Bud & Bullets: Legal Marijuana and the Right to Bear Arms
Marijuana and the Right to Bear Arms: Is It Time for a Change? This November, nine states will have marijuana initiatives on their ballots. Five of these states—Arizona, California, Maine,...
View ArticleDining Workers Strike at Harvard University
Harvard University Dining workers are asking for fair compensation of $35,000 for the full calendar year that allows for more consistent work hours.
View ArticleWeekly News Roundup – 10/12/16
Federal Judge Extends Voter Registration Deadline Due to Hurricane Matthew A federal judge ordered the voter registration deadline to be extended contrary to the Governor’s wishes due to the impact of...
View ArticleWeekly News Roundup – 10/5/2016
We don’t endorse candidates, but we can stress what’s at stake this election cycle. Extending and Ensuring Voting Rights With flimsy excuses like “moral turpitude” historically blocking “felon” voting,...
View ArticleLiberté, Égalité, Emergency
On January 7, 2015 two gunmen entered the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Armed with assault rifles and other weapons, they killed 12 people and injured 11 others. On...
View ArticleVeto Override Tinged With Regret
Last week, Congress voted to override a presidential veto for the first time in President Obama’s tenure. The bill in question—officially known as the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act but more...
View ArticleCourt Says Black Men May Have Legitimate Reason To Flee Police
WBUR News quotes an opinion from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: “We do not eliminate flight as a factor in the reasonable suspicion analysis whenever a black male is the subject of an...
View ArticleReflections on the “Natural Born Citizen” Clause as Illuminated by the Cruz...
In this article, based on remarks given at the Spring 2016 meeting of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia, Professor Laurence H. Tribe considers the Constitution’s Natural Born Citizen...
View ArticleSupreme Court Upholds Texas Admission Plan, But Is It Finished With...
On Thursday, the Supreme Court decided Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (Fisher II) for the second time, this time affirming the Fifth Circuit’s decision by a 4-3 vote to uphold the public...
View ArticleSupreme Court Upholds Texas Admission Plan, But Is It Finished With...
On Thursday, the Supreme Court decided Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (Fisher II) for the second time, this time affirming the Fifth Circuit’s decision by a 4-3 vote to uphold the public...
View ArticleCivil Liberties and the Presidency: Beware of a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
As we approach November, with presidential candidates jockeying for our support, civil rights and civil liberties advocates have reason to be concerned. Last month, Donald Trump suggested a desire to...
View ArticleJustice Scalia: Defender of the Fourth Amendment
Although rarely recognized, Justice Scalia often safeguarded the Fourth Amendment rights of criminal defendants. He did so in an era where, through our email accounts, the government could learn more...
View ArticleWeekly News Roundup – 4/11
Evenwel v. Abbott: 1 person, 1 vote Last Monday, the Supreme Court held that states are allowed to count all residents, regardless of voting eligibility, when drawing election districts. The decision...
View ArticlePoliticization of Voting Laws: The Impact of Voter IDs and Other Restrictions
Voting has long been considered both a civil right and a civic duty. However, that principle has not prevented the disenfranchisement of millions of Americans throughout our history, and this...
View ArticleThe Continuing Criminalization of Homelessness in Los Angeles
On March 14, 2016, the City of Los Angeles was hit with yet another lawsuit regarding its treatment of homeless residents. The lawsuit, Mitchell v. City of Los Angeles, contends that the city is...
View ArticleDOJ to States: You Can’t Jail Poor People Just Because They Can’t Pay Fines
The Department of Justice recently reminded state chief justices and state court administrators that jailing poor people just because they can’t pay fines is unconstitutional. In a March 14 Dear...
View ArticleA Missed Opportunity in Foster v. Chatman
A procedural issue may allow the Supreme Court to avoid confronting an egregious instance of racism in a death penalty case. Last November, the Court heard oral arguments in Foster v. Chatman. The...
View ArticleFelony Disenfranchisement in 2016
Earlier this month, the Maryland General Assembly expanded voting rights to around 44,000 people with felony convictions, overriding six vetoes by Republican Governor Larry Hogan. The vote means that...
View ArticleJustice Scalia in the Fight for Due Process
With the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, many people have commented on his legacy. People have said he was a brilliant jurist, others remembered how he influenced the Supreme Court “occasionally for...
View ArticleApple v. FBI: Civil Liberties Implications of the San Bernadino Encryption...
The ongoing debate surrounding digital privacy and national security is set to erupt into a high-profile legal battle between Apple and the federal government. In an order issued on February 16th, a...
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