Posts for September 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:

The Empty Seat [Baltimore Sun editorial, 9/1/16]: Wednesday marked the 200th day since the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-garland-20160901-story.html

The Supreme Court is never going to look like America. Get used to it. [Wash Post, 9/5/16]: Sonia Sotomayor told those gathered at the lavish Broadmoor resort for the 10th Circuit Bench and Bar Conference that the court is simply not engineered to mirror a changing America.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/the-supreme-court-is-never-going-to-look-like-america-get-used-to-it/2016/09/04/aa8c48f2-72ab-11e6-8149-b8d05321db62_story.html

Supreme Court's Sonia Sotomayor charms CU crowd [Denver Post, 9/2/16]: For a revered jurist, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor sure can work a crowd.

http://www.denverpost.com/2016/09/02/supreme-courts-sotomayor-charms-cu-crowd/

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:

One Texas Supreme Court Justice: States Can Deny Same-Sex Spousal Benefits to 'Encourage Procreation [Slate,9/4/16]: The opinion, while a minority one, is an ominous sign that conservative judges are striving to work around Obergefell v. Hodges and affirm the constitutionality of state-sponsored anti-gay discrimination.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2016/09/02/texas_supreme_court_justice_wants_to_deny_same_sex_spousal_benefits.html

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:

Lobbying for California's 2.3 million community college students with a $0 budget [EB Times, 9/4/16]: For months they juggled classes, schoolwork and exams with testimony, endless meetings and midnight trips to Sacramento -- all on their own dime.

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/california/ci_30328146/lobbying-californias-2-3-million-community-college-students?source=rss

Labor Day marks ‘home stretch’ for campaign season [SF Chron, 9/4/16]: While Labor Day isn’t what it used to be in the political world, the end-of-summer holiday is still a useful reminder that election day is looming.

http://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Labor-Day-marks-home-stretch-for-campaign-9202409.php?t=5c888ba66e7d4f3860&cmpid=twitter-premium

Trump cuts into Clinton’s lead as crucial stretch begins [Politico, 9/4/16]: Both teams prepare for the biggest moment of 2016 – the Sept. 26 debate. 

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/09/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-september-debate-227714

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

The Interview: PA prisons boss John Wetzel confronts the complexities of juvie lifers' new sentences [Phil. Daily News, 9/5/16]: The U.S. Supreme Court this year ruled that juveniles sentenced to life with no chance of parole must be given new sentencing hearings. In Pennsylvania, which has more juvenile lifers than any state, this is a massive undertaking.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/20160904_The_Interview__PA_prisons_boss_John_Wexel_confronts_the_complexities_of_juvie_lifers__new_sentences.html

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:

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:

Back to school with no resolution in Gloucester transgender case [Newport News (Va.) Daily Press, 9/3/16]: Gavin Grimm, now a 17-year-old rising senior, begins his final year at Gloucester High School on Tuesday. He won't be able to use the same restroom as his male classmates — a battle he's been fighting since the transgender student started living life as a boy prior to his sophomore year.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/gloucester-county/dp-nws-mid-grimm-back-to-school-20160903-story.html

AP Interview: Teen at center transgender bathroom fight [AP, 9/5/16]: College applications and high school graduation are the biggest worries for most 17-year-olds. For Gavin Grimm, it's waiting for the nation's highest court to decide whether he can use the boys restroom.

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

Ten Men vs. J&L Steel [Beaver County (Pa.) Times, 9/4/16]: How a Supreme Court case rooted in Beaver County forever changed America's labor movement.

http://www.timesonline.com/news/business/ten-men-vs-j-l-steel-how-a-supreme-court/article_f1113ea4-6fb8-11e6-8b7d-e79d98dedb4b.html

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

Philippines President declares "state of lawlessness" [Jurist, 9/4/16]: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared the country in "a state of lawlessness" on Saturday following a suspected terrorist attack in Davao City on Friday. Duterte expressed his belief that the explosion, which killed 14 people and injured at least 71 more, was an act of terrorism and declared a "state of lawlessness," which would allow police and military personnel to frisk individuals and search cars.

http://www.jurist.org/paperchase/2016/09/philippines-president-declares-state-of-lawlessness.php