Library Guides: Constitution of the United States: The Constitution and The Courts

The Constitution and the Courts

The Court and Constitutional Interpretation
An essay on the role the courts have in interpreting the constitution and how it is applied in today's world. From the Supreme Court.

All federal constitutional law cases get litigated in federal courts, many ultimately being decided by the U.S. Supreme court.

Use the following resources to locate Supreme Court cases:

Supreme Court Yearbook This link opens in a new window
Detailed summaries, but only goes back to 1989.
In-depth analysis of every US Supreme Court Case since the 1989/90 term. Covers the background of the case, arguments presented, and summary of ruling.

To search more broadly for court cases related to constitutional law, try searching

Index to Legal Periodicals & Books Full Text This link opens in a new window
Find law journal and law review articles on the legal topic you are researching. A good law review article will help you identify the most important court cases related to your topic.
Index to Legal Periodicals and Books indexes legal journals, law reviews, yearbooks, and bar association publications from 1918 to the present. Coverage also includes books and full-text of selected articles from the early 1990s to the present.
Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
Find cases from lower federal courts as well as the U.S. Supreme Court.
Provides access to a wide range of news, business, legal, and reference information. Covers many news sources for 20 years. Court cases and statutes from all federal and state jurisdictions are included. Most resources can be searched in full text.