Posts for October 4, 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 (5^th ed.) student 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:

Cases To Watch As Supreme Court Resumes Session [NPR audio, 10/4/15]: Nina Totenberg speaks with NPR's Rachel Martin about what to expect from the new session of the Supreme Court, which begins each year on the first Monday in October.

http://www.npr.org/2015/10/04/445751150/cases-to-watch-as-supreme-court-resumes-session

Supreme Court Prepares to Take On Politically Charged Cases [How Appealing, 10/4/15]: A roundup by Howard Bashman.

http://howappealing.abovethelaw.com/100415.html#063791

Disapproval of Supreme Court Edges to New High [Gallup Poll, 10/2/15]:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/185972/disapproval-supreme-court-edges-new-high.aspx

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:

U.S. Supreme Court could consider Oklahoma cases in new term [The Oklahoman, 10/4/15]: In the next few weeks, the justices are expected to decide whether to hear Oklahoma's challenge to Colorado's marijuana laws, an Indian gaming dispute and religious liberty cases involving Oklahoma entities challenging the contraception mandate.

http://newsok.com/article/5451186

Trump defends 2nd Amendment following Oregon shootings [AP, 10/3/15]:  Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday channeled 1970s action star Charles Bronson in defending Second Amendment rights in the aftermath of the shooting at an Oregon community college that left nine dead.

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/10/03/trump-defends-2nd-amendment-following-oregon-shootings

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:

Will the Supreme Court Decide That Democrats Have Too Much Power? [The Atlantic, 10/1/15]: This term, the justices will hear at least three cases that could upend the partisan balance of power.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/supreme-court-arizona-evenwel-friedrichs/408400/

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

 

In Carr brothers' cases, U.S. Supreme Court will delve deep into the Eighth Amendment [Topeka Capitol-Journal, 10/3/15]: Cases center on jury instructions and joint sentencing.

http://cjonline.com/news/2015-10-03/carr-brothers-cases-us-supreme-court-will-delve-deep-eighth-amendment

 

Justice Stephen Breyer: Executions are often 'arbitrary’ [MSNBC, 10/2/15]: “Sometimes it’s the wrong person,” he said, citing instances of wrongful convictions in capital cases. “Often it’s very arbitrary as to who gets executed – it’s not the worst of the worst, very often,” Breyer said.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/justice-stephen-breyer-executions-are-often-arbitrary

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:

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:

Alabama judges use segregation-era law to avoid gay marriage [AP, 10/3/15]: In 1961, a time when the all-white Legislature was trying to preserve racial segregation, lawmakers rewrote state law to make it optional for counties to issue marriage licenses.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAY_MARRIAGE_ALABAMA