Constitutional Law Resource Guide
Introduction
Constitutional Law generally addresses principles of the law of the US Constitution in reference to the allocation of powers as well as individual rights and liberties. Key concerns include judicial review, federal jurisdiction, federal executive powers, federal legislative powers (particularly related to the commerce clause and fiscal powers), international affairs, powers of the states, due process, equal protection, freedom of expression, and freedom of religion. US Supreme Court cases are emphasized, because the US Supreme Court has a critical role in the interpretation of the Constitution. Constitutional Law study also concerns implementation and interpretation of state constitutions.
On April 24-25, 2003, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law held the conference "The Ohio Constitution -- Then and Now: An Examination of the Law and History of the Ohio Constitution on the Occasion of Its Bicentennial." The conference examined the history of constitution-making in Ohio, inquiring into the motives and ideologies of those who shaped the text, and differing approaches to state constitutional interpretation, emphasizing how Ohio's courts have construed that text, as well as focused on current issues under the Ohio Constitution, including school choice, tort reform, separation of powers, equal protection, and search and seizure. Conference proceedings were published in 51 Cleveland State Law Review 333-686 (2004).
If you are a student who's trying to pick a topic in constitutional law for a note or article, check out Lawtopic.com and review its Constitutional Law section. Also, consider reviewing current issues and hot topics on news Web sites such as American Lawyer Media's American Lawyer, Law.Com, National Law Journal, and New York Law Journal, as well as Lawyers Weekly.
Please contact the Law Library's Research Services librarians during their Research Services hours, or via email for help with locating or using any of the resources discussed in this guide.
Cases
Supreme Court of the United States
Includes docket, court rules, case handling guides, opinions (coverage begins in 2001), oral arguments (selected coverage begins in 2000), orders (coverage begins in 2000), and Supreme Court Journal (coverage begins in 1993).
Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute's Supreme Court Collection
Searchable database of opinions, with full coverage from 1990 to the present, as well as 600 historical decisions. Also includes calendar, schedule of oral arguments, judicial biographies, court rules, and several links to other Web-based materials.
U.S. Courts: The Federal Judiciary
The Administrative Office of the US Courts provides links to all U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals and District Courts, PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) service center, and other federal court information.
Supreme Court of Ohio
Reporter of Decisions provides opinions issued since 1992.
Office of Public Information provides opinions and case summaries, oral argument summaries, news, and other materials.
Ohio Rules of Court (html and pdf versions).
LexisNexis Source Files:
Area of Law - By Topic: Constitutional Law: Cases: Federal & State Cases - Selected Constitutional Law Material
Includes US Supreme Court; US Court of Appeals; Federal District Courts; case law for all 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and other US territories; as well as Military Appeals, Customs, Patents, Tax, Trade, Commerce, Veteran Appeals, and Bankruptcy specialty courts.
States Legal - U.S.: Combined States: Cases: By Area of Law: State Cases, Combined Courts - Selected Constitutional Law Material
States Legal - U.S.: Ohio: Cases: By Area of Law: OH Constitutional Cases Includes Supreme Court since 1821, Court of Appeals since 1913, and miscellaneous courts since 1894.
See also individual source files in these LexisNexis Library sections:
Area of Law - By Topic: Constitutional Law: Cases: Federal
Area of Law - By Topic: Constitutional Law: Cases: State
Federal Legal - U.S.: Combined Federal Court Cases
Federal Legal - U.S.: Supreme Court Cases & Materials
Federal Legal - U.S.: Circuit Court Cases - By Circuit
Federal Legal - U.S.: District Court Cases - By Circuit
Federal Legal - U.S.: District Court Cases - By State
Westlaw Databases:
U.S. Federal Materials: Cases & Judicial Materials: U.S. Supreme Court Cases (after 1944) (SCT)
[ Note that pre-1945 cases are in the SCT-OLD database.]
U.S. State Materials: Case Law: Multistate Cases Organized by Area of Practice: Civil Rights (MCIV-CS).
Cases concerning violations of individual rights and discrimination from state courts of all 50 states and District of Columbia. Coverage varies by state.
U.S. State Materials: Ohio: Cases: Case Law Organized by Practice Area or Topic: Civil Rights (OHCIV-CS)
Cases concerning violations of individual rights and discrimination from Ohio state courts. Coverage begins with 1821.
See also individual databases in these Westlaw Directory sections:
Topical Materials by Area of Practice: Constitutional Law: U.S. Federal Cases
U.S. Federal Materials: Cases & Judicial Materials: Judicial Materials: U.S. Supreme Court Databases
U.S. Federal Materials: Cases & Judicial Materials: Courts of Appeals Cases by Circuit
U.S. Federal Materials: Cases & Judicial Materials: District Court Cases Organized by Court of Appeals Circuits after 1944
U.S. Federal Materials: Cases & Judicial Materials: District Court Cases Organized by State and Territory - after 1944
See also Constitutional Law section of KeySearch.
