Dear Friends,

We are continuing our series celebrating the International Day of Peace on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and The United States Constitution. We will continue to publish the series on the 21st of each month so that we may cover all 30 Articles of the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights. We look forward to your feedback on the series. 

This month we will look at the Judicial Branch of the Constitution and the rest of the main body of the Constitution. 

Since this month portion of the Constitution of the United States is so lengthy, I have underlined some of today's most discussed elements in case you do not have the time to read the whole section.

Susan Batterton

Director of Communications

© Dave Newman stock.adobe.com

Article III  (Article 3 - Judicial)  Section 1

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be  vested in  one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good  Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section 2

1:  The judicial Power shall extend to all Cases, in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their Authority;-to all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls;-to all Cases of admiralty and maritime  Jurisdiction;-to Controversies to which the United States shall be a Party;-to Controversies between  two or more States;-between a State and Citizens of another State; -between Citizens of different States, -between Citizens of the same State claiming Lands under Grants of different States, and between a State, or the Citizens thereof, and foreign States, Citizens or Subjects.

2: In all Cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a State shall be Party, the supreme Court shall have original  Jurisdiction. In all the other Cases before mentioned, the supreme Court shall have  appellate  Jurisdiction, both as to Law and Fact, with such Exceptions, and under such Regulations as the Congress shall make.

3: The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of  Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the Trial shall be at such Place or Places as the Congress may by Law have directed.

Section 3

1:  Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of  Treason unless on the Testimony of  two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

2:  The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of  Treason shall work  Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person  attainted.

Article IV  (Article 4 - States' Relations) Section 1

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section 2

1: The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States.

2: A Person charged in any State with  Treason, Felony, or other Crime, who shall flee from Justice, and be found in another State, shall on Demand of the executive Authority of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State having  Jurisdiction of the Crime.

3:  N o Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.

Section 3

1:  New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.

2: The Congress shall have Power to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory or other Property belonging to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to Prejudice any Claims of the United States, or of any particular State.

Section 4

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a  Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

Article V  (Article 5 - Mode of Amendment)

The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one  or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year  One thousand eight hundred and eight  shall in any Manner affect the  first  and  fourth  Clauses in the  Ninth  Section of the  first  Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal  Suffrage  in the Senate.

Article VI  (Article 6 - Prior Debts, National Supremacy,
Oaths of Office)

1: All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

2: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

3: The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Article VII  (Article 7 - Ratification)

The Ratification of the Conventions of  nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

We encourage you to meet with friends, host a group meeting in your home or individually reflect on these International Day of Peace reflections. To print out the Reflection, click on the button below.