By Victoria Hagerott Many comparisons can be made between the United States’ reactions to Pearl Harbor and 9/11. Throughout history, the United States has continually violated civil liberty in the name of national security. Understanding how the United States may react to future threats is crucial to protecting civil rights. Pearl Harbor started the United States’ involvement in the most significant and deadliest war in … Continue reading A World Created by Fear
By Nick Kaye The Rise of the “High-Crime Area” Factor In Illinois v. Wardlow, the United States Supreme Court held that an individual’s mere presence in a “high-crime area” is a significant factor in determining whether an investigative detention, commonly known as a “Terry stop” or “stop and frisk,” is constitutional under the Fourth Amendment.[1] Specifically, the Court held that presence in a “high-crime area,” … Continue reading Criminalizing Communities: The Inherent Problem with the “High-Crime Area” Factor in Fourth Amendment Analysis
By: Sarah Gokelman In March of this year, a man in Louisiana was convicted of sexual offenses against a juvenile.[1] His prison sentence of 35 years was accompanied by conditions you might expect for such an offense–sex offender registration, no contact with the victims involved, etc.[2] But one of these conditions may surprise you. Upon his release from prison, Ryan Clark will be required … Continue reading Chemically Convicted: An Overlooked Violation of the Eighth Amendment
By: Jack Ellis Two trends in American jurisprudence stand poised to collide: The rise in religious exemptions from our laws[1], and the encroaching restrictions on reproductive rights[2]. The cage match where these two conservative legal aims will come head to head may have an unlikely referee, Satan. The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic religion with 46 American congregations and over 700,000 members (which places it … Continue reading The Fight For Religious Reproductive Rights: Satanic Law
By: Tucker Weiser Recent protests across the United States have brought with them a reckoning on symbols. From statutes in town centers, to our nation’s founding fathers, the discussion on what or who constitutes “America” has been filled with controversy and gained constant national attention. One aspect of the reckoning on our symbols has gained very little attention, but could be one of … Continue reading Our Flag Means Discrimination: The Rise of State Flag Referendums
By: Jim Geary INTRODUCTION What factors do courts consider to determine if a remote-work accommodation request is reasonable under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”)? The ADA requires all employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals unless doing so would be an undue burden.[1] This did not change throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to the need to avoid in-person operations during the pandemic … Continue reading Remote-Work Accommodation Requests Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
By: Andrew Jacobs What is “Cancer Alley”? “Cancer Alley” is often considered to be the roughly 130-mile corridor of the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.[1] The area’s population is roughly 45,000 people and is predominantly composed of Black communities.[2] Home to over 200 industrial facilities – mainly oil refineries, petrochemical plants, and plastics manufacturing plants – the harmful pollution from these sources … Continue reading “Cancer Alley”: Louisiana Politicians’ Denial of Its Existence Won’t Make It Go Away
By: Adrianna Carpenter A. Beyond the Cement and Glass: What is Cop City? In southeast Atlanta, there is a forest. This forest is home to wetlands that filter rainwater and prevent flooding.[1] It is also one of the last breeding grounds for many amphibians in the region, as well as being an important migration site for wading birds.[2] Community members enjoy walking their dogs along … Continue reading The Forest is Everywhere: How the State is Criminalizing Protest and Dissent in the Fight to Build Cop City
By Mariam Rasooli On December 9, 2021, employees of a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York voted to become the first unionized Starbucks in the nation, by a vote of 19-8.[1] The unionization of this store triggered a surge of organizing efforts in other locations across the country. Within less than a year, in October 2022, employees at an estimated 245 Starbucks locations had voted to … Continue reading The Unionization Surge of Starbucks
By Rachel Ranieri The Trafficking Victims Protection Act criminalizes human trafficking under federal law. [1] Concurrently, all states have criminalized human trafficking.[2] The laws surrounding human trafficking have a substantial impact on victims, who are often forced to commit criminal offenses.[3] Many state criminal laws do not recognize exceptions or give immunity from prosecution for victims of human trafficking who are forced to engage in … Continue reading Human Trafficking: Victims Treated as Criminals
