Posts for April 1, 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 (5^th ed.) textbook

I. Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Spider-Man toy maker gets caught in Supreme Court's web [USA Today, 3/31/15]: The inventor of a Spider-Man toy who wants to collect royalties beyond the expiration of his patent ran into a web of opposition at the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/31/supreme-court-spiderman-patent/70727596/

II. Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

Obama Vetoes Bid to Derail New Union Rules [CNS, 3/31/15]: President Obama vetoed a measure passed by the Republican-led Congress that would have stopped the National Labor Relations Board from streamlining the process of unionizing workers.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/03/31/obama-vetoes-bid-to-derail-new-union-rules.htm

III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4^th, 5^th, 6^th, and 8^th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

The Supreme Court's Death Trap [Linda Greenhouse in the NY Times, 4/1/15]: You wouldn’t know it from the death penalty proceeding about to take place in the Boston Marathon case, or from Utah’s reauthorization of the firing squad, or the spate of botched lethal injections, but capital punishment in the United States is becoming vestigial.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/01/opinion/the-supreme-courts-death-trap.html?_r=0

V. 1^st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

The RFRA Gauntlet: The Indiana RFRA May Be Bad, but the Arkansas RFRA Is Even Worse [Justia, 4/1/15]: Professor Hamilton discusses the dangers not only of the recently passed Indiana Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), but also the even more extreme Arkansas RFRA that just passed in that state.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/04/01/the-rfra-gauntlet-the-indiana-rfra-may-be-bad-but-the-arkansas-rfra-is-even-worse

From Arkansas Online (3/31/15): HB1228 passes House, heads to governor:

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2015/mar/31/hb1228-passes-house-heads-governor/

How Indiana's RFRA differs from federal version [Indy Star, 3/31/15]:

http://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/31/indianas-rfra-similar-federal-rfra/70729888/

First Amendment News Roundup [Concurring Opinions, 4/1/15]:

http://concurringopinions.com/archives/2015/04/fan-54-first-amendment-news-fourth-circuit-skeptical-of-local-panhandling-law-issue-before-scotus-in-another-case.html

VI. 14^th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5^th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Gay rights pioneer Bonauto to argue Supreme Court marriage case [Wash Times, 3/31/15]: She won the first, landmark case in Massachusetts in 2003.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/31/gay-rights-pioneer-bonauto-to-argue-supreme-court-/