MBE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW Article III: SCOTUS: original (ambassadors, state v. state); appellate (writ) Limits: Article III, section re!"ires person litigating a constit"tional !"estion to s#ow: Ripeness: $itness %or ad&"dication ( s"ed be%ore in&"r' %"ll' realied) NOT Moot: S"ed too late, dec will #ave no e%%ect. *C+TIO: Case is not moot i% it is capable o% repetition 'et evading review (CO--) NOT Political question: /atter assigned to anot#er branc# b' constit"tion or incapable o% &"dicial answer NOTAstention: NOTAstention: 0#ere %ederal co"rt abstains beca"se meaning o% a state law or reg"lation is "nclear. NOT A!equate " In!epen!ent State #roun!s : SCOTUS won1t #ear a case i% t#e case is s"pported b' an independent and and ade!"ate state law gro"nd. and $as Stan!in%: Act"al or imminent in&"r', ca"sation and redressabilit'. redressabil it'. T$ir! part& stan!in%: i% /embers wo"ld #ave standing individ"all' and %its p"rpose o% organiation ' overbreadt# is an e2ception to t#is r"le Separation o% +owers : Con%ress So"rces o% power: n"merated (commerce, ta2 and spend, immigration); nabling cla"ses (34536) and t#e 7necessar' and proper cla"se8 .ec and +roper not a power per se, b"t gives Congress a 7c#oice o% means8 Commerce: Congress can reg"late c$annels o( interstate commerce) instrumentalities o( interstate commerce) an! acti*ities t$at sustantiall& a((ect interstate commer ce, incl"ding c"m"lative impacts. 9imits: Cannot reg"late intrastate non5economic activit' and cannot overcome state sovereign imm"nit'. Ta+: Congress #as power to ta2 and spend %or general wel%are. 9egislation 9egislation will be "p#eld i% ta2 raises reven"e, even i% t#e ta2 is "sed to reg"late be#avior. Spen!in%: Congress can set a condition on t#e receipt o% %ederal %"nds as long as it serves general wel%are, condition is "nambig"o"s, relates to (e!eral pro%ram) amo"nt in !"estion is not coercive and state is not re!"ired to tae an "nconstit"tional "nconstit"tional action. Ot$er po,ers: 0ar, Immigration, +ropert', minent domain, Civil 0ar Amendments (w#ile t#e 34 t# Am. applies to private actors as well, t#e 3536 onl' appl' to states). -esponse b' Congress m"st be congr"ent and proportional -ele%ation o( Po,ers: Can delegate to agenc' so long as some intelli%ile principle E+ecuti*e E+ecuti *e Po,ers : Appointments: +resident appoints #ig#5level o%%icials wit# advice and consent o% Senate. Congress can delegate appointment o% in%erior o%%icers
da's to veto "nless passed near end o% term (overridden b' =4 vote o% ?o"ses). Bicameralism an! presentment are t#e onl' wa's in w#ic# a bill can become law(ie no line item vetos). Par!ons: +resident can grant pardons b"t onl' to to o%%enses against against t#e U.S. U.S. +ardon power power cannot "ndo impeac#ment impeac#ment or restore restore an'one to o%%ice. o%%ice. War po,ers: Congress #as power to declare war and absent a"t#oriation, +res. can respond to attacs b"t not initiate war. /orei%n a((airs: +resident can mae treat' w= consent o% Senate (treat' prevails over earlier %ederal stat"te); enter into e2ec"tive agreements prevail over inconsistent state law, b"t not %ederal %ederal law. Con%ressional limits on t$e E+ecuti*e: I% congress wit#in its powers, will de%eat president. Impeac#ment, Appropriations ( pres cannot re%"se to spend mone' according to congress wis#es, or spend on somet#ing against t#eir wis#es)and cannot ignore %ederal law. I. /E-ERALL IMMUNIT05 $eds can1t be ta2ed b' State, cannot be s"ed wit#o"t consent, %ed law s"preme over state law II' States Immunit& a%ainst (e! action: +rivate individ"als can1t s"e state %or damages on an' claim(33 t# amendment) "nless p"rs"ant p"rs"ant to Congress power "nder 34, 3, 36; ?owever, can s"e %or in&"nction. =A