United States of America

Madison v. Alabama: Chief Justice Roberts “Takes Back Control” of his Court

Madison v. Alabama: Chief Justice Roberts “Takes Back Control” of his Court

Last week, the US Supreme Court spared the life of Vernon Madison, at least temporarily, by remanding his case back to the lower court to decide whether his dementia renders...
Trump’s Invocation of Emergency Powers over Border Wall: Is It Legal?

Trump’s Invocation of Emergency Powers over Border Wall: Is It Legal?

In recent weeks, President Trump has sent signals that he is prepared to declare a national emergency in order to get his long-promised border wall built. On Jan. 4, Trump...
Major Federal Right to Education Lawsuit Filed in the U.S

Major Federal Right to Education Lawsuit Filed in the U.S

Last month, 14 students and parents filed a class action law suit, Cook v. Raimondo, asking the U.S. District Court in the state of Rhode Island to declare that all...
How the Harvard Affirmative Action Case Became a ‘Battle of Economists’

How the Harvard Affirmative Action Case Became a ‘Battle of Economists’

The lawsuit over Harvard College’s affirmative action program has been called a ‘battle of economists.’ The economist for Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), an anti-affirmative-action organization, argues that Harvard’s admissions...
Central American Caravan Migrants’ Right of Asylum Endangered by Trump’s Electoral Strategy

Central American Caravan Migrants’ Right of Asylum Endangered by Trump’s Electoral Strategy

On 13 October, a caravan of approximately 7,000 Central American migrants, including women and unaccompanied minors, departed from San Pedro Sula (Honduras) on its way to the United States. These...
Justice Kennedy’s Justice for Juveniles: Roper’s Reach

Justice Kennedy’s Justice for Juveniles: Roper’s Reach

In the field of juvenile justice, Justice Kennedy is most recognized for his Eighth Amendment sentencing decisions. Principally, in 2005, he authored the opinion Roper v. Simmons, which abolished the...
Justice Kennedy on Healthcare

Justice Kennedy on Healthcare

Justice Anthony Kennedy, who long served as the swing vote on important healthcare-related decisions, retired from the United States Supreme Court on July 31, 2018. The press and pundits alike...
Justice Kennedy’s Gay Rights Legacy

Justice Kennedy’s Gay Rights Legacy

Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announced retirement left progressives reeling over what the Court’s inevitable rightward shift will mean for civil rights given Kennedy’s swing-vote status on cases implicating social issues. Indeed,...
Justice Kennedy’s Mixed Environmental Legacy Turns Tragic

Justice Kennedy’s Mixed Environmental Legacy Turns Tragic

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, a 1988 Reagan appointee, will leave behind a mixed environmental law legacy. Best known to the public as a crucial swing vote on issues regarding...
Justice Anthony Kennedy’s Human Rights Legacy: Introduction to the Blog Series

Justice Anthony Kennedy’s Human Rights Legacy: Introduction to the Blog Series

Anthony McLeod Kennedy, born on January 23, 1936, to Irish Catholic parents, announced his retirement on June 27, 2018, after thirty years on the United States Supreme Court. Known as...
July 4, 2018 – A New Independence Day

July 4, 2018 – A New Independence Day

In the United States, the Fourth of July is celebrated as Independence Day. Someday history books may celebrate the Fourth of July 2018 as a new “independence day” – not...
Legal Actions Against Mountain Valley Pipeline Underscore Grassroots Activism’s Importance

Legal Actions Against Mountain Valley Pipeline Underscore Grassroots Activism’s Importance

The Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) is a 303-mile U.S. interstate project currently under construction that would transport fracked natural gas from northern West Virginia through southwest Virginia. The MVP is...

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