FAQ

Constitutional FAQ Answer #24 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q24. “I am doing a debate soon on whether smoking should be banned from public buildings. I was assigned to be the affirmative side and support the ban. I was trying to think of some arguments...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #25 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part one of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q25. “As a British national, what constitutional rights, if any, is Louise Woodward entitled to?”...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #26 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part two of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q26. “By what authority did Judge Zobel overrule the jury? The 7th amendment seems to prohibit...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #27 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> This is part three of a three-part question pertaining to the “Nanny Trial” in Fall, 1997. Q27. “And also, what rights do Deborah and Sunil Eappen have as relatives of the victim? Could...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #28 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q28. “What exactly does the last amendment regarding representatives and senators pay mean?” A. It basically boils down to this: The members of the House and Senate may give themselves a...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #29 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q29. “I have heard somewhere that a women can’t become President of USA. Please reply to me whether it is true or not.” A. The question arises because of the use of the masculine pronouns...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #3 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q3. “Do you know of a site in which to download a ‘clean’ copy of the constitution?” A. Well, I’m not sure what you mean by a “clean” version – maybe a version with no HTML in it,...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #19 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q19. “In Article 2, Section one, it states that someone can be president if they ‘have been a 14 years resident within the United States.’ Also, in Article 1, Sections 2 and 3, it states...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #2 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q2. “[I] am trying to find out if presidential elections are held during war?” There is nothing in the Constitution that addresses this question directly, which essentially means that...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #20 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q20. “How old must the VP be? If the VP is less than 35 and the President dies and the VP is sworn in as President, who determines if he is eligible for the office?” A. The age of the Vice...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #21 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q21. “Do you know of any writers of the Constitution? If you do please tell me some and what they did for it.” A. The Constitution was written by a committee over the course of several...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #22 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q22. “What is habeas corpus? What does a writ of habeas corpus do?” A. Habeas corpus is a pretty tricky legal concept. Its most common practical effect in U.S. law is that no person can be...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #23 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q23. “What are the conditions needed for a Constitutional Convention, and when was the last one held?” A. The Constitution itself has details about the calling of a Constitutional Convention,...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #160 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q160. “In some blog posts lately, I’ve heard that Hillary Clinton can’t be Secretary of State, but some other posts say she can be because of the Saxbe Fix. What’s this all about?” A....

Constitutional FAQ Answer #161 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q161. “Your site says that the Constitution has been changed 18 times, but there are 27 amendments. What gives?” A. There are, indeed, twenty-seven amendments to the Constitution. The first...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #162 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q162. “I was wondering if there is anywhere in the Constitution that says Congress cannot pass laws that don’t pertain to themselves. If this is some place else please let me know where to...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #163 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q163. “In Article IV section 4 it states ‘The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,’ however it never states what that means exactly....

Constitutional FAQ Answer #17 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q17. “Beyond the Bill of Rights, few Constitutional amendments have radically altered the American system of government. Slavery was actually abolished by warfare, rather than legislation. In...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #18 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q18. “I would like a short list of other countries which have used our Constitution as a blueprint for theirs.” A. I’ve read that all constitutions since ours was adopted have been...

Constitutional FAQ Answer #154 | Question Index | Subject Index | Constitutional Index | Next Question>> Q154. “I think that the citizens of the United States are under the assumption that the Federal government actually prints money, which is actually not a right that the federal government...