Richard Henry Fallon

How to Choose a Constitutional Theory

Introduction ............................................................................................... 537 I. The Inherently Value-Laden Choice Between Text-Based and Practice-Based Theories .............................................................. 540 A. The Nature of Constitutional Theories ........................................ 540 1. Text-Based Theories ............................................................. 541 2. Practice-Based Theories ........................................................ 542 3. Blurring the Distinction ........................................................ 544 B. The Limits of Positivism ............................................................. 545 II. Three Shared Evaluative Criteria ....................................................... 549 A. Text-Based Theories .................................................................... 551 B. Practice-Based Theories .............................................................. 554 C. Continuing Disagreement and an Agenda for Further A nalysis ....................................................................................... 557 D. Assessing the Prevailing Criteria ................................................ 558 1. The Relevance of the Prevailing Criteria .............................. 558 2. Other Criteria ........................................................................ 559 III. Formal Theories, Substantive Criteria, and the Pertinence of Who Occupies the Bench ................................................................... 562 A. Substantive and Formal Theories ................................................ 562 B. Historical Contingency and Constitutional Theory ..................... 568 C. Meeting an Objection .................................................................. 570 IV. Who Needs Constitutional Theory? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 572 A. The Perils of Pragmatism ............................................................ 573 B. Do Judges Need Constitutional Theory? ..................................... 574