to: s"bdivisions; state v. state; %ederal government can s"e state. State Ta2 Ta2 Imm"nit': $eds cannot impose a ta2 on "ni!"e state activities (passing laws,) or essential state sovereign %"nctions. I% state per%orming private private %"nctions, lie lie r"nning a li!"or li!"or store, can can be ta2ed as normal normal t$ Anti1comman!e Anti1co mman!eerin%234 erin%234 amen!ment55$eds cannot commandeer t#e states as sovereigns, cannot compel state legislat"res to pass laws or en%orce %ederal law. A +-O?I@ITIO IS OT CO///A-IB -ormant Commerce Clause: Strict scr"tin' (compelling interest) %or discrimination discrimination against o"t o% state goods or economic acts. I$ state law ISC-I/IATS on %ace: compelling interest and reg"lation serves compelling interest 6 narro,l& tailore!' I% state ICITA9 IC ITA99 9 @U-S @U-S interstate commerce, state m"st s#ow important state interest and no e2cessive b"rden. 2ceptions w#en o to : limit a"t#oried b' congress O- State is a maret participant participant (acting as private ind and not sovereign) Ta2ation Ta2ation +ower: States can ta2 interstate commerce so long as it is not %aciall' discriminator' and does not "nd"l' b"rden interstate commerce. Sale ta2: Cons"mmated in state; Use ta2: interstate seller: s"%%icient ne2"s to ta2ing states (e.g. maintains o%%ices t#ere); oing @"siness ta2: relate to bene%its con%erred b' ta2ing state "pon interstate b"siness; et Income Ta2: same re!ts above; 9icense $ee: %lat %ee "nconstit"tional (order solicitors); solicitors); license ta2 on peddler valid i% sells in state State Action: Action: -e!"ired %or 3=36; 2ceptions: 3) p"blic %"nction or) signi%icant signi%icant state involvement, endorsement, endorsement, or enco"ragement. 9icensing not s"%%icient entanglement. -ue Process : I% %ederal government is discriminating, invoe d"e process cla"se o% 6 t# Am. I% states, invoe 3 t# "nless rig#t to indictment b' grand &"r', rig#t to &"r' trial. +C will "s"all' appl' "nless visitors (Article +rivileges and Imm"nities) or /igrants (+rivileges and Imm"nities o% 3 t#). 0#o co"nts as person Proce!ural -ue Process : +rotects persons against deprivation o% li%e, libert' or propert' wit#o"t d"e process o% law. 0#o w#o can assert rig#ts +eople and corporations. 9ibert' is broadl' de%ined w#ile propert' interest is narrower
MBE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW /amil& relations: Bovt. cannot pro#ibit e2tended %amil' members %rom living toget#er t#o"g# state can ban "nrelated persons %rom living toget#er in single %amil' residence Ri%$t to tra*el: +DI cla"se o% 3t# allows ever' citien to travel %reel' %rom state to state and set"p residenc' in new state Ri%$t to *ote: $or total bans, appl' strict scr"tin'. $or reg"lations, balancing test s"c# as "nd"e b"rden. Unreasonale restrictions : poll ta2es, sc#ool board elections limited to parents and propert' owners, co"nting met#ods vag"e and not "ni%orm Ta;in%s clause: $i%t# Am provides t#at govt. cannot tae private propert' %or p"blic "se wit#o"t &"st compensation. Two inds o% taing: direct government appropriation and reg"lator' taing. To determine i% t#ere is a reg"lator' re!"irement so onerous as to amount to a ta;in%: 3)permanent p#'sical invasion ) deprivation o% all economicall' bene%icial "se 4) balancing economic impact on owner vers"s interest o% state in propert'. Under Eelo, note t#at p"blic "se is broadl' de%ined to mean an' p"blic p"rpose. E
