Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Posts for June 28, 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 (5th ed.) student textbook.

I. Introduction to Law, the Constitution, and the Supreme Court [See TOPICS 1-10 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Court to hear major new controversies — next Term [SCOTUS blog, 6/28/16]: Amid prospects that the Supreme Court will still be operating with one fewer Justice well into its next Term, the Justices on Tuesday added eight new cases for hearing and decision after the summer recess, with major controversies among the cases.

Supreme Court Will Review Unusual Citizenship Law [AP, 6/28/16]: The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to referee a dispute about an odd piece of U.S. citizenship law that treats men and women differently. The justices said they will hear a case about a law that applies only to children born outside the U.S. to one parent who is an American and one who is not. The law makes it easier for children whose mother is a citizen to become citizens themselves.
The case, Lynch v. Morales-Santana, can be accessed here:
The 2nd Circuit Opinion can be found here:

Quick Note: 5-4 Decisions and Equally Divided Votes Since 1946 [“Empirical SCOTUS blog,” 6/28/16]: This Term in the Supreme Court there were zero 5-4 split decisions, including the cases where Justice Scalia voted.  Some have speculated that this could be a unique occurrence; specifically a Term with nine Justices and no 5-4 votes. See the charge on the votes!

II. Defining the Political System: Federalism and Checks and Balances [See TOPICS 11-15 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

This Lawyer's First Supreme Court Case Just Decided The Fate Of Abortion Rights [Huff Post, 6/27/16]: Relatively inexperienced women have now won the three most important abortion rights cases in American history.

Abortion providers aim to reopen some closed Texas clinics [Reuters, 6/27/16]: Abortion providers in Texas reacted with surprise and elation on Monday to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to throw out the state's restrictive abortion law and said they aimed to reopen some clinics shut down since the measure was passed in 2013.

The Supreme Court's Just Application of the Undue-Burden Standard for Abortion [New Yorker, 6/27/16]: With its ruling today in the Texas abortion case Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, the Supreme Court reinvigorated the “undue burden” standard, and with it the fundamental right to abortion. 

Opinion analysis: Abortion rights reemerge strongly [Lyle Denniston in the SCOTUS blog, 6/27/16]: Putting the right to abortion back on the same constitutional footing the Supreme Court laid down nearly a quarter-century ago, a divided Supreme Court on Monday swept away new forms of state restrictions on the way clinics can function.

III. The Political System: Voting and Campaigns [See TOPICS 16-20 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

IV. Criminal Law and Procedure (4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th amendments) [See TOPICS 21-28 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit

White House announces series of measures for incarcerated individuals [Jurist, 6/25/16]: The White House announced on Friday a series of programs aimed at ensuring that former prisoners have better resources to transition back into the community. 

V. 1st Amendment (Speech, Religion, Press and Assembly) [See TOPICS 29-33 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

VI. 14th Amendment, Discrimination, Privacy, Working, Citizenship & Immigration [See TOPICS 34-41 in the 5th edition of Constitutional Law] Here
are some recent articles that are relevant to this unit:

Supreme Court to take case of girl’s service dog [CBS News / AP, 6/28/16]: The Supreme Court is taking up an appeal from an 11-year-old Michigan girl with cerebral palsy who wasn't allowed to bring her service dog to school. The justices said Tuesday they will consider whether Ehlena Fry's family can sue the school district for violations of federal disability laws.
The case, Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools, can be accessed here:
The 6th Circuit opinion can be found here:





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