The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) is a non-profit organization that studies the use of capital punishment in the United States. The DPIC does not hold a position of its own on the use of the death penalty but simply releases reports on its use throughout the 50 states. And, according to its report released in October 2018, support for the … [Read more...]
Multiple States Move to Expand Government Expression of Religion
A coordinated push by religious groups is resulting in an explosion of legislation across the country that mandates the inclusion of “In God We Trust” in schools and other constitutionally dubious public religious expressions. With a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, activists are hoping any litigation will result in important … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Refuses To Hear States’ Case To Defund Planned Parenthood
The nation's top court refused to hear a case that carried big implications for Planned Parenthood's Medicaid funding, according to Business Insider, . Officials in Louisiana and Kansas, two Republican-led states, contended that health providers can't go to court if they are blocked from Medicaid. The Supreme Court's decision lets stand … [Read more...]
2018 Midterms Preview
The 2018 midterm election projects to be one of the most consequential in recent history. At stake is Congressional oversight of the Trump Administration, the future of the federal court system, impending Congressional re-districting and a staggering range of elected positions. If you've been too busy to obsess over American politics, here are … [Read more...]
Bail Hearings Must Be Open, Says Lawsuit in Dallas County
In courtrooms all over the country, bail hearings are open to the public, but that is not the case in Dallas County, Texas where a class action lawsuit has been filed, and a district court judge has been compelled to order the release of video footage of some of the court’s past bail hearings. The idea of having a bail hearing in open court is … [Read more...]
Judge Kavanaugh’s Radical View of Executive Power
In Tuesday’s opening session of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, Democratic senators expressed concern about the nominee’s views of presidential power. Chris Coons put it bluntly when he said President Trump had nominated Kavanaugh with “an eye to protecting himself.” Mazie Hirono piled on, arguing that Trump’s … [Read more...]
Will Roe v. Wade Survive Kavanaugh?
Falling in lockstep with the Supreme Court’s settled decision to affirm Roe v Wade on three occasions--notably in 1992, when Justice Anthony Kennedy cast the fifth vote to reaffirm Roe--the conservative US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit struck down an Alabama law banning second-trimester dilation and evacuation abortions, despite their … [Read more...]
Trump Continues to Reshape Judicial System
Over Two Dozen U.S. Court of Appeals Judges Appointed During Trump’s First Two Years During a Presidential campaign and election, most of us think about a candidate’s standing on issues like the economy, immigration, and the environment. Rarely do we consider how our vote may affect the judicial system. After Donald Trump was inaugurated in … [Read more...]
What It Takes To Have A Constitutional Crisis
https://youtu.be/wd8LJPDYkKU?rel=0 Ron's Office Hours | NPR From NPR YouTube: The constitution is something of an owners manual for taxpayers. But, like many an owners manual, it doesn't necessarily cover all the bases. A constitutional crisis occurs at a moment when the Constitution is not enough to revolve a question or a conflict. This … [Read more...]
EPA Faces Pressure in Federal Courts
A number of recent court decisions have put pressure on the EPA to fulfill its mission as a protector of the country’s air, water and soil. Administrator Scott Pruitt, a long-time opponent of the EPA, has led the charge on environmental deregulation, purportedly seeking more cost-efficient policies that serve “stakeholders.” It has become clear who … [Read more...]
