Posts for February 5, 2016

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:

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 American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

The immigration case, made simple [SCOTUS blog, 2/5/16]: Like every other independent nation, America has the right to decide who comes into the country, to stay or just to visit. 

http://www.scotusblog.com/2016/02/the-immigration-case-made-simple/

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:

11 most important moments of the Dem debate [Politico, 2/4/16]:  Email baggage, progressive cred, and dog whistles punctuate the most heated debate of 2016. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/02/democratic-debate-2016-top-moments-218780#ixzz3zG8qtdfR

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

1982 Arizona Death Sentence Overturned [Trial Insider, 2/5/16]: A federal appeals court overturned an Arizona death sentence Thursday because the defendant, Robert Douglas Smith was intellectually disabled at the time of the offense and trial and thus cannot be put to death.

http://www.trialinsider.com/?p=6137

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:

Can Florida restrict doctors' speech to patients about guns? [The Volokh Conspiracy, 2/4/16]: Yesterday, the 11th Circuit agreed to rehear the case challenging Florida’s “Docs vs. Glocks” law, which (among other things) restricts doctors’ speech to patients about guns. A three-judge panel of the court upheld the law, by a 2-1 vote now the full 11-member court will consider the question.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/02/04/can-florida-restrict-doctors-speech-to-patients-about-guns/

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:

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

UN to Zika-affected nations: allow women access to contraception and abortion [Jurist, 2/5/16]: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein Friday urged nations affected by the Zika virus to review their laws and allow women access to contraceptive devices and abortion.

http://jurist.org/paperchase/2016/02/un-to-zika-affected-nations-allow-women-access-to-contraception-and-abortion.php