Constitutions and Background Materials
U.S. Constitution
State Legal Materials - By State
[Both links via Cornell University Law School's Legal Information Institute. ]
A Century of Lawmaking For a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates
Includes materials from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention as well as Statutes, Documents, Congressional Journals, and Congressional Debates. [Provided by the Library of Congress American Memory Web site.]
The Federalist Papers
Eighty-five essays, written between October 1787 and May 1788, by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. [Provided by the Library of Congress THOMAS Web site of federal legislative information.]
The Founders' Constitution
Web-based version, provided by the University of Chicago Press and Liberty Fund, of the multi-volume anthology edited by Philip B. Kurland and Ralph Lerner. Includes a wide assortment of documents, from the early 1600s to the 1830s, regarding constitutional government and the US Constitution, arranged by constitutional themes as well as by Articles and Clauses of the US Constitution and the Amendments.
FindLaw's Constitutional Law Center U.S. Constitution Materials
Analysis and annotations arranged by the US Constitution Articles and Amendments. Based on the Library of Congress Congressional Research Service 1992 document edited by Johnny H. Killian and George A. Costello, as well as the 1996 and 1998 supplements edited by Johnny H. Killian, George A. Costello, and Kenneth R. Thomas. Includes links to cited US Supreme Court cases.
Ohio Constitution
1851 Constitution with Amendments to 1999. [Provided by the Ohio General Assembly.]
Ohio Fundamental Documents
Includes 1787 Ordinance of the Northwest Territory, 1802 and 1851 Constitutions of the State of Ohio, and other historical materials. [Provided by the Ohio Historical Society.]
Treatises and Practice Guides
Selected significant treatises and practice guides in the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library collection which provide a foundation in issues of constitutional law include the following:
American Constitutional Law / Laurence H. Tribe. Foundation Press, c2000. KF4550 .T79 2000
American Constitutional Law / Louis Fisher. Carolina Academic Press, c2003. KF4549 .F57 2003
American Constitutional Law: Power and Politics / Gregg Ivers. Houghton Mifflin Co., c2001-2002. KF4549 .I94 2001
The Constitution and the Pride of Reason / Steven D. Smith. Oxford University Press, c1998. KF4552 .S63 1998
Constitutional Conflicts / Derrick A. Bell, Jr. Anderson Publishing Co., c1997. KF4550 .B44 1997
Constitutional Interpretation: Illusion and Reality / Jeffrey M. Shaman. Greenwood Press, c2001. KF4575 .S53 2001
Constitutional Interpretation: Textual Meaning, Original Intent, and Judicial Review / Keith E. Whittington. University Press of Kansas, c1999. KF4550 .W475 1999
Constitutional Law / John E. Nowak and Ronald D. Rotunda. West Group, c2004. KF4550 .N6 2004
Constitutional Law / Geoffrey R. Stone, et al. Aspen Law & Business, c2001. KF4549 .C647 2001
Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies / Erwin Chemerinsky. Aspen Law & Business, c2002. KF4550 .C427 2002
Constitutional Structure and Purposes: Critical Commentary / Michael Conant. Greenwood Press, c2001. KF8748 .C56 2001
A Detailed Analysis of the Constitution / Edward Francis Cooke. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, c2002. KF4550 .Z9 C676 2002
Encyclopedia of the American Constitution / Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst, eds. Macmillan Reference USA, c2000. KF4548 .E53 2000
Heritage Guide to the Constitution / Edwin Meese III, David F. Forte, and Matthew Spalding, eds. Regnery Pub. and Heritage Foundation, c2005. KF4527 .H47 2005
Implementing the Constitution / Richard H. Fallon, Jr. Harvard University Press, c2001. KF8742 .F35 2001
The Inseparability of Law and Morality: the Constitution, Natural Law, and the Rule of Law / Ellis Washington. University Press of America, c2002. KF4552 .W37 2002
The New Constitutional Order / Mark Tushnet. Princeton University Press, c2003. KF4550 .T87 2003
Our Unsettled Constitution: a New Defense of Constitutionalism and Judicial Review / Louis Michael Seidman. Yale University Press, c2001. KF4550 .S38 2001
Power and Rights in US Constitutional Law / Thomas Lundmark. Oceana Publications, c2001. KF4550 .Z9 L86 2001
Researching Constitutional Law / Albert P. Melone. Waveland Press, c2000. KF241 .C66 M455 2000
Semblances of Sovereignty: the Constitution, the State, and American Citizenship / T. Alexander Aleinikoff. Harvard University Press, c2002. KF4552 .A43 2002
