
  • Ballentine's Law Dictionary

    Consonant with the constitution.

  • Black's Law Dictionary: 2nd Edition

    Consistent with the constitution; authorized by the constitution; not conflicting with any provision of the constitution or fundamental law of the state. Dependent upon a constitution, or secured or regulated by a constitution; as "constitutional monarchy," "constitutional rights."
    —Constitutional convention. A duly constituted assembly of delegates or representatives of the people of a state or nation for the purpose of framing, revising, or amending its constitution.
    —Constitutional liberty or freedom. Such freedom as is enjoyed by the citizens of a country or state under the protection of its constitution; the aggregate of those personal, civil, and political rights of the individual which are guarantied by the constitution and secured against invasion by the government or any of its agencies. People v. Hurlbut, 24 Mich. 106, 9 Am. Rep. 103.
    —Constitutional law.
    (1) That branch of the public law of a state which treats of the organization and frame of government, the organs and powers of sovereignty, the distribution of political and governmental authorities and functions, the fundamental principles which are to regulate the relations of government and subject, and which prescribes generally the plan and method according to which the public affairs of the state are to be administered.
    (2) That department of the science of law which treats of constitutions, their establishment, construction, and interpretation, and of the validity of legal enactments as tested by the criterion of conformity to the fundamental law.
    (3) A constitutional law is one which is consonant to, and agrees with, the constitution ; one which is not in violation of any provision of the constitution of the particular state.
    —Constitutional officer. One whose tenure and term of office are fixed and defined by the constitution, as distinguished from the incumbents of offices created by the legislature. Foster v. Jones, 79 Va. 642, 52 Am. Rep. 637 ; People v. Scheu, 60 App. Div. 592, 69 N. Y. Supp. 597.