Posts for November 15, 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:

Class Dismissed? [Slate, 11/14/15]: Big business says class-action lawsuits have gotten out of control; Will the Roberts court agree?

http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/amicus/2015/11/the_supreme_court_considers_whether_to_limit_workers_ability_to_bring_class.html

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:

Supreme Court's Texas abortion ruling to have broad impact in states [Reuters, 11/14/15]: The court's ruling, due by June, could spell out the extent to which states can impose clinic regulations likely to restrict access to abortion as an outpatient procedure. If the court upholds the Texas law, similar laws would also fall. But if the court rules in favor of the state, then more states would be able to follow suit.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/14/us-usa-court-abortion-states-idUSKCN0T30VV20151114#iYP5LSaMuDfcIrh5.97

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:

Republicans 2016 [Sabato’s Crystal Ball, 11/12/15]: White evangelicals dominate the early calendar, but then become less prominent later in the race.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/republicans-2016-white-evangelicals-dominate-the-early-calendar/

Sanders and O'Malley step up attacks on Clinton in Iowa Democratic debate [SF Chron, 11/15/15]: Seeking to shake up the Democratic race and loosen Hillary Rodham Clinton's front-runner status, rivals Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley repeatedly challenged the former secretary of State on Saturday night in a debate where they largely agreed on most issues.

http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Sanders-facing-key-test-in-Democratic-debate-6632735.php

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

Will Justice Kennedy Save Albert Woodfox? [Brennan Center, 11/15/15]: It now is clear beyond all doubt that state judges in Louisiana, and a majority of the federal appellate judges who oversee that jurisdiction, are never going to let aging, ill, unconvicted Albert Woodfox spend a day of freedom no matter how dubious the capital case is against him. 

https://www.brennancenter.org/analysis/will-justice-kennedy-save-albert-woodfox

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:

Controversies at universities over racist expression inspires commentaries on free speech on campus [FAC, 11/12/15]: With the recent turmoil over racist speech at Yale and University of Missouri, there has been a number of thoughtful commentaries on how controversies about race can complicate free speech issues. 

http://firstamendmentcoalition.org/2015/11/controversies-at-universities-over-racist-expression-inspires-commentaries-on-free-speech-on-campus/

Open government: Gag orders hurt accountability and the public’s right to know [FAC, 11/12/15]: When courts decide lawsuits involving government officials, they too often come with gag orders preventing parties from making public statements. The orders deprive the public of the ability to know what their government is up to, reducing the deterrent value of the lawsuits.

http://firstamendmentcoalition.org/2015/11/open-government-gag-orders-hurt-accountability-and-the-public-right-to-know/

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: