Sometimes the U.S. constitution changes because society, judges, and lawmakers, reinterpret it over time. This is an informal amendment process. Circumstantial changes--such as those that propelled universal male suffrage--cause the constitution to change. Judicial review--a somewhat controversial process of having the courts decide if a law is constitutional--is another major informal amendment process. It was established in the case Marbury vs. Madison.
The United States Constitution can be changed informally. Informal amendments mean that the Constitution does not specifically list these processes as forms of amending the Constitution, but because of change in society or judicial review changed the rule of law de facto. These methods depend on interpretations of what the constitution says and on interpretive understanding of the underlying intent. This type of change occurs in two major forms: through circumstantial change and through judicial review.