The Delaware State Constitution

The Delaware State Constitution is the first state constitution drafted by a convention composed of popularly elected representatives, and it is rich with history and tradition. The Delaware Bill of Rights has remained almost exactly the same since 1792, and it has enacted specific provisions whereby its three branches of government operate differently from the federal system.

The Delaware State Constitution provides an outstanding constitutional and historical account of the state's basic governing charter. In it, Judge Randy Holland begins with an overview of Delaware's constitutional history. He then provides an in-depth, section-by-section analysis of the entire constitution, detailing important changes that have been made over the years. Justice Holland's learned treatment, along with the list of cases, index, and bibliography, makes this guide indispensable for students, scholars, and practitioners of Delaware's constitution.

This second edition includes all amendments to the Delaware Constitution since 2002 and all significant court decisions interpreting any provision in the Delaware Constitution that have been issued since 2002.

The Oxford Commentaries on the State Constitutions of the United States is an important series that reflects a renewed international interest in constitutional history and provides expert insight into each of the 50 state constitutions. Each volume in this innovative series contains a historical overview of the state's constitutional development, a section-by-section analysis of its current constitution, and a comprehensive guide to further research.

Under the expert editorship of Professor G. Alan Tarr, Director of the Center on State Constitutional Studies at Rutgers University, this series essential reference tools for understanding state constitutional law. Books in the series can be purchased individually or as part of a complete set, giving readers unmatched access to these important political documents.

Randy J. Holland became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Delaware in 1986 and is currently serving a third twelve-year term. Justice Holland is a Trustee of the American Judicature Society, a member of the American Law Institute, and chair of the Advisory Committee to the AJS Center for Judicial Ethics.