Constitutional Law Commons^™

Federalism And Liberalism, Mark Tushnet

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The article explores the role of federalism within the context of John Rawls' political liberalism, arguing that while federal systems are inherently unstable and tend toward centralization, certain institutional designs and a formalist legal culture can slow this drift. Federalism is particularly suited to societies with reinforcing pluralist differences, offering a framework that allows diverse groups to coexist while maintaining stability.

The German Duality Of State And Society, David Abraham

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The article argues that the United States should consider supplementing its property-based negative rights regime with citizenship-based positive rights, drawing on the German constitutional model. It contends that negative rights, which focus on freedom from state interference, are insufficient in addressing systemic inequality and fostering meaningful participation in a democratic society. In contrast, Germany's constitutional framework, rooted in a communitarian ethos, emphasizes positive rights and duties, ensuring that rights are not only protected but also effectively realized through state action. This approach, the article suggests, offers a more equitable and inclusive vision of rights and citizenship.

The Mixed Constitution After Liberalism, Graham Walker

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The article proposes a mixed constitution as a solution to the ideological conflict between liberal and illiberal values, particularly in post-communist nations. It argues that a mixed constitution, combining elements of both ideologies, can provide a balanced approach that avoids the extremes of either system, fostering stability and justice.

The Slavery Of Emancipation, Guyora Binder

Cardozo Law Review

The Thirteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution commands that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist." What has been the effect of this command?

It will serve my present purpose to offer the following toosimple answer to this complex question: the Thirteenth Amendment secured little more than the manumission of slaves already practically freed by the friction of war. It guaranteed, in Confederate General Robert Richardson's now well-known phrase, "nothing but freedom."

Supposing this answer to be true, a further question presents itself: Did the Thirteenth Amendment's effect fulfill its command? Did universal manumission abolish slavery?

A full answer to …

Comments On James Oakes, “The Compromising Expedient”, Robert A. Burt

Cardozo Law Review

Professor Oakes's excellent paper convincingly characterizes the 1787 Constitution as a reactionary abandonment of the antislavery ethos of the 1776 Revolution that had appeared to set the new country on a course toward the abolition of slavery. "What," he asks, "accounts for the Constitution's failure to promote the cause already pushed so far by the Revolution?" If we could answer this question, we might not only explain the reactionary falling away from the Revolution, but also shed light on the historically parallel phenomena that Oakes identifies at the end of his paper-the abandonment of the emancipatory impulse from the Civil …

Comment On Earl Maltz, Kenneth M. Stampp

Cardozo Law Review

Professor Earl Maltz has written an excellent brief account of Benjamin R. Curtis's judicial record as it relates to slavery, including his dissenting argument in the famous Dred Scott case. He found Curtis to be a perfect example of mid-nineteenth century Northern conservative Whigs-the "Cotton Whigs," as their antislavery critics called them. They disliked slavery, but, in equal measure, they disliked those who agitated against it. Both Southern proslavery extremists and Northern abolitionists appalled them, for both groups endangered the Union. Conservative Whig President Millard Fillmore would not have appointed Curtis to the Supreme Court if he had shared the …

Comment On Guyora Binder, “The Slavery Of Emancipation”, Michael Les Benedict

Cardozo Law Review

When I first received Professor Binder's highly theoretical, speculative, and thought-provoking paper, I wondered whether I was the right person to comment upon it. Professor Binder has a philosophical turn of mind; he is at home in the world of Hegel. I am disoriented in territory more exotic than that of Locke. In the history department of the Ohio State University, I teach the course that introduces our graduate students to the philosophy of history. However, I have always considered that a cosmic practical jokeon my students more than me-cooked up by the shades of Hegel, Collingwood, and Croce.

