Conlaw Final. (Posted by Gabe)

Well, it's that time again! Here's a question from among your ranks:

I am currently studying for the constitutional law final exam and am a little overwhelmed with the amount of information in the course. Do you have any suggestions of what my main focus should be (is a broad knowledge sufficient, or do I need to know all of the cases and amendments?) or how I should study for the test?

I would preface my answer by saying that I don't have any idea what is going to be on your final, or even what format your exam is (essays vs. short answer vs. multiple choice, etc). If any of you know, leave a comment and I'll try to restructure my answer accordingly.

That being said, there are certainly some things that can really help you out.

1. You need to have a knowledge of all of the basic doctrines, and how they are applied. For instance, you need to know the due process analysis, the equal protection analysis, the basics of free speech, freedom of religion (both clauses!), etc. You will also need to be familiar with the governmental structure that the Constitution establishes--the three branches of government, the powers of the states, etc.

2. It is always very helpful to know where Constitutional rules are within the document itself. For instance, knowing that the powers of Congress are in Article 1, Section 8, and freedom to keep and bear arms is in the Second Amendment, and the separation of church and state isn't in there at all, will probably be useful.

3. There are some cases that you really should know. Marbury vs. Madison is the first on that comes to mind, and there are a few others that you should be able to cite by name if you are tested on the rules that they promulgated. Other than that, I would not recommend that you take a ton of time to learn case names. You would be better served learning the rules, tests, and Constitutional provisions.

I hope that helps out! I'm working on some general finals advice; check back soon for that.