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Illustration of a judge with gavel in hand

Judicial Interpretation

In considering state constitutional questions, judges may apply an array of methodologies, including originalism and other uses of history, textualism, purposivism, comparativism (including studying other state courts), and common law or precedent. 

State constitutions also raise unique interpretation questions. For example, one common issue is whether a state constitutional provision should be interpreted in “lockstep” with the federal constitution.

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A project of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law