The need to ensure equal rights to different age groups without discrimination in our country necessitates the study of international experience. One of the traditional and at the same time, urgent problems in the USA is the problem of age equality and the overcoming of discriminatory theory and practice. The goal of the study is to analyze the…

Enshrined in the First Amendment as part of the Bill of Rights that was added to the then 4 year old US Constitution in 1791, it should be no surprise that freedom of speech may be perhaps the most cherished right of Americans. If anything, freedom of speech, which is properly treated as a fundamental human right for children, certainly stands out…

Defines the terms "dissent" and "concurrence" as they apply to the United States Supreme Court. Traces briefly the history of written dissents and concurrences, and presents arguments both for and against the practice. Includes numerous examples of significant dissents and concurrences that have impacted constitutional…

Outlines the history of the doctrine of judicial review, which makes the Supreme Court the final arbiter in questions of constitutional interpretation. Discusses debates over the structure and role of the judiciary at the Constitutional Convention, the impact of Chief Justice John Marshall, and distinctive features of 20th-century judicial…

This paper discusses the distinction between the Constitution and constitutional law. The Constitution is the fundamental law of the United States. It creates the institutions of government, enumerates the powers of these institutions, and delineates areas government may not enter. The Constitution is the instrument by which the consent of the…

The League of Women Voters/Tallahassee responded to an opportunity to research the concerns of Florida's judiciary following the disrupted general election of 2000. It received a grant for the Judicial Independence Project, a project supported by a grant from the Program on Law and Society of the Open Society Institute, from the League of Women…

Presents a bibliographic essay surveying research and literature on the United States Supreme Court. Divides literature on the Court into six categories: (1) constitutional interpretation; (2) general and period histories; (3) biographies; (4) case studies; (5) judicial process; and (6) reference works. Includes a four-page bibliography. (DSK)

The proper role and function of the Supreme Court in the United States' system of government has been a matter of great controversy in recent years. "The Federalist Papers," specifically the documents written by "Publius," have much insight to contribute to this debate. In "Federalist #78," Publius makes the case for…

Article III of the U.S. Constitution called for a federal judiciary that would dispense and administer justice in accordance with the principles on which the United States was founded. There was considerable ambivalence among the Founding Fathers as to what was the appropriate role for the judiciary, an ambivalence that has continued to the…

In relation to law enforcement and the courts, the press serves to inform the public about crimes and how government institutions deal with them. The press also plays a crucial role in assuring that the rights of individuals guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment are protected. The issue of prejudice, caused by news coverage of crime and criminal…

Describes the court case of Chicago v. Morales in which an anti-loitering ordinance challenged the constitutional right of assembly by giving the police the power to disperse anyone associated with gang members in public. Illustrates the importance of retaining Fifth Amendment rights even after pleading guilty in the case of Mitchell v. U.S. (CMK)

The phrase "excluding Indians not taxed" appears in both Article I and the Fourteenth Amendment of the US Constitution. This essay examines the phrases "excluding Indians not taxed" and "subject to the jurisdiction" of sections 1 and 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment as they apply to Indians. This essay, through analysis…

Designed to provide students and adults with a learning experience related to the jury system, this game focuses on the jury selection process. In doing so, the game examines an important element of a fair trial--the right of the accused to be judged by an impartial jury. The game is designed for four class periods and can be used with a class of…

In "Zelman v. Simmons-Harris," the Supreme Court of the US made it clear that governments do not unconstitutionally "establish" religion merely by permitting eligible students to use publicly funded scholarships to attend qualifying religious schools, so long as the students' parents are able to make a "true private…

Maintains that providing justice to people accused of a crime has evolved slowly over the centuries. Discusses the history of indigent defense in the United States. Includes vocabulary terms, a timeline, a list of "Heroes of Indigent Defense," reviews of significant court cases, and a discussion of legal services in five cities. (CFR)