The voting case Republican Party of Pennsylvania v. Boockvar technically should have ended in Pennsylvania with the state supreme court’s decision. The highest authority on a state’s laws is that state’s judiciary—not the federal one. Justice Samuel Alito describes the petitioning of this state-decided matter to the U.S. Supreme Court... Read More »
Modern concerns over climate change have thrust the environment into the international spotlight, but not for the first time. In the 1960s, industrialism in the United States led to environmental degradation that became difficult to deny. In one alarming example, the Cuyahoga River caught fire. The flames on the surface... Read More »
In a time when seeking a college degree equates to willfully taking on long-term debt, the merits of formal education had already come into question before the pandemic. Recently, in the light of COVID-19 shutdowns, the U.S. university system has evoked more than the usual begrudging frustration from paying student... Read More »
The Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled that Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s executive orders regarding COVID-19 restrictions are unconstitutional. They said that she is not allowed to add or extend restrictions after April 30. Whitmer had said that the state needed more time in order to "allow for an orderly transition during... Read More »
Once every decade, the U.S. is bombarded by the pleasantly passive marketing of the census. Ad campaigns gently inform residents of the census’s significance, matter-of-factly highlighting voter representation and the values of civic duty. The 2020 census, however, has joined the ranks of other once-unshakeable institutions now eyed by the... Read More »
Instances of race-based hair discrimination are not uncommon. Chastity Jones is part of a long list of roadblocked cases alleging race-based hair discrimination in workplaces and schools. However, as court decisions and Congress appear optimistically receptive to change, cases like hers may now receive a national legal reckoning. Jones was... Read More »
Senate judiciary meetings for President Donald Trump’s newest nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, have concluded, with a committee vote set for October 22. The proximity of her potential confirmation to the upcoming election sparked immediate controversy, including several calls for Barrett to recuse herself from... Read More »
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, filing a claim against the negligent driver with his or her insurance company can be an intimidating process. Insurance company adjustors and lawyers can manipulate you into making inconsistent or damaging statements that hurt your case. They can also seriously undervalue your... Read More »
The Electoral College was established by the Founding Fathers during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. There were some who thought that Congress should elect the President. Others thought that it should be left up to a popular vote. The Electoral College was a compromise. The Electoral College is a group... Read More »
Florida is one of 18 states in the U.S. with a system in place to directly involve the public in passing amendments to the state constitution. Over the years, this form of “direct democracy” has helped introduce meaningful legislation with powerful participation from the people themselves, rather than depending solely... Read More »
One would struggle to argue that 2020's presidential election is a normal one for the United States. Between the coronavirus pandemic and racial unrest, this year is undoubtedly historic. It is worth remembering that even in our relatively short national history, the American people have weathered other unusual and even... Read More »
The U.S. Constitution lays out some bare guidelines for voting in elections, but states carry most of the weight themselves. The Constitution does not guarantee voting as a right, exactly, and the consequences of that omission have rippled over the years. According to Section 2 of Article IV, states are... Read More »
Christopher Marlowe has, perhaps, stepped ever so slightly to stage left in order to make room for a guitarist named Randy Wolfe—or, as he was known, Randy California. But, just as William Shakespeare will eternally clutch the most pertinent spotlight with Marlowe in the shadows, Wolfe and his band Spirit... Read More »
The Constitutionality of No-Knock Warrants: A Potentially Deadly The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution protects individuals' rights against "unreasonable searches and seizures." It also establishes that law enforcement may only obtain a warrant when they have probable cause. Of course, as is often the case with the Constitution,... Read More »
With November 3 approaching, most of the country is focused on the big names of the 2020 general election, and the words “split roll” aren’t set to dominate the headlines anytime soon. But in California, those words are all the more significant in light of the onslaught of pandemic updates,... Read More »