The Fifteenth Amendment And "Political Rights", Akhil Reed Amar

Cardozo Law Review

Professor Xi Wang has offered us an altogether exemplary paper on black suffrage. Rather than trying to criticize it, I shall attempt to extend it by picking up where he left off. My main text is the Fifteenth Amendment. I would like to suggest that the best interpretation of the Fifteenth Amendment would read it as encompassing a cluster of political rights; the Amendment protects not only the right to vote, but also the right to hold office, the right to be voted for, the right to vote in a legislature, the right to serve on a jury, and even …

Black Suffrage And The Redefinition Of American Freedom, 1860-1870, Xi Wang

Cardozo Law Review

One of the most important outcomes of the Civil War was the establishment of a new constitutional order. Under this new order, African Americans, a people whose essential human rights had been denied under the old constitutional order, were constitutionally emancipated from slavery and recognized as American citizens. They received the privileges and immunities that white Americans had automatically assumed. Male black Americans also received the right to vote. This new order, as embraced by the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution, was a truly remarkable achievement of Reconstruction. What is additionally significant is that these Amendments became …

Comment On Donald Nieman's Paper, Randall Kennedy

Cardozo Law Review

I have two responses to Professor Neiman's paper. One emphasizes a point he makes. The other disagrees a bit with his reading of the promise of Reconstruction.

The Unlikely Hero Of Dred Scott: Benjamin Robbins Curtis And The Constitutional Law Of Slavery, Earl M. Maltz

Cardozo Law Review

The standard account portrays Dred Scott v. Sandford as a story of villains and heroes. The villains are the members of the majority, led by Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney, who concluded that descendants of slaves could never become citizens of the Union and that Congress could not outlaw slavery in the territories. The heroes, on the other hand, are the two dissenters, John McLean and Benjamin Robbins Curtis, who rejected these conclusions and determined that Scott should be deemed a free man. McLean's opinion, however, was not tightly reasoned and was rather clearly designed to advance his presidential ambitions; …

Bondage, Freedom & The Constitution, Eric Foner

Cardozo Law Review

Linking the papers on this most interesting panel are questions that center on the meaning of freedom. What is freedom? Who has the power to define what freedom is? What are the consequences of slavery and its abolition for Americans' understandings of freedom? In one way or another, these papers, as well as many others in this conference, illuminate these questions.

Jurgen Habermas’S Theory Of Legal Discourse, Robert Alexy

Cardozo Law Review

Jurgen Habermas's discourse theory of law attempts to show that the ideal contents of the discourse principle can be realized within the institutional frame of a legal system. The result is a theory of the democratic constitutional state whose basic idea is the association and self-determination of free and equal consociates under the law. This theory is far more than a mere application of discourse theory to the law. Discourse theory, on the one hand, demands the institutionalization of a legal system for reasons internal to the theory. On the other hand, the positive law remains dependent on discourse theory …

Family Quarrel, Frank I. Michelman

Cardozo Law Review

In Chapter 6 of Between Facts and Norms, Jurgen Habermas examines what he calls the republican conception of lawmaking. He draws this conception, which he also styles "communitarian," partly from writings of this author that have in turn been much inspired by the works of Professor Habermas.

The Dynamics Of Constitutional Adjudication, Bernhard Schlink

Cardozo Law Review

Habermas determines the role and legitimacy of constitutional adjudication through three confrontations. First, he confronts both the liberal and the welfare-state paradigms of law, seeing constitutional adjudication move from the former to the latter. Habermas wants this move to arrive at a procedural paradigm of law. Second, he confronts a norm- and a value-oriented understanding of the constitution. Habermas indicates the dangers of the former and the merits of the latter, and attempts to show that principles, understood as norms, should guide constitutional adjudication. Third, he confronts the liberal and the republican views of the political and constitutional process, developing …

Constitutional Adjudication In Light Of Discourse Theory, András Sajó

Cardozo Law Review

In the last one hundred years the empirical consequences of applied rationality have destroyed the last remnants of the trust in reason (Vernunftvertrauen). Postmodern law suffers from its own contradictory trends, which may be cured according to social practices indicated by discourse theory. In Between Facts and Norms, Jurgen Habermas applies the theoretical scheme of communicative action in a specific argumentation context, namely to legal discourse.

Habermas's Ideal Paradigm Of Law, Gabriel Motzkin

Cardozo Law Review

It is a question that we have all considered: What is the function of critical theory after the implosion of Communism? More significantly, what can the basis of a critique of capitalist democracy be in the absence of a dogmatic alternative? Jurgen Habermas's answer is that the purpose of a critical theory of society is to provide a new basis of legitimacy for democracy. This issue-the provision of a new basis of legitimacy for democracy-is more significant after the collapse of Communism, not less; the demise of Socialism erodes the basis for the existence of liberal democracy, since liberal democracy …

