The Kentucky State Constitution

The Kentucky State Constitution provides an outstanding constitutional and historical account of the state's governing charter. In addition to an overview of Kentucky's constitutional history, it provides an in-depth, section-by-section analysis of the entire constitution, detailing the many significant changes that have been made since its initial drafting, including a discussion of Kentucky's previous three constitutions. This treatment, along with a table of cases, index, and bibliography provides an unsurpassed reference guide for students, scholars, and practitioners of Kentucky's constitution.

As the fifteenth state admitted to the United States, Kentucky has had three previous state constitutions, each one longer than the last. To provide a context for Kentucky's vibrant constitutional history, the book first outlines the historical development and motivations behind these revised constitutions and highlights reforms and issues that might occur in future revisions. Next, each section of the modern constitution is analyzed, including its origins, general intent and purpose, and important judicial interpretations illustrating the types of situations that might involve the section. Finally, the book provides a thorough bibliographic essay reviewing the evolution of the Kentucky constitution and curating key academic sources for related reading and research.

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 provides 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.

Robert M. Ireland was Professor of History at the University of Kentucky. He is the author of The County Courts in Antebellum Kentucky (1972), The County in Kentucky History (1976), Little Kingdoms: The Counties of Kentucky, (1977), and The Legal Career of William Pinkney, 1764-1822 (1986).