USA Archive - Law Commentary

A person using a laptop to video conference with an attorney, surrounded by office supplies and books in the background.

Asylum Seekers Kept in Mexico Get Video Access to Attorneys in the U.S.

The Trump administration has been taking aggressive steps to reduce the number of refugees who are granted asylum in the United States. Besides reducing the availability of asylum generally for refugees, the administration has put restrictions in place intended to make seeking asylum much more difficult. Immigrant rights activists argue... Read More about Asylum Seekers Kept in Mexico Get Video Access to Attorneys in the U.S.

Supreme Court to Decide Important Question for Racial Discrimination Lawsuits

In Comcast Corp. v. National Association of African American-Owned Media, an African American-owned media company called Entertainment Studios Network (ESN) is suing Comcast, arguing that the telecom giant violated a federal law prohibiting racial discrimination in contracts when it declined to carry ESN’s television channels. ESN claims that the decision... Read More about Supreme Court to Decide Important Question for Racial Discrimination Lawsuits

Two teenagers embrace in front of a memorial at Saugus High School, surrounded by flowers and balloons, honoring victims of a school shooting.

Ghost Guns, Background Checks and School Shootings: How Teens Get Guns

On the morning of November 14, 2019, students of Saugus High School gathered in the quad before the start of classes. Nathan Berhow, a student at the Santa Clarita, California, school, reached into his backpack and removed a .45-caliber handgun. Within sixteen seconds, he shot five classmates, killing two and... Read More about Ghost Guns, Background Checks and School Shootings: How Teens Get Guns

A diverse jury seated in a courtroom, listening to an attorney during a trial.

High Jury Verdicts in Los Angeles, San Bernardino Counties Raise Eyebrows

Los Angeles County and neighboring San Bernardino County have recently been home to massive jury verdicts, often dwarfing verdicts in similar (and even related) cases in other jurisdictions. Some lawyers have claimed that this is a problematic trend specific to southern California juries, arguing they demonstrate a need for the... Read More about High Jury Verdicts in Los Angeles, San Bernardino Counties Raise Eyebrows

A gavel in the foreground with a blurred background of people socializing, symbolizing changes in the legal system.

New York Eliminates Cash Bail as We Know It

Bail has been a fixture of New York's criminal justice system since before statehood. Starting in January 2020, however, bail as we know it will no longer be practiced in the majority of cases in the state of New York. Instead, most defendants accused of a crime will not be... Read More about New York Eliminates Cash Bail as We Know It

A person holding the handlebars of a motorized scooter.

Panama City Beach Ban on Motorized Scooters Upheld by Court of Appeals

Motorized scooters, such as those placed on street corners by Lime, Jump, and Bird, have sparked controversy everywhere they’ve landed. The scooters arrived long before local government agencies had the opportunity to put safety or traffic regulations in place that would provide limits on how, when, and by whom the... Read More about Panama City Beach Ban on Motorized Scooters Upheld by Court of Appeals

A young person sitting on a skateboard by a waterfront, exhaling vapor from an e-cigarette.

States Take Action Against Vaping while Feds Drag their Heels

The vaping industry is having a bad autumn. Between mysterious lung illnesses and the skyrocketing rate of teen e-cigarette use, e-cigarette makers like Juul are seeing massive losses. Several states and cities are now developing laws to limit the growing popularity of vaping among children and teens, while the federal... Read More about States Take Action Against Vaping while Feds Drag their Heels

A damaged car after a collision with a Brightline train, with emergency responders on the scene.

Fatal Crash on Aventura Train Tracks North of Miami

A tragic crash occurred on Friday, November 15th, when a woman in a Mercedes SUV was struck by a Brightline train and killed. The accident occurred in northeast Miami-Dade County at the intersection of Ives Dairy Road and West Dixie Highway, across from the Aventura Mall and near 200th Street... Read More about Fatal Crash on Aventura Train Tracks North of Miami

A California Highway Patrol vehicle in motion.

California Legislature Sets New Limits for Use of Deadly Force by Law Enforcement

Earlier this year, the California legislature passed Assembly Bill 392, regarding police use of force. The bill passed 68 to 0 in the Assembly and 34 to 3 in the Senate, and Governor Newsom signed it into law on August 18th. The new law sets new standards for when the... Read More about California Legislature Sets New Limits for Use of Deadly Force by Law Enforcement

Lake County, Florida emblem featuring a heron, palm trees, and a scenic background.

Lake County, Florida, Joins Ranks of “Second Amendment Sanctuary” Counties

The Board of Commissioners for Lake County, Florida, unanimously passed a resolution declaring the county a “Second Amendment Sanctuary” in November 2019, making it Florida’s first county to do so. Other Florida counties have expressed interest in following suit. Lake County joins a handful of municipalities in Texas, Arizona, Illinois,... Read More about Lake County, Florida, Joins Ranks of “Second Amendment Sanctuary” Counties

A person holding a sign that reads "DEFEND DACA" at a protest supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Are We Facing the End of DACA?

The Trump administration is working to end deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. The administration’s efforts to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program have come to a head in a legal battle before the Supreme Court. The Court heard oral arguments on the related DACA matters on... Read More about Are We Facing the End of DACA?

An abstract illustration depicting a person placing a red block in a puzzle on a wall, representing the complexities of identity and mental health.

California Moves to Ban Gay Conversion Therapy as a Fraudulent Business Practice

A bill aiming to limit conversion therapy (or “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts”), the practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation, passed the California Assembly on April 19, 2018. Citing reports from the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and various other medical organizations on the limited effectiveness... Read More about California Moves to Ban Gay Conversion Therapy as a Fraudulent Business Practice

A gavel resting on a stack of cash with handcuffs nearby, symbolizing bail reform and the justice system.

Incarcerated but Not Convicted - Bail Reform in New York

Governor Cuomo wants to eliminate cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent feloniesIs it right that the poor should languish in jail while awaiting trial simply because they can't afford bail? Governor Cuomo doesn't think so. His State of the State address earlier this year announced his desire to eliminate cash... Read More about Incarcerated but Not Convicted - Bail Reform in New York

The Conception boat anchored near coastal cliffs, identified by its name on the hull.

Conception Boat Fire Victims May Be Prevented from Suing for Damages, based on 19th Century Law

The Labor Day fire on board a chartered diving boat off the coast of Santa Barbara is considered to be the worst maritime disaster in the history of the State of California. The survivors of the accident and the victims’ family members who choose to seek damages through litigation could... Read More about Conception Boat Fire Victims May Be Prevented from Suing for Damages, based on 19th Century Law

Close-up of hands gripping prison bars, symbolizing confinement and legal issues.

Miami-Dade Corrections Officer Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman under His Supervision

A Miami-Dade corrections officer is under arrest and charged with the kidnapping and rape of a woman under his supervision. The man in custody, Yulian Gonzalez, is an 11-year veteran of the Department. He was last reported as being held without bail.According to multiple news media sources, Gonzalez, 36, is... Read More about Miami-Dade Corrections Officer Accused of Sexually Assaulting Woman under His Supervision