constitutional law

American  

noun

1. the body of law that evolves from a constitution, setting out the fundamental principles according to which a state is governed and defining the relationship between the various branches of government within the state.

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Etymology

Origin of constitutional law

First recorded in 1750–60

Example Sentences

There’s no easy answer as to whether Minnesota will be able to get past a supremacy clause defense, said Jill Hasday, a constitutional law professor at the University of Minnesota.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

“I think it’s highly likely this issue will eventually make it to the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Kimberly West-Faulcon, who is critical of the ruling and teaches constitutional law at LMU Loyola Law School.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026

This piece was originally published in the Behind the Bench newsletter on state constitutional law.

From Slate • Dec. 29, 2025

As many scholars and judges have observed, frameworks for limited government grew out of what U.S. constitutional law calls “church autonomy,” based on the First Amendment’s religion clauses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Maybe you spend three years in Massachusetts, studying constitutional law and discussing the relative merits of exclusionary vertical agreements in antitrust cases.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama