Glenn W. Smith & Patricia Fusco 
Constitutional Law For Dummies 

Discover the ins and outs of Constitutional law

Are you a student looking for trusted, plain-English guidance on
the ins and outs of Constitutional law? Look no further!

Constitutional Law For Dummies provides a detailed study
guide tracking to this commonly required law course. It breaks down
complicated material and gives you a through outline of the
parameters and applications of the U.S. Constitution in modern,
easy-to-understand language.

* Critical information on the Constitution’s foundations, powers,
and limitations

* A modern analysis of the Constitution’s amendments

* Detailed information on the Supreme Court and federalism

Explaining outdated governmental jargon in current, up-to-date
terms, Constitutional Law For Dummies is just what you need
for quick learning and complete understanding. Students studying
government will also find this to be a useful supplement to a
variety of courses.

Table des matières

Introduction 1

Part I: Studying Constitutional Law: The Foundations
9

Chapter 1: Understanding the Constitution 11

Chapter 2: Constitutional Law: A View from 30, 000 Feet 33

Chapter 3: Mapping Out Key Concepts and Distinctions in
Constitutional Law 49

Part II: Allocating Governmental Roles 59

Chapter 4: ‘Constituting’ a New Federal Government
61

Chapter 5: Charting the Reach of National Government Powers
83

Chapter 6: Sorting Out National Powers: Inter-Branch Conflict
and Cooperation 105

Chapter 7: The Constitution and Federalism 125

Part III: Protecting Property Rights and Avoiding Arbitrary
Action141

Chapter 8: Avoiding Arbitrary Government Action: Due Process of
Law 143

Chapter 9: Protecting Property: Land, Contracts, and Guns
161

Chapter 10: Preventing Government from Discriminating 177

Part IV: Rights to Self-Expression and Political
Participation 199

Chapter 11: ‘Express Yourself!’ Freedom of Speech 201

Chapter 12: The Constitution and Religion 225

Chapter 13: Getting Involved: Voting and Becoming or Supporting
a Candidate 247

Part V: Understanding Privacy Rights 263

Chapter 14: Implied Privacy Rights — Fundamental and
Otherwise 265

Chapter 15: Preventing Unreasonable Searches and Seizures
289

Chapter 16: The Right against Self-Incrimination 311

Part VI: The Part of Tens 331

Chapter 17: Ten Landmark Court Decisions about Governmental
Structure 333

Chapter 18: Ten (Plus Three) Top Individual-Rights Cases 341

A propos de l’auteur

Glenn C. Smith is a professor of constitutional law at
California Western School of Law in San Diego, CA, and creator of a
nationally recognized seminar in which law students learn about the
Supreme Court by role-playing as current justices and lawyers
arguing before them.

Patricia Fusco is a government attorney and a criminal
prosecutor working in the California Attorney General’s Office,
Special Crimes Unit. As a trial attorney, she deals with issues of
constitutional law on a daily basis.