Constitutional Crisis
Sponsored by Attorneys for Civic Education, the University of Idaho College of Law, the Idaho Supreme Court and the US District of Idaho Court
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Reception – 5:00 p.m.
CLE Presentation – 5:45 to 6:45 p.m.
The Grove Hotel
245 S. Capitol Blvd. – Boise
1.0 CLE credits
Registration: FREE – Registration is required.
Join the Attorneys for Civic Education, the University of Idaho College of Law for a reception and CLE presentation during the annual Institute for Teachers.
There is a lot of discussion these days whether the United States is in a “constitutional crisis.” Any such discussion first requires definition; what constitutes a constitutional crisis? A long history of interbranch conflict colors our legal history. If, for example, a president decides to ignore the Supreme Court, and if the Supreme Court’s ruling is final, it is fair to say that the nation is in a constitutional crisis? This presentation will explore the contours of a constitutional crisis by attempting to define it and then reviewing recent Supreme Court cases and their impact. Tariffs, Birthright Citizenship, and even the White House ballroom all factor into an analysis that ultimately provides the audience with context by which they answer the operative question for themselves.
Presenter: McKay Cunningham, Director of the Master of Applied Public Policy Program and PDSO, and Professor of Law and Policy, College of Idaho
About the Institute for Teachers:
The Institute is primarily targeted to Idaho high school and middle school teachers of government, history, and social studies. The purpose is to enhance teachers’ understanding of the judicial branch of government at national and state levels and to motivate teachers to return to the classroom with new ideas and share that information with their students. The Institute is not simply a “talk at” program, but rather a combination of presentations by experts on selected topics, together with a set of workshop discussions led by master teachers with abundant classroom experience.
The immediate objective of the Institute is to enhance the doctrinal knowledge, skills, and working tools of the participating teachers. The ultimate goal is to elevate the preparation of students for citizenship in a constitutionally framed democratic republic, by enhancing their understanding of, and appreciation for, the rule of law as well as the necessity of an independent, impartial judiciary to preserve the distinctive American republic.
