Posts for April 24, 2015
These are the posts that are accumulated in our
newsletter which goes out every 4-6 days during the school year. The posts are
organized by the major units in our Con Law (5th ed.) student textbook.
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:
Bill would create ethics code for Supreme
Court justices [The Hill,
4/23/15]: As the Supreme Court is
gearing up to hear arguments Tuesday in what could be the nation’s most
influential case on gay marriage, Democratic lawmakers are calling on the high
court to adopt a code of ethics for justices.
John Roberts' big moment: Will he anger conservatives again? [CNN, 4/24/15]: Roberts
-- who shocked conservatives nearly three years ago by providing a pivotal vote
to uphold Obamacare -- once again faces a judicial crossroads in a historic
case.
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:
The
American Presidency
[TOPIC 15]
Senate
Confirms Loretta Lynch as Attorney General After Long Delay [NY
Times, 4/24/15]: After
one of the nation's most protracted cabinet-level confirmation delays, the
Senate Thursday approved Loretta E. Lynch to be attorney general. She is the
first African-American woman to hold the position.
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:
GOP presidential hopefuls
line up to kiss the ring in Vegas [SF
Chron, 4/24/15]: Looks like the smoke-filled room has returned to national politics.
At least at a party starting Friday in Las Vegas hosted by a billionaire casino
mogul that is attracting a parade of name-brand GOP politicians.
Clinton Camp Tries to
Defuse Damning Report Point by Point [Bloomberg,
4/24/15]: How Hillary Clinton's new
campaign reacted to a brutal morning in the press.
Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)
King:
Ban federal courts from overturning traditional marriage laws [Des
Moines Register, 4/214/15]: U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, has introduced a bill in Congress that
would ban federal judges from ruling on lawsuits aimed at overturning state
bans on same-sex marriage.
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:
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:
New Jersey school district’s attorney calls advocacy group’s failed suit
over Pledge of Allegiance meritless and costly [NSBA Legal Clips, 4/22/15]: Attorney David
Rubin, who defended Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District (MARSD) against
the American Humanist Association's (AHA) lawsuit challenging daily recitation
of the Pledge of Allegiance in school, says the suit was without merit and cost
taxpayers about $16,000 in legal fees, reports the Asbury Park Press.
How Best to Understand State Religious Freedom Restoration Acts (RFRAs) [Justia, 4/24/15]: Professors
Amar and Brownstein
discuss state religious freedom restoration acts (RFRAs). In this first of a
two-part series of columns, Amar and Brownstein argue that whether a state RFRA
should apply in private litigation should be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Religious advocacy group alleges
North Dakota district barred two students from forming anti-abortion clubs at
their high schools
[NSBA Legal Clips, 4/21/15]: The Grand Forks Herald reports that the Thomas
More Society (TMS) has sent a letter to Fargo School District (FSD)
Superintendent Jeff Schatz on behalf of two high school students alleging that
FSD barred the students from forming anti-abortion clubs at their respective
high schools.
Ohio district settles suit brought by teacher who
claimed he was fired for espousing his vegan beliefs online [NSBA Legal Clips, 4/17/15]: Green Local School
District (GLSD) has settled a suit brought by Keith Allison, who claimed he was
fired from his teaching position after posting his vegan beliefs on Facebook.
VI. 14th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working,
Citizenship & Immigration [See
TOPICS 34-41 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to
this unit:
Illinois district continues to litigate issue of
whether disabled student should be allowed to bring service dog to school [NSBA Legal Clips, 4/20/15]: WQAD8 reports that
Sherrard School District (SSD) has appealed a decision by an Illinois State
Board of Education hearing officer in favor of an epileptic student who was
prohibited from bringing her service dog to school.
Constitution Check: Might the Supreme Court take a pass on same-sex
marriage now? [Constitution Daily, 4/243/15]: Lyle Denniston, the National
Constitution Center’s literacy adviser, looks that an interesting argument
posed about next week’s same-sex arguments at the Supreme Court: that the cases
shouldn’t be heard at the moment.
Gay marriage defies opinions of American
majority, legal brief tells Supreme Court [Wash Times, 4/24/15]: The
headlines of most opinion polls
and news stories say the same thing: Gay marriage is inevitable, by the
people’s choice. But at least one friend-of-the-court brief at the Supreme Court
argues that the jury is still out — not only have voters overwhelmingly upheld
state laws defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman, but also some
polls can’t be trusted because of factors such as bias in a question’s wording.
Meet the lawyers who will argue the gay
marriage case [CNN, 4/24/15]: When a same sex couple turned to Mary L. Bonauto about 20
years ago for legal help to get married, the lawyer declined to take the case.
Justices' Questions, Answered [Slate, 4/43/15]: Previously
on Same-Sex Marriage Arguments at the Supreme Court . . .
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