Posts for November 6, 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:

When Does Congress’s Recognition of an Injury Count to the Supreme Court? Standing and the Spokeo v. Robins Case [Justia, 11/6/15]: Professor Amar and attorney Michael Schaps, a California civil litigation attorney, discuss Spokeo v. Robins, in which the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the nature of injury required for a plaintiff to avail herself of the federal court system. Specifically, Amar and Schaps describe the justices’ various perspectives on the issue and the possible origins and significance of these perspectives.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/11/06/when-does-congresss-recognition-of-an-injury-count-to-the-supreme-court

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:

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:

1968: Ball of Confusion [Sabato’s Crystal Ball, 11/5/15]: A year of chaos that makes today’s political battles seem tame by comparison.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/1968-ball-of-confusion/

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 Dissenters [The Marshall Project, 11/6/15]: Not everybody is aboard the criminal justice reform bandwagon. Here’s why.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/11/06/the-dissenters?ref=hp-1-121

Should noncitizens be protected from excessive force at border? Supreme Court to consider case [LA Times, 11/6/15]: The Supreme Court will consider Friday whether the family of a Mexican teenager shot and killed just across the border can sue the U.S. Border Patrol agent who pulled the trigger.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-court-border-shooting-20151106-story.html

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:

Big businesses back affirmative action before U.S. Supreme Court [Reuters, 11/5/15]: Three major companies, citing the under-representation of minorities in science and technology fields, are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold affirmative action in university admissions in a closely watched case to be argued next month.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/05/usa-court-affirmativeaction-idUSL1N13032020151105

Student admits creating racist post that sparked Berkeley walkout [SF Chron, 11/5/15]: A student at the school admitted to posting the message, which referred to the Ku Klux Klan, used derogatory language related to African Americans and threatened a “public lynching” on Dec. 9, officials said. 

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-students-stage-walkout-over-racist-post-6613109.php