By: Kristin Godsey, L’18 In Miller v. Alabama, the Supreme Court held that mandatory life without parole sentences are unconstitutional for juvenile offenders because they violate the 8th Amendment.[1] Miller involved two cases where a fourteen-year-old was sentenced to a mandatory term of life without parole.[2] Both sentencing schemes at issue did not allow judges or juries to consider youthful factors and impose a lesser … Continue reading Juvenile Sentencing: Approaches After Miller

By: Tori Zicker, L’18   In 2011, the Department of Education released a Dear Colleague Letter, outlining the requirements and obligations of universities with respect to Title IX and its implementing regulations regarding sexual assault and sexual harassment.[1] This letter, implemented during the Obama Administration, lowered the standard of proof for sexual assault cases to a preponderance of the evidence standard.[2] Some criticized this action, … Continue reading From Preponderance of the Evidence to Clear and Convincing: DeVos’ Rollback of Obama-era Sexual Assault Guidelines

By: Creighton Boggs, L’19 On September 5th, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Trump administration would end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.[1] The deferred deportation program granted temporary relief to approximately 800,000 undocumented immigrants who entered the United States as children.[2] Conservatives have long criticized the program, established by President Obama through executive action in June 2012, as an unconstitutional abuse … Continue reading The Role of State Governments in Enforcing Immigration Policy in Federal Court