Posts for December 2, 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:

A Day in Court With Judge Margaret Ryan, Possible SCOTUS Nominee [NLJ, 12/1/16]: Judge Margaret "Meg" Ryan of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces doesn't match the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's combative questioning and bluster during oral argument. But during a recent session of her court, Ryan was an active questioner nonetheless—soft-spoken but persistent, aiming more questions than her colleagues at the lawyers in uniform who were arguing before them.

http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202773579289/A-Day-in-Court-With-Judge-Margaret-Ryan-Possible-Scotus-Nominee

UCLA law clinic takes two cases to U.S. Supreme Court [UCLA Newsroom, 12/1/16]: Law students, faculty prepare briefs on the merits.

http://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/ucla-law-clinic-takes-two-cases-to-the-u-s-supreme-court

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:

California’s brewing battles with Trump get a new face [Politico / CallBuzz, 12/1/16]: With his nomination to become California’s first Latino attorney general, Rep. Xavier Becerra is now primed to be the public face of the Democratic resistance to Donald Trump on issues like climate change, health care and, most visibly, immigration.

http://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2016/12/becerras-ag-nomination-in-ca-signals-a-pushback-to-trump-from-the-left-coast-107762

http://www.calbuzz.com/2016/12/why-browns-choice-of-becerra-for-ag-is-brilliant/

Texas ‘Miscarriage Funeral’ Bill Takes Effect Dec. 19 [CNS, 12/2/16]: All embryonic tissue, including miscarriages, must be buried or cremated in Texas beginning Dec. 19 under new rules that opponents call a “thinly veiled” attempt to shame women and make it harder to obtain abortions.

http://www2.courthousenews.com/texas-miscarriage-funeral-bill-takes-effect-dec-19/

The American Presidency [TOPIC 15]

 Trump rubs salt in the wounds of his rivals [Politico, 12/1/16]: In his first public rally since winning the presidency, Donald Trump casually announced a cabinet pick and used soaring rhetoric to outline an ambitious, unifying vision for the next four years—before veering off script and rubbing his stunning victory in his detractor’s faces.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-victory-tour-232081

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:

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

Dylann Roof shouldn't be allowed to act as his own lawyer [Reuters, 12/1/16]: Dylann Roof, the avowed white supremacist accused of killing nine black parishioners at a historic Charleston, South Carolina church last year, is a 22-year-old man with a presumed history of drug use. He did not graduate from high school. He could be sentenced to death if a jury finds him guilty. And yet he is acting as his own lawyer to defend himself against 33 federal charges of murder and hate crimes.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-self-representation-commentary-idUSKBN13Q4UN

First Jail Sentence Under Oregon’s Revenge Porn Law [CNS. 12/2/16]: A 31-year-old Oregon man will be the first to serve jail time under the state’s revenge porn law, for sharing pornographic videos online without his partner’s consent.

http://www2.courthousenews.com/first-jail-sentence-under-oregons-revenge-porn-law/

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:

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

Supreme Court divided on rights of immigrants facing deportation [USA Today / Bloomberg . NPR, 12/1/16]: President-elect Donald Trump wants to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, but the Supreme Court appeared potentially deadlocked Wednesday over how long immigrants facing deportation can be detained without court hearings.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2016/11/30/supreme-court-divided-rights-immigrants-facing-deportation/94670228/

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-11-30/deportation-clash-divides-u-s-supreme-court-justices

http://www.npr.org/2016/11/30/503902528/supreme-court-tests-whether-detained-immigrants-have-right-to-hearing

When can a constitutional issue be avoided? [Constitution Daily, 11/30/16]: Lyle Denniston, Constitution Daily’s Supreme Court correspondent, looks at a dilemma facing an eight-person Supreme Court trying to decide the legality of an immigrant detention law.

http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2016/11/when-can-a-constitutional-issue-be-avoided/