Constitutional law attorneys handle cases involving the construction and interpretation of federal and state constitutions, including individual rights and governmental powers. Constitutional law cases can involve issues like First Amendment rights -- such as freedom of speech, press, and religion -- and the checks and balances on authority among different branches of government. Most of the federal constitutional rights are found in the Bill of Rights, that was created originally as a limitation on the action by the federal government, but many of those rights are also applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.
Independence is the fourth largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri, and is contained within the counties of Jackson (primarily) and Clay. It is part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The city had a total population of 121,212 in 2008, and is the 201st largest city in the United States. Independence is one of two county seats of Jackson County, and is known as the "Queen City of the Trails" because it was a point of departure of the California, Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. The city also played a pivotal role in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement, and is home to the denominational headquarters of several Latter Day Saint groups, most notably the Community of Christ, whose Temple is located there.