To Form a More Perfect Union: a New Economic Interpretation of the United States Constitution / Robert A. McGuire. Oxford University Press, c2003. KF4520 .M393 2003
Treatise on Constitutional Law: Substance and Procedure / Ronald D. Rotunda and John E. Nowak. West Group, c1999. KF4550 .R63 1999
The Unpredictable Constitution / Norman Dorsen, ed. New York University Press, c2002. KF4550 .A2 U57
The Ohio State Constitution: a Reference Guide / Steven H. Steinglass and Gino J. Scarselli. Praeger, c2004. KFO401 1851 .A6 S74 2004
Understanding State Constitutions / G. Alan Tarr. Princeton University Press, c1998. KF4550 .Z95 T37 1998
Study Aids
The American Constitution: Cases, Comments, Questions / Jesse H. Choper, et al. West Group, c2001. KF4549 .C654 2001
American Constitutional Law: Essays, Cases, and Comparative Notes / Donald P. Kommers and John E. Finn. West/Wadsworth, c1998. KF4550 .K65 1998
American Constitutional Law: Powers and Liberties / Calvin Massey. Aspen Law & Business, c2001. KF4549 .M318 2001
American Constitutional Law: Structure and Reconstruction: Cases, Notes, and Problems / Charles A. Shanor. West Group, c2001. KF4549 .S395 2001
The American Constitutional Order: History, Cases, and Philosophy / Douglas W. Kmier and Stephen B. Presser. Anderson Publishing Co., c1998. KF4549 .K55 1998
CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) Tutorials
Connect to the CALI Library of Lessons for a list of "Constitutional Law Lessons" and "Federal Courts Lessons" available to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Students. You must register a personal password with CALI to use these CALI tutorials. [If you are a Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Student, and have not yet accessed CALI via our Law School subscription, Students click here .] The 4 CALI Constitutional Law Lessons cover Constitutional Placement of the Administrative Process; Federal Commerce Power and Other Restrictions on State Regulatory Power; Hearing Procedures Required by Due Process - The Basic Analysis; and Ripeness and Mootness. The 2 CALI Federal Courts Lessons cover the Eleventh Amendment and Federal Habeas Corpus.
The CALI Constitutional Law and Federal Courts Lessons are also highlighted on the Tutorials and Instructional Research Guides page of the Law Library Web site.
Cases and Materials on Constitutional Law / David Crump, Eugene Gressman, and David S. Day. Mathew Bender, c1998. KF4549 .C78 1998
Cases and Materials on Constitutional Law: Themes for the Constitution's Third Century / Daniel A. Farber, William N. Eskridge, Jr., and Philip P. Frickey. Thompson/West, c2003. KF4549 .F33 2003
A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments / John R. Vile. Praeger, c2001. KF4550 .V55 2001
Constitutional Analysis in a Nutshell / Thomas E. Baker and Jerre S. Williams. Thomson/West, c2003. KF4550 .Z9 W53 2003
Constitutional Law / Jerome A. Barron and C. Thomas Dienes. Thomson/West, c2003. KF4550 .B28 2003
Constitutional Law / Kathleen M. Sullivan and Gerald Gunther. Foundation Press, c2001. KF4549 .G85 2001
Constitutional Law / Norman Redlich, John Attanasio, and Joel K. Goldstein. LexisNexis, c2002. KF4549 .R4 2002
Constitutional Law: Cases and Materials / William Cohen and Jonathan D. Varat. Foundation Press, c2001. KF4549 .B3 2001
Constitutional Law: Cases, Comments, Questions / Jesse H. Choper, et al. West Group, c2001. KF4549 .C653 2001
Constitutional Law: Cases, History, and Dialogues / Donald E. Lively, et al. Anderson Publishing, c2000. KF4549 .C654 2000
Constitutional Law -- National Power and Federalism: Examples and Explanations / Christopher N. May and Allan Ides. Aspen, c2004. KF4550 .M29 2004
Constitutional Law: Structure and Rights in Our Federal System / Daan Braveman, William C. Banks, and Rodney A. Smolla. Lexis Publishing, c2000. KF4549 .B73 2000
Constitutional Law and Politics / David M. O'Brien. Norton, c2003. KF4541 .A7 O27 2003
Constitutional Law in a Nutshell / Jerome A. Barron and C. Thomas Dienes. Thomson/West Group, c2005. KF4550 .Z9 B35 2005
Great Cases in Constitutional Law / Robert P. George, ed. Princeton University Press, c2000. KF4549 .G68 2000
Modern Constitutional Law: Cases and Notes / Ronald D. Rotunda. West Group, c2000. KF4549 .R686 2000
Modern Constitutional Theory: a Reader / John H. Garvey and T. Alexander Aleinikoff, eds. West Group, c1999. KF4549 .M63 1999
Principles of Constitutional Law / John E. Nowak and Ronald D. Rotunda. Thomson/West, c2007. KF4550 .Z9 N69 2007
Understanding Constitutional Law / Norman Redlich, John Attanasio, and Joel K. Goldstein. LexisNexis, c2005. KF4550 .Z9.R43 2005
