Overview
The study of constitutional law involves the interpretation of the United States Constitution. The United States Supreme Court determines what is and what is not “constitutional.” Therefore, the study of U.S. Supreme Court case law is an integral part of researching constitutional law. Many secondary sources are available that seek to explain, discuss and challenge the Constitution and how it has been interpreted over the last 200 plus years.
When researching constitutional law, you should look to the primary sources, which consist of the Constitution itself, as well as the case law interpreting the Constitution. You can consult a secondary source such as a treatise, hornbook, encyclopedia or dictionary for additional information or to help you understand a particular topic. Law reviews and journals often discuss new or anticipated constitutional challenges and concerns. You can find all of these sources at Gould Law Library.
About this Libguide
This guide is intended to assist the user with basic constitutional law research, as well as to provide the researcher with further resources to consult. The most important sources on constitutional law that are available at Gould Law Library and online are outlined. This list is not intended to be exhaustive. This guide concludes by taking the user, step-by-step, through two sample constitutional law searches utilizing these sources.
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