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  • Supreme Court agrees to hear case on the ability to sue federal officials June 22, 2026
    The Supreme Court on Monday morning added one new case, involving the ability to sue federal officials for violating constitutional rights even when there is no law specifically authorizing such a claim, to its docket for the 2026-27 term.The announcements came as part of a list of orders released from the justices’ June 18 conference. […]
    Amy Howe
  • Court determines federal defendants’ appellate waivers unenforceable if a miscarriage of justice would result June 22, 2026
    In Hunter v. United States the Supreme Court held that a federal defendant’s waiver of appellate review is unenforceable if it would result in a miscarriage of justice. Although the court did not decide whether enforcing the defendant’s appellate waiver in his case would constitute a miscarriage of justice, the majority described the circumstances where this standard […]
    Richard Cooke
  • A victory for the defendant in United States v. Hemani, but little guidance for the lower courts June 22, 2026
    Please note that SCOTUS Outside Opinions constitute the views of outside contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SCOTUSblog or its staff.Last week, the Supreme Court decided the case of United States v. Hemani in the defendant’s favor. The government had prosecuted Ali Hemani under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) – which makes it a felony […]
    Joel Johnson

Welcome to Constitutional Law (CRJ200) Course Hub

Course Description

This course hub website contains OER/ZTC (Open Educational Resources/Zero Textbook Cost) resources for faculty teaching U.S. Constitutional Law (CRJ 200) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC). These resources are freely available for use by BMCC faculty and beyond.

This work was created by Daniel DiPrenda, as part of the BMCC Open Education Initiative, which is co-led by the A. Philip Randolph Library and the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (CETLS). The BMCC Open Education Initiative is supported by the CUNY Office of Library Services (OLS) and funded by the New York State Department of Education.

This course provides a historical overview of the relationship of the states to the Bill of Rights, and how the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the powers of the federal government. The effect of the due process clause of the fourteenth Amendment on the application of the Bill of Rights to the states is examined through a study of the leading Supreme Court decisions related to criminal justice. Topics include characteristics and powers of the three branches of government, the principles governing the operation of the Bill of Rights, and the variables affecting the formulation of judicial policy.

Tags

Articles of Confederation Automobile Case Brief Castle Doctrine Cell Phones Comment on Remaining Silent Consent Constitution Cruel and Unusual Punishment Discrimination in the Constitution/Slavery Due Process Eighth Amendment Exceptions to the Warrant Exigent Circumstances Fifth Amendment First Amendment Fourteenth Amendment Fourth Amendment Freedom of Speech Freedom to Assemble Free Press/Prior Restraint Fruits of the Poisonous Tree General Principles of the Fourth Amendment Incorporation Doctrine Inevitable Discovery and Attenuation In Schools Jury Selection Juvenile Life Imprisonment Miranda Warnings Probable Cause Public Trials Reasonable Suspicion Right to Confront Witnesses/Evidence Right to Counsel Search Incident to Lawful Arrest Second Amendment Self-Incrimination Self-Incrimination and Involuntariness Sex Offenders Sixth Amendment Stop and Frisk Supreme Court The Federalist Papers Trial Rights Wiretapping