Why Care? The Trouble With Social Rights, Günter Frankenberg

Cardozo Law Review

While not everybody will agree that social rights are good in general, the ranks of the "not-everybody" will fill when one wants to decide who needs which particular social rights. Even those who claim to be philosophically and practically supportive of the idea and the benefits of social rights find it difficult to come up with a strong argument for them and usually invoke vague or weak obligations to support the victims of capitalism or, if you will, the market society or the mere necessity to preserve social peace by a minimally redistributive social policy. Social scientists have plausibly claimed …

Mandatory Screening Of Newborns For Hiv: An Idea Whose Time Has Not Yet Come, Nina Loewenstein

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article argues against mandatory HIV screening for newborns, asserting that the benefits of early detection do not justify the infringement on mothers' legal rights and privacy. Proponents overemphasize medical benefits and underestimate the impact on maternal rights and care roles.

While Ignorance May Not Be Bliss, It Is A Mother's Right: Constitutional Implications Of Testing Newborn Babies For Hiv, Julie D. Levinson

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the constitutional implications of mandatory HIV testing for newborns, arguing that such policies infringe upon women's rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. It critiques two proposed bills for being overly intrusive and not narrowly tailored, advocating instead for voluntary testing and counseling to balance public health with individual rights.

Jiggetts V. Grinker: Does It Establish A Right To "Adequate Shelter Allowance" In New York State?, Kurt Emhoff

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the Jiggetts v. Grinker case, which addresses the adequacy of shelter allowances for AFDC recipients in New York State. It argues that current allowances are insufficient compared to housing costs, leading to homelessness, and advocates for increasing these allowances. The analysis extends this reasoning to Home Relief recipients, emphasizing equal protection under the law.

Copyright Duration Extension And The Dark Heart Of Copyright, Marci A. Hamilton

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Reformulating The New York City Landmarks Preservation Law's Financial Hardship Provision: Preserving The Big Apple, Cindy Moy

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Blocking Preemption: Convergence, Privacy, And The Fcc's Misguided Regulation Of Caller Id, Laura V. Eng

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

The Art Of Making Law From Other People's Art, Bruce Rogow

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To “Mandatory Hiv Screening Of Newborns: A Child’S Welfare In Conflict With Its Mother’S Constitutional Rights?” - False Dichotomies Make Bad Law., Paris R. Baldacci

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the contentious issue of mandatory HIV screening of newborns, highlighting the false dichotomy often presented in the debate between the welfare of the child and the constitutional rights of the mother. It argues that this dichotomy oversimplifies the complex legal, medical, and ethical considerations involved, leading to ineffective public policy. The article emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach that balances medical interventions with respect for individual rights and addresses the broader societal and structural factors affecting HIV-infected mothers and their children.

An Argument For Universal Pediatric Hiv Testing, Counseling And Treatment, Colin Crawford

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article argues that mandatory pediatric HIV testing, counseling, and treatment are essential to address a public health emergency, overriding constitutional concerns. The author, Colin Crawford, asserts that early detection and treatment significantly improve the lives of HIV-positive children, making it a compelling state interest that should take precedence over privacy and autonomy concerns.

Making Equality Law More Effective: Lessons From The German Experience, Ninon Colneric

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the evolution and effectiveness of equality law in Germany, particularly focusing on gender equality. It highlights the significant influence of European Community (EC) law on German legislation and discusses the challenges in implementing these laws to achieve substantial gender equality. The analysis reveals that while progress has been made, there are persistent issues in effectively enforcing these laws.

Equal Rights-Compatibility Of Family And Career-Legal Comparison: East Germany (Gdr) And Federal Republic Of Germany Today, Anita Grandke

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the evolution of gender equality in East Germany from the post-WWII era through the 1990 unification with West Germany, highlighting how East Germany's progressive laws promoting women's rights were rolled back after unification, leading to significant setbacks for women in employment, family life, and legal protections.

Reach And Substance Of The Principle Of Equal Treatment In Social Security Law Under European Community And German Constitutional Law, Ursula Rust

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the principle of equal treatment in social security law under European Community (EC) law and German constitutional law, highlighting their differences in scope and application. While both legal systems prohibit sex-based discrimination, EC law, primarily through Directive 79/7, applies narrowly to specific risks and allows significant exceptions, particularly for survivor and family benefits. In contrast, German constitutional law provides broader protections under the Basic Law, which directly binds the legislature and judiciary to ensure equal rights, though it also struggles with addressing indirect discrimination effectively.