Barbri - Con Law II-Abridged
Barbri - Con Law II-Abridged
Barbri - Con Law II-Abridged
I. FEDERALISM
Existence of national government & 50 states, necessarily limits state/local government power.
1. Preemption
Supremacy Clause - Art. 6: Con & laws/treaties made pursuant to supreme law of land. In
conflict between federal law & state/local law, federal wins. State/local law is preempted.
a. Express preemption: Fed statute “fed law exclusive in field”, state/local law = preempted.
i. Anytime congress is authorized to act, it can say that federal law is exclusive.
Ex. Fed meat labeling act—only congress may regulate labels/grades of meat
b. Implied Preemption. Fed statute silent on preemption, but it may be implied:
i. Mutually exclusive fed & state laws
Ex. Fed agency: must have “ingredients on labels”, state prohibits.
ii. State/local law impedes achievement of federal objective
Ex: “File labor grievance w/ NLRB no state unemployment benefits” NLRB’s
point is to encourage filing, if FL denies benefits impedes fed objective
iii. Congress evidences plenary power/clear intent by leg history to preempt state/local law
Ex: SC: Congress evidenced clear intent for fed immigration law to wholly
occupy field. Attempts by state/local gov to regulate immigration=preempt
Toll v. Moreno (1982)- SC strikes down policy granting preferential tuition to
students with in-state status. Congress did not bar such aliens from acquiring
domicile. State’s decision to deny in-state status, solely on basis of fed
immigration status, is burden not contemplated by Congress in admitting to US
c. States may not tax or regulate federal gov activity
i. McCulloch v. Maryland, SC declared unconstitutional state tax on bank of US.
Marshall: power to tax = power to destroy. If states could tax the federal government
they could tax it out of existence. Fed gov immune to state gov taxation or regulation
No State Action
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Judicial Involvement As State Action
Yes Entanglement
Procedures (i.e. notice, hearing etc) gov must follow when removing life, liberty or property.
Always ask: a) Is there a deprivation? b) If so, what procedures are required?
1. Liberty - loss of significant freedom provided by constitution or statute
a. Paul v Davis - Louisville posted pic of wrong shoplifter. SC: harm to reputation ≠ liberty loss
2. Property - person has unfulfilled entitlement (reasonable expectation of benefit continuance)
a. Welfare Benefits
i. Goldberg v Kelly (1970) – SC discarded rights/privilege distinction, focused on
“entitlement” instead, a reasonable expectation to continue receipt of benefit.
b. Public Employment - No property interest if “at will”, but tenure → hearing
i. Roth v Bd. of Regents – No DP if year-to-year contract expires (unless promised secure)
ii. Perry v Sniderman (1972) – de facto tenure necessitate termination hearing for all
iii. Bishop v Wood (1976) – police officer dismissed without termination hearing.
iv. Arnett v Kennedy (1974) – fed law mandated cause removal but not adversary hearing
v. Clvlnd Bd. of Ed (1985)–Statute creating property interest cannot limit DP
c. Restraining Order
i. Town of Castle Rock v Gonzalez (2005) – Police didn't enforce & dad killed 3 kids.
SC: Restraining order ≠entitlement or property interest, police had discretionary power
d. Attachment of property & seizure require notice & hearing, except in exigent
circumstances (i.e., person might sell property if on notice, seize 1st then notice & hearing)
3. Balancing Test - Matthews v Eldridge – test to determine procedures required b4 depriving:
a. Importance of interest to individual (more important require more procedures)
b. Ability of additional procedures to reduce risk of erroneous deprivation
c. Government’s interest – usually efficiency
4. Punitive damages = taking. If grossly excessive violate due process; require procedural safeguards
a. BMW v Gore (1996)–4 mil punitive damage for BMW repainted due to acid rain violate DP
b. State Farm (2003) – punitive damages ≤ 10 x compensatory damages (145 x violates DP)
c. Phillip Morris(2007) 80 mil punitive (100:1) for cigarette co for man’s death violates DP
d. Exxon (2008) – applied a 1:1 ratio. B/c even a “bad man” deserves to know stakes
Termination Notice Hearing Post-hearing Jury Ins Judicial Review Case
Civil comtmnt (liberty) X X
Parental Rights X X
Suspension/Expulsio X Admin only
n
Welfare X X Goldberg v Kelly
Social Sec/disability X Matthews v Eldridge
Punitive Damages X X BMW v Gore
SUBSTANTIVE DUE PROCESS
Does the government have an adequate reason for removing life, liberty, or property?
Depends on scrutiny level.
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Takings Clause – 5th amend. Gov may take private property for public use if pay just $.
1. Is there a taking? (No levels of scrutiny, this is test)
a. Possessory – gov confiscation or physical occupation (regardless of property size).
b. Regulatory – government regulation is a taking if it leaves no reasonable economically
viable use of the property, but it is not a taking simply for devaluing.
