constitution legal definition

The Constitution of the United States, written in 1787 and put into effect in 1789.

The body of fundamental and organic laws and principles contained in a series of statutes, court decisions, governmental proclamations, and tradition that has been accepted as such by the government and people (often over generations or centuries). For example, the United Kingdom has an unwritten constitution that includes the Magna Carta (written in 1215), the Bill of Rights of 1689, and other documents and tradition.

A single written document that embodies all the fundamental and organic laws and principals of a country or state. For example, the United States has a written constitution.