Constitutional Law Case Briefs

Constitutional law is a cornerstone of the 1L curriculum and one of the most heavily tested subjects on the bar exam. The course covers the structure of American government — separation of powers, federalism, and the relationship between state and federal authority — as well as individual rights under the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment. Students learn to apply strict scrutiny, intermediate scrutiny, and rational-basis review to evaluate the constitutionality of government action.

The cases below include many of the most significant decisions in Supreme Court history. Marbury v. Madison establishes judicial review. McCulloch v. Maryland defines federal implied powers and state taxation limits. The Commerce Clause line from Gibbons v. Ogden through Wickard v. Filburn to United States v. Lopez and NFIB v. Sebelius traces Congress's evolving regulatory authority. On individual rights, you will find landmark cases like Roe v. Wade, Obergefell v. Hodges, New York Times v. Sullivan, and Brandenburg v. Ohio.

Each brief follows standard law-school format — procedural posture, facts, issue, holding, and reasoning — to help you prepare for cold calls, build your course outline, or review before finals. Use these briefs alongside our AI tools to master the doctrines of substantive due process, equal protection, executive power, and the Religion Clauses.