civil Rights, g. Foreign affairs, h. War, i. Elections

Dormant Commerce Clause - subparts (2)

a. Discrimination against out-of-state interests, b. Undue burden on interstate commerce

Individual Rights - subparts (8)

SSTRREPS - A. State action (always analyze first!), B. Speech, C. Taking, D. Religion, E. Retroactive legislation, F. Equal protection, G. Procedural due process, H. Substantive due process

Speech - subparts (3)

1. Prior restraint, 2. Vagueness or overbreadth, 3. Content or content neutral

Content regulations - subparts (5)

Advocacy of unlawful conduct, defamation, obscenity, fighting words, commercial speech

Content neutral - subparts (4)

Time, place & manner; public forums; symbolic expression; freedom of association

Taking - subparts (3)

1. For public use? 2. Taking requiring just compensation v. regulation under police power not requiring just compensation; 3. What is just compensation? (usually FMV)

Religion - subparts (2)

1. Establishment clause, 2. Free exercise clause

Establishment clause - subparts (3)

a. Secular purpose, b. Secular effect, c. No undue entanglement

Retroactive legislation - subparts (3)

1. Impairment of contract, 2. Ex Post Facto Laws, 3. Bills of attainder

Equal protection - subparts (2)

1. Classification or fundamental interest?, 2. Scrutiny

Classification - subparts (3)

1. Suspect - race and alienage - require strict scrutiny, 2. Quasi-suspect - gender and illegitimacy - intermediate analysis, 3. Other - wealth, age, others - require rational basis review

Fundamental rights - subparts (4)

1. Rights triggering strict scrutiny, 2. Rights triggering "undue burden test" - abortion, 3. Not a fundamental right - RBR only - practice trade/profession, physician assisted-suicide, education, 4. Level of scrutiny unknown - engage in private, homosexual activity, refuse medical treatments, possess firearms

Rights triggering strict scrutiny (3)

a. Privacy rights (marriage, procreation, custody of children, keep family together, control raising of children, purchase/use contraceptives), b. Equal protection (travel, vote), c. First Amendment (freedom of speech, freedom of association, free exercise of religion (if the law burdening religion is not a neutral law of general applicability)

Scrutiny - subparts (3)

a. Strict scrutiny - compelling state interest, means necessary to achieve state interest, narrowly tailored - least restrictive alternative, b. intermediate scrutiny - important state interest and means substantially related to the interest, c. rational basis review - legitimate state interest and means rationally related to the interest.

Procedural due process subparts - (2)

1. Life, Liberty or Property Interest, 2. What process is due?

Substantive due process subparts (2)

1. Privacy - marriage, procreation, child-rearing, 2. Strict scrutiny applies