Posts for March 27, 2015
These are the posts that are accumulated in our
newsletter which goes out every 4-6 days. The posts are organized by the major
units in our Con Law (5th ed.) textbook
Kentucky judges weigh whether
schools, teachers liable if bullied student commits suicide [AP, 3/26/15]: Can schools and
teachers be held responsible if a bullied student commits suicide?
I. Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5th edition of Constitutional
Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to
this unit:
II. Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and
Balances [See
TOPICS 11-15 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law]
Here are recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
Lawmakers showing contempt for courts [Wichita Eagle, 3/27/15]: State lawmakers find new ways each week to show contempt for Kansas’
courts, as if a relationship already at risk of constitutional crisis over
school finance needed more heat.
The
American Presidency
[TOPIC 15]
Michelle Obama, Race and the Ivy League:
The education of a future First Lady [Politico, 3/27/15]: In 1988, a group of black
students at Harvard Law School compiled a report designed to recognize the
growing achievements of black students on campus and share their wisdom with
newcomers.
III. The Political
System: Voting and Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5th edition of Constitutional
Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:
Why this scandal won’t hurt Hillary [Sabato’s Crystal Ball, 3/26/15]: History show us
that presidential candidates tend to weather controversy better than senators
and congressmen.
The Political and Demographic Challenges of the 2016
Presidential Campaign [Sabato’s
Crystal Ball, 3/26/15]: Current conventional wisdom has it that Hillary Clinton
will be the Democratic nominee and any of a gaggle of contenders will be the
choice of the Republicans. Perhaps correct, perhaps not.
Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)
What a California Proposal to Authorize the Killing
of Gays Says About the Initiative Process and the First Amendment [Justia, 3/27/15]: Professors Amar
and Brownstein discuss the so-called “Sodomite Suppression Act”—a recently
proposed California initiative. They argue that despite the clear illegality
and immorality of the proposed initiative, many of the suggestions that the
attorney who proposed it be punished or that the initiative process be altered
to prevent these types of initiatives are themselves unconstitutional in some
cases, and at best ill-advised in other cases.
California Assembly
passes drought relief package [CPR,
3/26/15]: Over the protests of
Republicans who said the measure unnecessarily extends the government's reach
over water policy, the California Assembly on Thursday sent Gov. Jerry Brown a
$1.1 billion drought relief package.
How
anti-abortion 'Heartbeat Bill' passed Ohio House
[Cincinnati Enquirer, 3/27/15]: After GOP "no" votes killed it last year, the controversial
anti-abortion "Heartbeat Bill" passed the Ohio House this week,
thanks to votes from a more conservative Republican caucus – including two new
Southwest Ohioans.
California
legislative panel approves 'aid in dying' bill [Jurist, 3/27/15]: California Senate
Committee on Health on Wednesday approved legislation that
would allow physicians to provide lethal doses of drugs to terminally ill
patients to accelerate their deaths.
IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4th,
5th, 6th, and 8th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent
articles that are relevant to this unit:
Court
upholds death sentences, but Mother Nature had the last word [SF
Chron, 3/26/15]: Two
Southern California juries decided that Teofilo Medina Jr. should be executed
for committing four murders in a one-month crime spree in 1984, and a federal
appeals court agreed Thursday. But this time, Mother Nature had the last word.
Inside America's Toughest Federal
Prison [NYT Mag,
3/26/15]: For years, conditions inside the United States' only federal supermax
facility were largely a mystery; But a landmark lawsuit is finally revealing
the harsh world within.
San Francisco jail
inmates forced to fight, public defender says [KQED, 3/27/15]: San Francisco sheriff’s deputies arranged and
gambled on battles between County Jail inmates, forcing one to train for the
fights and telling them to lie if they needed medical attention, the city’s
public defender said Thursday.
V. 1st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and
Assembly) [See TOPICS
29-33 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to
this unit:
Freedom of information: Federal judge orders release of records of
spying on Nor Cal Muslims [1st Amend. Coalition, 3/26/15]: A federal judge rejected the FBI’s contention
that they could withhold information about their surveillance program targeting
the Northern California Muslim community.
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