Constitution Project

Research Links

Below are on-line resources you can use to gather information about your Constitutional topic.

For background on all the Amendments:

    ACLU Briefing Paper #9, The Bill of Rights A Brief History

To find court cases:

    FindLaw Cases and Codes U.S. Constitution

For background and exact wording of the Constitution:

    The History Place - Constitution of the United States

For a list of other Bill of Rights web sites:

    Yahoo! Government Law --  Amendments

For an explanation the Constitution. Also has a glossary to define the more obscure terms:

    http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

For recent cases involving juvenile law in Texas:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

To get recent news stories about the First Amendment:

    Contents - First Amendment News

For the Government Printing Office's info on the First Amendment:

    First Amendment

For breaking news stories that have to do with the First Amendment.

    Freedom Forum's First Amendment News. 

Freedom of Speech:

For the ACLU editorial opinion:

    ACLU Briefing Paper #10: Freedom of Expression

For information on how freedom of speech affects school kids:

    Free Expression Network School Issues

Freedom of Press:

For the way freedom of press applies to the internet:

    EFF Blue Ribbon Campaign

For the guidelines reporters have to follow:

    The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press

For an editorial opinion supporting freedom of press:

    world press freedom committee

For general background info:

    Encyclopedia.com - Results for press, freedom of

For an important court case that led to the First Amendment:

    Peter Zenger and Freedom of the Press

Freedom of Religion:

For a good exhibit on the history of religion in America:

    Religion and the Founding of the American Republic (Library of Congress Exhibition)

For recent and historic court cases:

    Court Decisions - Religious Freedom Page

For an action group that supports freedom of religion:

    The Religious Freedom Home Page

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

For the Government Printing Office's info on the 2nd Amendment:

    Second amendment

For the pro-gun side:

    NRA Institute for Legislative Action

For comparing gun laws in different states:

    CNN - State by State Look at Gun Laws in the U.S.

For an essay on both sides of the isue:

    Gun Control vs. Gun Rights The Issue

For the pro-gun control side:

    Handgun Control - Special Election Coverage

For different state laws: 

    NRA State Laws Research

For recent news about guns and the 2nd Amendment:

    Yahoo! News Full Coverage-Gun Control Debate

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Third amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Fourth amendment

Effective Search and Seizure

Understanding Search and Seizure Law - Nolo's Legal Encyclopedia

Appeals and the Writ of Habeas Corpus FAQ - Nolo's Legal Encyclopedia

Knowing When An Arrest Is Legal - Probable Cause

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

For general info:

    Fifth Amendment Defined & Explained

For the Government Printing Office's info:

    Fifth Amendment 

DOUBLE JEOPARDY

For case summaries dealing with double Jeopardy:

 http://www.ndaa.org/apri/NTLC/LegalIssuesResources/DJCaseSummary.html

For an article about double jeopardy in Great Britain:

http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/theissues/article/0,6512,221063,00.html

For an article on one recent double jeopardy case in Maine:

http://www.mainelibraries.org/article4.html

For double jeopardy cases in Michigan:

http://www.sos.state.mi.us/dlad/14a.html

For info on whether or not the movie Double Jeopardy was legally accurate:

General info:

Legal Definition of Double Jeopardy

More court cases:

Double Jeopardy Case Summary

"TAKING THE FIFTH" -- No testifying against yourself

For an editorial article opposing a bill that would limit the Self-Incrimination restriction of the 5^th Amendment:

    http://www.americanlawreview.com/fifth_amend_review.html

For an editorial that sites a court case and argues that gun registration is against the Fifth and the Second Amendment:

    http://www.shadeslanding.com/firearms/cramer.haynes.html

For a description of a case in 1992 when several Congressmen used the Fifth Amendment to avoid testifying.

    http://www.storchbrenner.com/rdmfifth.html

For a 1999 case where a university official was advised to "take the Fifth."

    http://www.mndaily.com/daily/1999/06/21/news/newb1/

For an article on computers and self-incrimination. If you encrypt your computer documents to protect yourself, can you be forced to decrypt them, or does that fall under "testifying against yourself"?:

 http://www.best.com/~ddfr/CCP_97/CCP97_ppr_Acosta_HD5thAdmt.html

For a case involving whether juveniles have the right against self-incrimination:

    http://www.tjpc.state.tx.us/publications/reviews/00/00-3-02.htm

For an article about self-incrimination in the United Kingdom.

    http://www.icclaw.com/devs/uk/fr/ukfr_001.htm

For a list of cases that deal with self-incrimination.

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/scales/dpr.html

TIME OF WAR

For an early precedent for the U.S. right of habeas corpus, which the "time of war" clause may suspend:

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1679habeascorp.html

For one famous “Time of War” case – Korematsu v. United States:

    http://www.civnet.org/resoures/teach/basic/part10/65.htm

EDITORIAL – For the ACLU opinion about Korematsu v. United States:

    http://www.aclunc.org/opinion/980223-internment.html

For an explanation of Korematsu v. United States, and Supreme Court opinions about it:

    http://lawbooksusa.com/cconlaw/korematsuvus.htm

EDITORIAL – For a Southerner’s point of view, arguing Lincoln abused the “time of war” clause during the Civil War.

    http://www.geocities.com/mark_willey/civlwar.html

For Chief Justice Renquist’s remarks on the Milligan case during the Civil War:

    http://www.law.indiana.edu/ilj/v72/no4/rehnquis.html

For facts about the Milligan case during the Civil War:

    http://www.civnet.org/resoures/teach/basic/part4/26.htm

For a short description of how Lincoln used the "times of war" clause:

http://www.ripon.edu/academics/pogo/presidency/Lincoln/ALincoln.habeas.html

For Ex parte MERRYMAN -- another Supreme Court case involving suspension of rights in time of war:

http://www.tourolaw.edu/patch/Merryman/index.html

For a lawyer's page, specializing in military law. Will give you an idea how military law is different than civilian law.

    http://www.court-martial.com/

For a good description of the Japanese American internment during WWII:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

sixth amendment gpo

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

seventh amendment gpo

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

For the Government Printing Office's info on the Eighth Amendment:

    Eighth Amendment

For information on the death penalty, which some argue is cruel and unusual punishment:

    http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/

For a legal description of what constitutes cruel and unusual punishment.

    http://www.lectlaw.com/def/c182.htm

For an on-line law chapter on the Eighth Amendment.

    http://www.lectlaw.com/def/c182.htm

EDITORIAL – Is execution cruel and unusual?

    http://www.rtis.com/touchstone/april00/07EXECUT.HTM

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

ninth amendment

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

tenth amendment

Constitutional Rights Foundation--Impeachment