The "Meese Memos"

The Constitution in 2000

This article by Dawn Johnsen provides a useful quick introduction to the Reagan Justice Department's 1988 effort to envision "The Constitution in 2000." Her fuller argument can be found in Ronald Reagan and the Rehnquist Court on Congressional Power: Presidential Influences on Constitutional Change, 78 INDIANA LAW JOURNAL 363 (2003). [78 INLJ 363]

The 1988 Memos

These two documents from the Office of Legal Policy of the Reagan Justice Department are in PDF format. Note that the files are somewhat large.

	THE CONSTITUTION IN THE YEAR 2000: CHOICES AHEAD IN CONSTITUTIONAL INTERPRETATION (OFFICE OF LEGAL POLICY, U.S. DEP'T OF JUSTICE, REPORT TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, 1988). [6.7MB]
	GUIDELINES ON CONSTITUTIONAL LITIGATION (OFFICE OF LEGAL POLICY, U.S. DEP'T OF JUSTICE, 1988) [5MB]

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page last modified on 1/24/05