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Constitutional Law Keyed to Barnett

Barron v. City of Baltimore

Citation:

32 U.S. (7 Pet.) 243

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Facts

Plaintiff John Barron owned a wharf in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. When the city of Baltimore chose to divert streams in the city, the streams deposited sand near Barron’s wharf, making the wharf too shallow for ships to dock. Barron sued, claiming that the city’s actions were a taking of private property, and under the Fifth Amendment, the city of Baltimore was required to compensate Barron for his losses.

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Q.1 - In Barron v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the Supreme Court's decision hinged on the application of the Bill of Rights. Which of the following best explains the Court’s reasoning for why the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause did not apply to state governments, in light of the historical context and constitutional interpretation at the time?

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(A) The Court relied on the structural understanding of the Constitution, holding that the Bill of Rights was drafted as a limitation on federal power alone and was not intended to be applied to the states through the general principles of natural rights.

Correct! The Court’s ruling relied on the historical context of the Bill of Rights, specifically that it was intended as a limitation on federal power rather than state authority, which reflected the early interpretation of the Constitution in the 19th century.

(B) The Court's opinion was grounded in a textualist interpretation of the Fifth Amendment, asserting that the phrase “No state shall...,” though not explicit, was inherently implied by the language of the Amendment itself.

Incorrect. The Court did not rely on textualism to assert the Bill of Rights applied to states but instead focused on the specific limits imposed on the federal government.

(C) The Court applied a broad theory of incorporation, asserting that the Fifth Amendment’s provisions should apply to states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause, allowing federal courts to impose compensation requirements on state takings.

Incorrect. The Court did not apply an incorporation theory, as the incorporation doctrine had not yet been developed.

(D) The Court interpreted the Takings Clause as a procedural safeguard against federal overreach in property matters, making it inapplicable to state governments because states were viewed as having no formal obligation to observe federal procedural norms.

Incorrect. The Court did not view the Takings Clause as merely a procedural safeguard but a constitutional limitation on the federal government.

Q.2 - Given the Court's interpretation in Barron v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, what constitutional principle did Chief Justice Marshall rely on to differentiate the applicability of the Bill of Rights to the federal government versus state governments, and how does this principle relate to the evolution of federalism in the 19th century?

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(A) Marshall’s opinion rested on the idea that the Bill of Rights was designed to limit the powers of the federal government and that state governments were not bound by these protections, leaving states free to regulate property rights and other matters without federal interference, reflecting the early conceptualization of dual sovereignty.

Incorrect. Marshall did not adopt a narrow interpretation of the statute solely to protect individual freedoms in this context.

(B) Marshall’s opinion was based on the notion of constructive incorporation, asserting that the protections of the Bill of Rights must apply to the states through the federal courts to prevent state legislatures from violating individual rights without federal review.

Incorrect. Marshall did not apply constructive incorporation, as the idea of incorporating the Bill of Rights to apply to states was not part of the constitutional framework at this time.

(C) Marshall interpreted the Bill of Rights as a floor for protection, suggesting that while the federal government must adhere to its terms, states could offer broader protections to individual rights through their own constitutions and statutes.

Incorrect. The Court did not see the Bill of Rights as a floor for protection, but as a constraint on federal power.

(D) Marshall’s opinion rejected dual sovereignty and instead laid the foundation for cooperative federalism, arguing that state governments should be held accountable for individual rights violations through federal judicial review.

Correct! Chief Justice Marshall emphasized that the Bill of Rights was meant to limit the powers of the federal government only, thereby leaving the states free to govern property rights and other matters independently, reflecting a dual sovereignty approach.

Q.3 - How did the decision in Barron v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore influence the broader development of constitutional doctrine, particularly with regard to the application of the Bill of Rights to the states, and the evolution of the incorporation doctrine through the Fourteenth Amendment?

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(A) The case set the precedent that the Bill of Rights does not automatically apply to state governments, reinforcing the principle of dual sovereignty, but also setting the stage for the eventual incorporation of certain rights through the Fourteenth Amendment, particularly the Due Process Clause.

Incorrect. The decision did not lead to immediate incorporation but reinforced the limits of federal power in relation to state laws.

(B) The ruling affirmed that the Bill of Rights applied equally to state and federal governments but held that state regulations must be deemed to meet the federal standard for the protection of individual rights.

Correct! The ruling affirmed that the Bill of Rights did not apply to state governments, which led to the eventual development of the incorporation doctrine through the Fourteenth Amendment, where certain protections were applied to the states.

(C) The decision led to the immediate incorporation of the Bill of Rights through the Fourteenth Amendment, which required that state actions conform to federal protections regarding property rights and due process.

Incorrect. The ruling did not lead to the immediate incorporation of the Bill of Rights; this would develop later through the Fourteenth Amendment.

(D) The Court’s decision solidified a strict interpretation of state sovereignty, permanently barring the federal government from intervening in state actions that violated individual rights unless the violation was directly related to interstate commerce.

Incorrect. The Court did not focus on interstate commerce or create a rule against federal intervention in state matters based on the violation of individual rights.

Topic Resources

Topic Video

Barron v. City of Baltimore

2m 6s

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Topic Outline

Protections of Civil Liberties

Topic Refresher Course

Substantive Due Process

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