Constitutional avoidance is the doctrine that, if possible, the Supreme Court should avoid ruling on constitutional issues, and resolve the cases before them on other (usually statutory) grounds.
In practice, this often...
the Constitution
constitutional clauses
The U.S. Constitution (including its Amendments) is made up of hundreds of clauses. Some of the clauses are more important than others; the scope, meaning, and effect of which are the subject of widespread debate. For convenience, these...
constitutional law
Constitutional Law: An Overview
The broad topic of constitutional law deals with the interpretation and application of the United States Constitution. As the Constitution is the source of legal authority for the United States, questions of...
constitutional rights
Constitutional rights are the protections and liberties guaranteed to the people by the U.S. Constitution. Many of these rights are outlined in the Bill of Rights; such as the right to free speech in the First Amendment, and the right to a...
constitutional tort
A constitutional tort is a violation of one’s constitutional rights by a government employee. The alleged constitutional violation creates a cause of action that is distinct from any otherwise available state tort remedy. “Constitutional tort...
construction
Construction refers to the process of interpreting a law or a legal document, such as a contract or will. Construction is necessary when the plain language of a law or legal document is ambiguous, or the intent of its authors is unclear or...
contempt of Congress
Contempt of Congress is when an individual intentionally interferes with Congressional action. Congress has the power to restrain such individuals from interfering with its actions. It is a form of contempt, similar to contempt of court....
controversy
A controversy is an actual dispute, which refers to one of the underlying requirements to obtain jurisdiction in federal court. U.S Constitution, Article III, section 2, in setting out the powers of the Federal judiciary, grants federal...
copyright and patent power
Copyright and patent powers refers to the federal government’s ability under Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the Constitution to create and control a federal copyright and patent system. Under this clause, Congress may "promote the Progress...
corporeal
Corporeal is a thing that has a physical existence and is capable of being seen and touched. In reference to law, “corporeal” is used primarily in the context of property. Louisiana has a statute that defines corporeal and incorporeal. As per...