2. Is it for public use?
a. No. Gov needs to return the property.
b. Yes. Public use = gov. acts out of reasonable belief that the taking will benefit public
3. Is just compensation paid?
a. Measured in terms of loss to owner in reasonable market value terms
b. Gain to the government is irrelevant
PRIVACY –fund. right to DP. Unless otherwise stated gov may only interfere w/ Strict Scrutiny
1. MARRY (fundamental EP, and strongly influenced by SDP)
Case Law Prohibited Marriage if: Result Standard
Loving v Virginia (1967) Interracial Overturned Strict Scrutiny
Zablocki v Redhail (1978) Late on child support Overturned Strict Scrutiny
Turner v Safflee (1987) Prisoner Overturned Strict Scrutiny
Boddie v CT (1971) Divorce Fees Overturned DP: marriage so import
7. Right To Refuse Medical Care/Die (SC did not identify level of scrutiny)
8. Right to Bear Arms -2nd Amendment is incorporated by 14th to apply to state & local gov.
a. DC v Heller (2008): SC- ppl have right to guns for personal security. City ban violates.
b. McDonald v Chicago (2010) State has right to restrict who has guns (e.g. excluding those
with felony or mental illness) & where guns are allowed (e.g., not in school or airports).
9. National Travel–Fund right under EP & P&I-14 = Strict Scrutiny, (international = rational)
a. Saenz v. Roe: Under P & I a CA statute limiting welfare benefits to 1st yr residents
violates fund right of interstate travel
b. Durational residency requirements must meet strict scrutiny.
11. Welfare
a. Dandridge v Williams (1970) Court may limit welfare regardless of need, not a C right
2. Facially Neutral need discriminatory effects & purpose for SS. If not, rational basis
1. Affirmative action set-asides in contracting can only be supported by surviving strict scrutiny.
2. This applies equally to federal, state, and local plans.
3. Set asides will only be allowed to remedy past discrimination when
a. Direct Discrim. Gov can point in the record to specific instances of past discrimination
b. Aided and Abetted. Specific instances of when gov aided / abetted as passive participant
4. Key is narrow tailoring. Plan must match locality; burden placed on group must not be overbroad
GENDER DISCRIMINATION
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Disadvantaged Women (W)
Physical Differences
Case Facts C? Reason Standard
Caban v Mohammed Only mom could block adoptn
No No real diff in ability to bond Intermdt
(1979) of illegitimate kid not dad
Statutory rape, only M perp & Based on real diff. W incentivized Intermdt
Michael M (1981) Yes relaxed based
only W victims to avoid pregnancy, M not intuitive view
Illegitimate kid automatically Real diff. mom would know of kids
Nguyen v INS (2001) Yes Intermdt
citizen if mom is, but not if dad birth, dad would not
Facially Neutral
Case Facts C? Reason Standard
This is a real diff. based on physical
Pregnancy not included under Rational
Geduldig (1974) Yes diff not gender b/c both M & W can Basis
disability
still benefit if unpreg
Facially neutral, but no purpose. ?
a) facially
Preference to veterans for civil Btwn veteran & non, not M & W.
Feeney (1979) Yes neutral? b)
service even though 98% M Purpose needs to b > awareness. invidious
Must b b/c of not in spite of purpose?
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ALIENAGE CLASSIFICATIONS
1. Generally strict scrutiny
1. Right to vote. 14, 15, 19, 24, 26 amendments all deal with voting right fund under EP
a. Laws keeping some citizens from voting must meet strict scrutiny.
i. Poll tax
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ii. Property ownership (Salyer exception)
iii. Laws to protect integrity of electoral process allowed (e.g., ID to prevent fraud)
b. 1 person 1 vote. Each district must have about the same number of people
c. If gov uses race in election districts to benefit minorities, must meet SS
UNPROTECTED SPEECH
1. Obscenity & Lewd/Sexual. Though profane & lewd often protect (see Cohen v California)
2. Libel
3. Incitement of Illegal Activity
4. Fighting Words
5. Hate
Statute
Case Statute Reasoning Standard
Allowed?
Ntnl
Nazi party wanted parade in If create these regs, must provide Strict
Socialist
Skokie – lots of HS. City created No procedural safeguards like procedural
Party v
permit rules to prevent rally immediate appellate review. safeguards
Skokie (1977)
Scalia: Statute void. Can prohibit
R.A.V. v Statute: “symbol, including
unprotected speech, but cant Strict scrutiny
City of St. burning a cross…swastika etc.
No choose within that category to Unclear if
Paul, MN which know arouses anger… on
prohibit some content but not holds today.
(1992) basis of race etc. is guilty”
other. White, hate speech =0 value
Wisconsin v Black teens beat up White kid, Yes Limits RAV to speech. Conduct Conduct is
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Mitchell statute enhances penalty for race unprotected, so can single out race unprotected
(1993)
Can regulate incitement & FW Cross burning =
Prohibits cross burning for
Virginia v ½ Yes like intimidation, but not all cross speech =
intimidation. Act is prima facie
Black (2003) ½ No burnings are this. Prima facie case protected unless
case of intimidation
ignores that & D’s right to silence to intimidate
REVIEW
Reliance on Harlan’s “Tradition Analysis in Griswold” for Determining Fundamental Rights
Over-inclusive
Marriage/Sex Discrimination
Bodily Autonomy
1. Eisenstadt v Baird (1972) – sexual privacy (contraception) to all
2. Roe v Wade (1973) – abortions not just to save mom’s life
3. Planned Parenthood v Casey (1992) -
4. Cruzan v Director Missouri Dept Health (1990) – Cessation of life support
Decisional Autonomy
1. Washington v Glucksberg (1997) - physician assisted suicide
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