Supreme Court Rules on Closely Watched Free Speech Case

Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously on one of the most closely watched free speech decisions in years.  The Court ruled that a tiny religious sect could not force a Utah city to let it erect a monument to its faith in a public park.  For more details, read this NYT  article or read the full opinion.

Topics: Constitutional Law

Arizona v. Johnson – Supreme Court Says Police Officers Can Frisk

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this morning that police officers have leeway to frisk a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation even if nothing indicates that the passenger has committed or is about to commit a crime.  To read the full opinion, go here.  For more details read this Boston Globe article.

Topics: Constitutional Law; Criminal Law

Temple University Free-Speech Case & The Future of Antiharassment Policies

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that a former sexual-harassment policy at Temple University violated students’ freedom of expression. According to Lawrence White, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, the ruling “has cast a shadow over language that up to this point most colleges have felt comfortable using.” 

For more details, read the full opinion here or see the following Chronicle of Higher Education article that was published on August 8, 2008: “Legal Experts Weigh Implications of Temple U. Speech Case.” Also read this Inside Higher Ed article.

Topics: Education Law, Constitutional Law

Supreme Court Statistics (OT 07 Term)

SCOTUSblog recently published its ”Super StatPack” compilation.  This report includes statistics with charts, lists, and observations about the OT 07 Supreme Court Term.  To read the complete report, go here.

Topics: Constitutional Law

 

 

Supreme Court Justices Talk about Brief Writing, Oral Advocacy and Their own Love-Hate Relationships with the Written Word

Take a look at this series of videos  and see eight of the nine justices speaking passionately, sarcastically & angrily into the camera as they answer questions about brief writing, oral advocacy and their own love-hate relationships with the written word.  For more detials, read this article.

Topics: Constitutional Law

Call for Papers – The Paradoxes of Race, Law & Inequality in the US

The University of California, Irvine Law School will host a conference in May 2008 entitled, The Paradoxes of Race, Law & Inequality in the US and is seeking paper submissions.  To have your paper considered, submit your title with an abstract and a c.v. by October 31, 2007.  For more details go here or contact Carroll Seron at seron@uci.edu or Susan Coutin at scoutin@uci.edu.

Topics: Call for Papers; Constitutional Law

Call for Papers – Supreme Court Decisions 2006-2007

The Tulsa Law Review is inviting submissions for their annual Supreme Court review issue.  They’re seeking papers that address any Supreme Court decision from the 2006-2007 term, and within that range, any issue(s) within that decision.  Papers can also examine an issue that spans multiple Supreme Court cases that were decided within the same term. Submission deadline: January 15, 2008.  For more details, go here or here.

Topics: Call for Papers; Constitutional Law

Affirmative Action in American Law Schools

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recently released this report on affirmative action at U.S. law schools.

Topics: Legal Education, Constitutional Law

Constitution Finder

The University of Richmond has put together a really neat database that allows you to access an impressive number of country constitutions, charters, amendments, and other related documents.  Simply select the country your interested in and click go. 

Topics: Constitutional Law, International Law, Technology Trends 

U.S. Supreme Court Hearing Far Fewer Cases

For more details, take a look at this Washington Post article that ran today.  Reporter Robert Barnes explains that “after decades of decline in its caseload, the court is once again on track to take its fewest number of cases in modern history.”

Topic: Constitutional Law; News & Events