The judge's decision to block layoffs until Monday set the stage for a constitutional showdown between the executive and legislative branches of state government.

The Democratic Congress may want to run the show, delaying a resolution for months and leading to a distracting constitutional showdown about executive secrecy.

And by not imposing a specific cost this time, the court averted a threatened constitutional showdown with the two other branches of government.

As a result, we are headed for a constitutional showdown that is unnecessary and unwise, and still avoidable.

That could lead to a constitutional showdown about the post.

This may well end up in a constitutional showdown.

The village of Mamaroneck may not have been looking for a constitutional showdown.

Q. Have we ever had a constitutional showdown in the United States?

And, history suggests, as well, that neither side is that eager for a constitutional showdown.

Both sides asserted that the other camp blinked to avoid a constitutional showdown.