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The constitutional law of the United States is the body of law governing the interpretation and implementation of the United States Constitution.The subject concerns the scope of power of the United States federal government compared to the individual states and the fundamental rights of individuals.
The U.S. Constitution was a federal one and was greatly influenced by the study of Magna Carta and other federations, both ancient and extant. The Due Process Clause of the Constitution was partly based on common law and on Magna Carta (1215), which had become a foundation of English liberty against arbitrary power wielded by a ruler.
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.
The rule of law is a political and legal ideal that all people and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers, government officials, and judges. [2] [3] [4] It is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law".
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 21 December 2024. Constitution of the United States The United States Congress enacts federal statutes in accordance with the Constitution. The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest authority in interpreting federal law, including the federal Constitution, federal statutes, and federal ...
Legal historian Christian G. Fritz [9] distinguishes between "constitutional questions", examining how the constitution was interpreted and applied to distribute power and authority as the new nation struggled with problems of war and peace, taxation and representation, and "questions of constitutionalism —how to identify the collective ...
The Constitution explicitly assigns the president the power to sign or veto legislation, command the armed forces, ask for the written opinion of their Cabinet, convene or adjourn Congress, grant reprieves and pardons, and receive ambassadors. The president shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed and the president has the power to ...
The power of judicial review has been implied from these provisions based on the following reasoning. It is the inherent duty of the courts to determine the applicable law in any given case. The Supremacy Clause says "[t]his Constitution" is the "supreme law of the land." The Constitution therefore is the fundamental law of the United States.