Monday, October 19, 2015

Posts for October 19, 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:

Business Groups Eye Court for Limits on Class Actions [Jost on Justice, 10/18/15]: The stakes in Campbell-Ewald Co. v. Gomez are quite high.

The Constitution Doesn't Matter to SCOTUS (and That's a Good Thing) [Daily Beast, 10/18/15]: Justices publicly wail about their dissenting colleagues’ violations of the Founders’ principles. Yet it’s their own views that decide the majority of cases.

A Hard Slide in a Baseball Playoff Game Raises Multiple “Legal” Issues [Justia, 10/19/15]: Professor Dorf discusses a baseball play during Game 2 of the National League Division Series to illustrate the legal concept of legal rules as written as distinguished from legal rules enforced.

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:

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:

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)


What’s in a veto? Some themes emerge after five years of Brown’s denials [Sac Bee, 10/18/15]:  In the five years since he returned to the Capitol, Gov. Jerry Brown’s 617 vetoes regularly have hit on some of the same themes – and words.

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


13 Words That Could Mean Freedom for Many: The debate over the federal 'residual clause [The Marshall Project, 10/19/15]: Each year, about 2,000 people are sentenced under the career offender guideline. For about three-quarters of them, the most recent crime is drug-related.

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:

Supreme Court to consider ‘association rights’ of public workers [Newseum, 10/19/15]: If the Court adopts the rationale of the 3rd Circuit in the Heffernan v. City of Paterson case, more than 22 million public employees nationwide could be fired or demoted merely if their bosses mistakenly perceive them to be affiliated with different political campaigns.
See the background in Hefferman:
The 3rd Circuit decision is at:

Experts say free speech at stake in 'American Sniper' appeal [AP / Minn. Star-Trib, 10/19/15]: Legal experts say important free speech issues will be at stake when an appeals court considers whether former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura is entitled to the $1.8 million judgment he won against the estate of "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle.

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:

Due Process: L.A. 'Teacher Jails' Called a 'Criminal Cartel' [CNS, 10/19/15]: In a $1 billion class action, a teacher acclaimed for excellence by Oprah Winfrey, Disney and the United Kingdom says Los Angeles Unified School District and its superintendent run a "criminal cartel" that locks thousands of its best teachers in "teacher jails" under bogus accusations so it won't have to pay their retirement benefits.

No comments:

Post a Comment