Constitutional Law October 12, 2004

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Constitutional LawOctober 12, 2004

• Equal Protection Due Process
• Introduction
• Historical Overview
• Levels of Scrutiny
• Framework
• Ends-Means Scrutiny
• Three (?) Tests
• Plyler v. Doe
• State Action
• Equal Protection (Classifications)
• Fundamental Rights

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Recap

• Structure and Rights
• Historical Timeline
• Key Periods
• Initial Construction (Slaughterhouse Cases)
• Lochner Era
• Demise of Lochner
• Rise of Fundamental Rights

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e. Warren Court/Reaction

• Warren Court
• Attack on Racial Discrimination
• Criminal Procedure
• First Amendment Freedoms
• Right of Privacy
• Reaction Judicial Appoinments
• Limiting of Warren Ct. Rights?
• Increased Economic Protection
• Reverse Discrimination

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f. Current Trends

• Federalism
• Dis-Integration of Rights Framework
• Pendulum Swinging?
• Fundamental Rights (Lawrence)
• EP Classifications (Grutter)
• Detention Cases

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B. Levels of Scrutiny 1. Frameworks

• Key Components
• Trigger
• Level of Scrutiny
• Application
• EP vs. DP
• Classification
• Burden on Protected Interest

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2. Ends-Means Scrutiny

• Validity/Sufficiency of Ends
• Importance
• Factual Basis
• Means Must Fit Ends
• Over/Under Inclusiveness
• Less Restrictive Alternatives

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3. Three (?) Tests

• Rational Basis Must be reasonably related to a
  legitimate purpose
• Strict Scrutiny Must be narrowly tailored (or
  necessary) to meet a compelling purpose
• Intermediate Scrutiny Must be substantially
  related to an important purpose

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a. Rational Basis Test

• Baseline Test
• Ends Legitimate
• Actual purpose not required
• Presume facts to support
• Means Reasonable Relation
• May be over or under inclusive
• Need not use least restrictive means

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b. Strict Scrutiny

• Race, FR, CB Speech
• End Compelling
• Actual purpose
• Strong evidence
• Means Narrowly Tailored
• Not over or under inclusive
• Must use least restrictive means

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c. Intermediate Scrutiny

• Gender, Legitimacy, CN Speech
• End Important
• Actual purpose?
• Some factual basis
• Means Substantial Relation
• Not too over or under inclusive
• Less restrictive alternative unclear

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d. Rational Basis with Bite

• Application Unclear
• End Legitimate
• Focus on Actual Purpose
• Stated Purpose May Doubted
• Means Reasonable Relation
• Achieve end?
• Bad Fit Evidence of Pretext

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4. Plyler v. Doe

• Exclusion of illegal aliens
• Rational Basis Applies?
• Not a suspect classification
• Not a fundamental right
• But Must Further Substantial Goal
• Rational Basis with Bite?
• Sliding Scale?
• Application

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d. Application of Scrutiny