II. Pri*ile%es=Immunities Clauses A. 3t$ Amen!ment:. +rotects interstate travel o% citiens. Corporations are not protected. @. Article I. or t$e Comit& Clause: +ro#ibits discrimination against non5residents on rig#ts %"ndamental =A to aliens and corps. Invalid %orms o% non5resident discrimination: commercial licenses, comm"ter ta2es, abortion and emplo'ment. @"t recreational license and instate nat"ral reso"rce "p#eld. Rule: State can treat out o( staters !i((erentl& i( !iscrimination is sustantiall& relate! to important state interest' Contracts Clause (7o state s#all pass an' law impairing t#e obligation o% contracts) applies onl' to t#e states; E+ post (acto: States can1t pass retroactive criminal law (new crime, more p"nis#ment, less evidence, longer SO9) D bill attainder (state and %ed): legislation in%licts p"nis#ment w=o trial to named indiv or gro"ps %or past cond"ct. /irst Amen!ment: Estalis$ment Clause: Appl' Strict Scr"tin' %or laws t#at pre%er religion; I% %aciall' ne"tral law, appl' t#e Lemon test: 3. Sec"lar leg. p"rpose . primar' e%%ect e neit#er advances nor in#ibit4. o e2cessive entanglement Per se in*ali!: sc#ool pra'er, ten commandments, creationism, delegation o% a"t#orit' to religio"s organiations, mone' %or religio"s instr"ction, salar' o% sec"lar teac#ers at #ig# sc#ools. /ree E+ercise: T#ere is a cond"ct5belie% distinction. @9I$ A@SO9UT9 +-OTCT. I% t#e law is abo"t cond"ct, appl' t#e Smit$ test. State ma' reg"late or pro#ibit t#e activit' i% t#e reg"lation is ne"tral wit# respect to religion and general applied. I% not ne"tral, appl' strict scr"tin' 3st Amen!ment: /ree E+pression: STO+S BOGT $-O/ ISTO-TIB /A-ET+9AC O$ IAS, S+ +O9ITICA9 S+C?. Appl& strict scrutin& (or content1ase! !iscrimination val"ate w#et#er law is void %or vag"eness or over5broad. 9aw t#at reg"lates cond"ct, creating incidental b"rden is allowable i% it serves important government interest and no greater b"rden t#an necessar'. Unprotected speec#: ?A$0OU(rational basis test %or reg"lation o% t#ese inds o% speec#) ?OSTI9 AU5speaer incites breac# o% peace, police arrest speaer5 police m"st tr' to protect instead o% silence w#en possible $ig#ting words direct personal ins"lt against speaer inciting imm vio reaction; O@SC5/I99- TST contemporar' comm"nit' standards 3)appeals to pr"rient interest ) speci%icall' de%ined Do%%ensive F local comm standard 4)lacs serio"s literar', artistic, political val"e Unlaw%"l action5speaer incites Imminent "nlaw%"l action $A/ATIO5 pri*ate person=pri*ate concern , +9 s#ow %alse and damages, pri*ate person pulic concern 5 re! +9 to prove negligent in %alse stmt. +"blic %ig"re, +9 m"st s#ow malice5 nowledge or recless disregard /alse li%$t1 pulic concern m"st s#ow malice pulic recor!s ALWA0S PROTECTE-) ne,s,ort$& an! true al,a&s protecte! LOW .ALUE SPEEC>1 Commercial speec$: +rotected b' t#e $irst Amendment i% not %alse or deceptive and doesn1t relate to "nlaw%"l activit'. 3) reg"lation m"st #ave s"bstantial govt interest, ) directl' advance t#at interest,4) not more e2tensive t#an necessar' (cannot ban ads %or dr"gs, law'ers, all ads %or law%"l prod"cts, CA @A law'er in person solicit. And commer billboards %or sa%et' and ast#etics in!ecent speec$1 reg"lation m"st serve s"bst govt int, and leave open ot#er alternatives %o*t empl&1 can pro#ibit docs in govt clinics %rom disc"ssing abortion @UT ma' not pro#ibit govt %rom speaing on be#al% o% people against govt Con!uct re%s1 incidental b"rden on speec#5 m"st #ave imp govt int, no more b"rden t#an necessar'. Reasonale restraints on time) place) manner o( speec$ on +U@9IC $O-U/ : RULE1 %o*t must allo, in pulic areas) ut re%s must e 35content neutral) 95narro,l& tailore! ?5lea*e open alternati*e c$annels' -H +-/ITS OE, COTT UT-A9 I( NON1pulic (orum: -BS onl' need be viewpoint ne"tral D reasonabl' related to legitimate government interest. (rational basis review) 3' Prior Restraint: gen r"le5 stron% presumption a%ainst1 o, natl de%ense,prior review o% govt empl boos, or i% reasonable time, place, manner. #O.T RE#S CANNOT BE TOO BROA- OR TOO .A#UE 2 7contempt"o"sl'8 or 7s"bversives8 too vag"e)
