Posts for December 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:

Justices Upend DirecTV Class Action in California [CNS, 12/14/15]: California courts should have forced a would-be class to arbitrate their case over DirecTV's early termination fees.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/12/14/justices-upend-directv-class-action-in-california.htm

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:

The legal fate of Obamacare: Round 4 [SCOTUS blog, 12/11/15]: Assuring that the legal threats to the new federal health care law will continue to unfold in the final year of President Barack Obama’s term in the White House, the Supreme Court turns next to the plea of religious non-profit schools, colleges, hospitals and charities to be exempted from any role in carrying out the law’s promise of free contraceptives to working women and some students. 

http://www.scotusblog.com/2015/12/the-legal-fate-of-obamacare-round-4/

You can follow the interesting Zubik v. Burwell symposium postings at:

http://www.scotusblog.com/category/special-features/contraceptive-mandate-symposium/zubik-v-burwell-symposium/

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:

Voter equality: The Supreme Court seems suddenly worried about partisan gerrymandering [The Economist, 12/14/15]: On December 8th, the Supreme Court heard back to back arguments in cases involving the idea that everyone’s vote should bear roughly equal weight—the so-called “one person, one vote” principle that was developed in a series of cases in the 1960s.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2015/12/voter-equality

Trump hits a new high in national poll [Politico, 12/14/15]: Donald Trump just got a little more vault in his ceiling. Nationwide, the polling-obsessed Manhattan multi-billionaire and leading Republican presidential candidate broke into the 40s on Monday.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/poll-trump-new-high-216741

Trump, Rubio weigh in on Supreme Court ahead of debate [SF Chron, 12/14/15]: The Supreme Court probably won’t be a featured topic at Tuesday night’s Republican presidential debate. But a couple of candidates have weighed in on the subject recently — Donald Trump on the justices he likes and doesn’t, and Marco Rubio on how he would use his court appointments to overturn this year’s ruling on same-sex marriage.

http://blog.sfgate.com/politics/2015/12/14/trump-rubio-weigh-in-on-supreme-court-ahead-of-debate/

Legislation and the Legislative Process (TOPIC 20)

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

Group wants voters to do away with California death penalty [SF Chron, 12/14/15]: Opponents of state’s death penalty began an initiative campaign Monday to repeal the state's capital punishment law at the polls in November and said they've lined up some conservative support and $2 million in financial backing.

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Group-wants-voters-to-do-away-with-California-6697891.php

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:

Sikh Soldier Allowed to Keep Beard in Rare Army Exception [NY Times, 12/13/15]: On his first day at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Simratpal Singh sat in a barber chair where new cadets get their hair buzzed short, forced to choose between showing his faith and living it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/14/us/sikh-soldier-allowed-to-keep-beard-in-rare-army-exception.html?_r=0

Legally Censoring Speech on Vaccines and Autism: A Response [Jurist, 12/11/15]: Are those who make a connection between autism and vaccines yelling "fire" in a crowded theater? Or, alternatively, are those who seek to suppress free speech trying to restrict people from yelling "fire" in a theater when there is indeed a fire, thus escalating potential harm?

http://jurist.org/forum/2015/12/mary-holland-vaccines-autism.php

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:

Scalia's Rant and Alito's Reasoning [Slate, 12/11/15]:  Which will influence Anthony Kennedy and determine the fate of affirmative action in Fisher?

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2015/12/scalia_s_rant_and_alito_s_reasoning_in_the_fisher_supreme_court_oral_arguments.html

 

High Court Stays Ruling in Lesbian Custody Case [CNS, 12/14/15]: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday stayed a ruling by Alabama's highest court that said the state should not recognize a lesbian mother's adoption of three children in neighboring Georgia.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/12/14/high-court-stays-ruling-in-lesbian-custody-case.htm

 

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

White House Praises Climate Change Pact [CNS, 12/14/15]: The Obama administration and the European Union congratulated world leaders on Monday for their "ambitious" agreement to curb the impact of climate change and hold global warming below 2 degrees Celsius.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2015/12/14/white-house-praises-climate-change-pact.htm