Posts for November 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.

44 percent of Californians speak other than English at home [AP, 11/4/15]:  The census report released Tuesday found that of those who speak a language other than English at home, two-thirds speak Spanish. Latinos are California's largest ethnic group. 

http://www.abc10.com/story/news/local/2015/11/04/california-speak-other-than-english/75137756/

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:

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:

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

The Ryan Revolution [Politico, 11/3/15]:  The new speaker is moving to empower hard-liners and relinquish some of his powers. But there are real risks it could backfire. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/paul-ryan-house-speaker-republicans-215499

Now the hard part: Resolve policy fights on spending bill, avoid holiday season shutdown [AP, 11/3/15]: Despite a broad budget deal, fights over Planned Parenthood, the environment and other policy issues still threaten a spending bill to keep the government running, reviving the possibility of a holiday season shutdown. 

http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2015/11/03/hello-policy-fights-on-spending-bill-bye-budget-goodwill

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

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:

Redskins: US has registered plenty of 'offensive' trademarks [AP, 11/3/15]: As the Washington Redskins defend their federal trademark registration, they argue in court papers that the government has registered plenty of companies with offensive names.

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

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:

School District's Continuing Refusal to Allow Transgender Student to Use Girls' Locker Room Violates Title IX [EdLawProfs blog, 11/3/15]: The Office for Civil Rights OCR found that Township High School District 211 in Palatine, Ill., unlawfully denied a transgender student access to gender-appropriate school facilities in violation of Title IX.

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/education_law/2015/11/ed-school-districts-continuing-refusal-to-allow-transgender-student-to-use-girls-locker-room-violate.html

Houston Voters Reject Gay Rights Law [CNS, 11/4/15]: Houston voters rejected an anti-discrimination measure Tuesday, a win for religious conservatives who claimed it would allow male predators posing as transgendered to enter women's bathrooms; Texas' lieutenant governor called people who supported it "out of touch with common decency."

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/11/04/houston-voters-reject-gay-rights-law.htm

International Law, Citizenship and Immigration [TOPIC 40-42]

U.S. justices skeptical of immigrant's deportation appeal [Reuter, 11/3/15]: A majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices on Tuesday questioned whether a legal immigrant from the Dominican Republic who pleaded guilty in New York to attempted arson in 1999 has grounds to appeal his threatened deportation.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/03/usa-court-immigrant-idUSL1N12Y38M20151103#1uE17bDx5ih77r2v.97

Are the “bin Laden” Memos the New Torture Memos? [Justia, 11/4/15]: Professor Dorf comments on the memoranda that supported the legality of the 2011 Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan. Dorf argues that these “bin Laden” memos are, in at least one respect, as bad as the infamous “torture memos” that authorized the Bush Administration to use “enhanced interrogation” techniques on prisoners suspected of terrorism.

https://verdict.justia.com/2015/11/04/are-the-bin-laden-memos-the-new-torture-memos