Law Commons^™

Resorting To External Norms And Principles In Constitutional Decision-Making, Alvin L. Goldman

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

Given the very significant role of constitutional law in the American political system and the fact that Supreme Court Justices are appointed through a political process, it is understandable that the appropriate judicial approach to resolving constitutional issues often is the subject of political commentary. Unfortunately, discourse by politicians concerning this issue seldom rises to the deserved level of wisdom. One of President George W. Bush's public mantras is illustrative of political commentary respecting federal judicial appointments: "I'm going to put strict constructionists on the bench." On its face, and as understood by politically naive audiences, the statement appears to …

A Reminder: The Constitutional Values Of Sympathy And Independence, Robert G. Natelson

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Celebrating (?) The Bill Of Rights: The Root, Branch, And Foliage Of American Liberty, Norman Dorsen

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Congressional Discretion Under The Property Clause, Eugene R. Gaetke

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

The property clause of article IV grants Congress the authority to regulate federal lands. In referring to that authority, the Supreme Court has observed that “the power over the public land thus entrusted to Congress is without limitations.”

The simplicity of the Court's statement is appealing. Its implications, however, are troubling, especially for those states in which a substantial amount of federal property exists. If the property clause power of Congress is "without limitations," the power of some states over a considerable portion of the land within their boundaries is severely limited. For those states, an unlimited property clause power …

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act Of 1978: Regulating Nonfederal Property Under The Property Clause, Eugene R. Gaetke

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

In an effort to resolve the nagging controversy over the management of more than one million acres of public forests, lakes, and streams in northeastern Minnesota, Congress enacted the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act of 1978 (BWCA Act). Despite its objective, the Act has engendered further controversy. Particularly troublesome are several provisions that regulate the use of motorboats on lakes within and partly within the area. Those provisions test the scope of congressional power over nonfederal property under the property clause of article IV of the United States Constitution.

This Article examines the aged Supreme Court cases under which …

Ideas That Made The Constitution, Carl B. Cone

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.