Ohio Board of Bar Examiners, Outline of Subjects Tested on Essay Portion of Ohio Bar Examination (Columbus, OH: Supreme Court of Ohio 1984- ). KFO76 .Z9 O8546. Outlines the subjects tested on the essay portion of the Ohio Bar Examination in order to provide a guide to bar examiners in drafting the essay questions. The "Constitutional Law" section in the November 2002 edition provides citation to legal authorities in constitutional law as a convenience to the bar examiners. It includes outlines for Federal Judicial Power, Federal Legislative Power, Federal Executive Power, Federal Regulatory Power, State Power in Areas of Federal Authority, Intergovernmental Relations, State or Governmental Action, Privileges and Immunities of National Citizenship, Substantive Due Process, The Takings Clause, The Contract Clause, Procedural Due Process, Equal Protection, Congressional Enforcement of 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, Freedom of Speech in General, Freedom of Association, Freedom of the Press, Corporate Speech, Commercial Speech, Solicitation, Unprotected Expression, Time, Place and Manner Regulation, Freedom of Religion, and Petition for Redress.
State Constitutional Law in a Nutshell / Thomas C. Marks, Jr. and John F. Cooper. Thomson/West, c2003. KF4550 .Z95 M28 2003
SCHOLAR is the electronic catalog for Cleveland State University's Law Library and University Library. CSU also participates in the state-wide consortia OhioLINK, which provides access to a state-wide central catalog and numerous research databases. For treatises and other materials, search the SCHOLAR and OhioLINK catalogs with the subject headings Constitutional Law; Constitutional Law - United States; Constitutional Law - Ohio. See also the 40+ Constitutional Law Related Subject Headings.
Journal Articles and Current Awareness Services
See the Finding Articles in Law Reviews, Journals and Other Legal Periodicals guide for an explanation of the legal periodical indexes and databases available to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law students and the CSU community. That guide covers print and electronic indexes, as well as electronic full-text journals. In particular, note OhioLINK's Electronic Journal Center and its Social Sciences - Politics, Political Science, and Law subject cluster.
Selected specialty journals and current awareness materials concerning Constitutional Law in the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Library collection include:
Cato Supreme Court Review. Cato Institute Center for Constitutional Studies. K3 .A76
Constitutional Commentary. University of Minnesota Law School. K3 .O528 & Electronic
Criminal Procedure and the Constitution. West Publishing Co. KF9618 .C74
Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly. University of California Hastings College of Law. K8 .A764 & Electronic
Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases. American Bar Association Public Education Division. KF4547.8 .P7
Seton Hall Constitutional Law Journal. Seton Hall University School of Law. K3 .O665
The Supreme Court Review. University of Chicago Press. K23 .U6 & Electronic
Supreme Court Watch. Norton. KF4541 .A7 O272
University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. University of Pennsylvania Law School. K25 .N687 & Electronic
State Constitutional Law Bulletin. National Association of Attorneys General. K23 .T3773
Aggregate Databases and Other Web Resources
Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute: Law about: Constitutional Law
FindLaw: Practice Areas: Constitutional Law
International Association of Constitutional Law
Jurist: Legal Research: Law Guides: Constitutional Law
LexisONE: Legal Web Site Directory: Practice Areas: Constitutional Law
LexisNexis: Area of Law - By Topic: Constitutional Law
Includes federal and state cases, statutes and legislative materials, administrative materials and regulations, law reviews and journals, treatises and analytical materials, general news and information, legal news, legal reference materials, general news and information, and public records.
MegaLaw.com - Legal Research - Topic Index - Constitutional Law
OhioLINK Research Databases: Law and Legislation
Includes LexisNexis Academic (particularly "News" and "Medical" groups), PAIS International, Papers First, Proceedings First, Social Sciences Citation Index.
USConstitution.net
The Virtual Chase - Legal Research Guide - Legal Subjects - First Amendment Law
Westlaw: Topical Materials by Area of Practice: Constitutional Law
Includes federal and state cases, US Constitution, federal and state statutes and legislation, treatises, law reviews and journals, newsletters, directories, and notable trials.
means that some or all of the articles in the journal are available under a Creative Commons or similar distribution license. See the Open Access List for more information.
