Image
Government Structure
State constitutions vary in how they structure state governments and distribute power among the branches of government and between the state and localities. State governments include statewide executive, legislative, and judicial branches, but also multiple county, district, municipal, and local governments.
Home rule disputes between states and localities, separation of powers among the branches of government, the limits of executive power, jurisdiction of courts, and limits on legislative authority all regularly give rise to litigation.
Filters
Tribal Courts and Constitutions of American Indian Tribes
Tribal courts and constitutions shape governance for American Indian tribes, balancing sovereignty with federal law in their unique legal systems.
The Lawsuits to Expel Texas’s Democratic Lawmakers Lack Any Support
The governor and attorney general’s claims that the state supreme court should expel lawmakers who fled the state to stop the legislature from gerrymandering congressional districts are unsubstantiated and contradictory.
The New Jersey Constitution: A Tool of Good Governance, Not Partisan Politics
A 1947 constitution offered a needed update for a state saddled with a weak executive and a court system “out of Dickens.”
Wisconsin Supreme Court Strikes Down Legislative Vetoes
The case marks a major shift in how Wisconsin’s government functions.
American Indians and Indigenous Peoples in State Constitutions
In the shadow of federal law, some state constitutions address American Indian land, taxation, gaming permissions, voting rights, cultural protection, and governance.
Universal Injunctions in State Courts
Debates over whether a judge in a single county can issue a statewide injunction are brewing. States should not follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s approach.
The Alabama Constitution: Despite a Century of Updates, Traces of its Racist Past Linger
The constitution’s extensive amendments and inclusion of local government rules make Alabama’s constitution the country’s longest
The Puerto Rico Constitution: A Unique Territorial Framework
Though the island’s territorial constitution offers unique provisions and a focus on human rights, Congress still exerts plenary powers over Puerto Rico.