What are the four methods that justices might use to interpret the constitution and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each method?

Answer 1

1. The plain meaning of the words in the Constitution Adv. The court can base its decisions closest to how the Framers meant the Constitution to be interpreted. Dis. Not all questions are answered in the Constitution and there were disagreements on some meanings of words. 2. The intention of the framers Adv. It is most faithful to the ideas of the Constitution. Dis. It was really hard to determine what the Framers meant on some issues. There are no guidelines for the types of situations that did not exist when the Constitution was written. 3. The Constitution is based on some fundamental principles of government Adv. Uses the basic ideas of our government on basic principles and values. 4. Today's social values and needs Adv. They use more modern approaches that fit to our current culture. Dis. People opposed to methods 3 and 4 say that it gives the justices too much freedom to decide cases according to their own political and personal beliefs.