Federal law and treaties, so long as they are in accordance with the Constitution, preempt conflicting state and territorial laws in the 50 U.S. states and in the territories. However, the scope of federal preemption is limited because the scope of federal power is not universal. In the dual-sovereign system of American federalism (actually tripartite because of the presence of Indian reservations), states are the plenary sovereigns, each with their own constitution, while the federal sovereign possesses only the limited supreme authority enumerated in the Constitution. Indeed, states may grant their citizens broader rights than the federal Constitution as long as they do not infringe on any federal constitutional rights. Thus, most U.S. law (especially the actual "living law" of contract, tort, property, criminal, and family law experienced by the majority of citizens on a day-to-day basis) consists primarily of state law, which can and does vary greatly from one state to the next. COUNT 15
QSN1 What comes before state and territorial laws in the 50 U.S states? ANS1 Federal law and treaties QSN2 Federal sovereign only possess authority if it is stated in what? ANS2 the Constitution QSN3 States may grant their citizens border rights as long as they do not infringe on what? ANS3 federal constitutional rights QSN4 Most U.S law, the kind of law we live everyday, consists of what kind of law? ANS4 state law QSN5 Does every state have the same laws? ANS5 vary greatly from one state to the next. QSN6 Federal law overrides what laws? ANS6 conflicting state and territorial laws QSN7 The scope of federal power is not what? ANS7 universal QSN8 What type of system is American Federalism? ANS8 dual-sovereign system QSN9 American Federalism can also be considered tripartite because of the presence of what? ANS9 Indian reservations QSN10 States can grant their people broader rights than those granted in what document? ANS10 the federal Constitution QSN11 Is there anything that trumps state law? ANS11 Federal law and treaties QSN12 How many state make up the United States? ANS12 50 QSN13 Can states grant rights to citizens that are not defined by the constitution? ANS13 as long as they do not infringe on any federal constitutional rights QSN14 What is day-to-day, operational law considered? ANS14 "living law" QSN15 What is living law mostly made up of? ANS15 state law