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Full-Text Articles in Jurisprudence
The President’S Pen And The Bureaucrat’S Fiefdom, John C. Eastman
The President’S Pen And The Bureaucrat’S Fiefdom, John C. Eastman
John C. Eastman
Perhaps spurred by aggressive use of executive orders and “lawmaking” by administrative agencies by the last couple of presidential administrations, several Justices on the Supreme Court have recently expressed concern that the Court’s deference doctrines have undermined core separation of powers constitutional principles. This article explores those Justice’s invitation to revisit those deference doctrines and some of the executive actions that have prompted the concern.
Construction, Originalist Interpretation And The Complete Constitution, Richard Kay
Construction, Originalist Interpretation And The Complete Constitution, Richard Kay
Richard Kay
In recent years, the literature of constitutional originalism has adopted a new concept, “constitutional construction.” This Essay critically examines that concept. Contrary to some claims, the difference between “interpretation” and “construction” is not well established in common law adjudication. Furthermore, contemporary descriptions of constitutional construction tend to leave some ill-defined discretion in the hands of constitutional decision-makers. Finally, the Essay disputes the claim that constitutional construction is indispensable because the constitutional text is incomplete, that failing to provide a decision-rule for many—indeed for most—constitutional disputes. The Constitution would indeed be incomplete if interpreted according to the “new” or “public …