Written by Sara Arora, L’26 The first Amendment is a cornerstone of the functioning of the American system of democracy. During the development and ratification of the Constitution, Anti-Federalists had concerns that without a bill of rights, the federal government would wrest liberty from the people. [1] After much debate, twelve amendments to the constitution were proposed and … Continue reading Speech and Protest Rights: Vietnam and Palestine
Written by Sarah Harker, L’26 The Supreme Court broke ground four years ago when Bostock fundamentally changed the jurisprudence regarding LGBTQ+ discrimination.[1] . Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion broke down Title VII’s anti-sex discrimination mandate to its most rudimentary level and concluded that discrimination on the basis of LGBTQ+ status inherently requires an employer to treat that employee differently because of their sex.[2] The court explained … Continue reading An Overview of Recent Circuit Court Cases Analyzing Bostock in the Title IX Context
Written by Sarah Stuart, L’26 Few subjects haunt the American consciousness like crime. From Richard Nixon’s “Law and Order” campaign in 1968, to the 1994 Crime Bill and the uprisings of 2020, the national spotlight has remained on criminal justice for decades.[1] In the midst of this polarizing conversation sits probation: rarely discussed when compared with pressing injustices such as police brutality and mass incarceration … Continue reading Invisible Prisons: The Promise and Failure of Probation
Written by Aislin Murphy, L’26 The 2024 SCOTUS term, with all its precedent setting and overturning, will no doubt go down as one of the more controversial, politically-charged Supreme Court terms in modern memory. The mid-summer decisions of Loper Bright v. Raimondo and Trump v. US particularly exemplify this controversy, the former granting the Judiciary far more power in agency rulemaking than it has had … Continue reading Presidential Immunity and Chevron Deference
As a native of Richmond, Virginia, I am no stranger to southern Protestantism and the (increasingly waning) cultural dominance of conservative Christianity in the South. Practically since birth, I was raised attending the same Baptist Church that my father and his brothers were raised in decades earlier. But, as with many young Christians, my doubts grew bigger as I grew … Continue reading The Freedom to Control: Conservative Christianity as an Anti-Civil Rights Force by Carly Lester
By: Katie Hall Under current case law, political, or partisan, gerrymandering is a federally legal practice legislators can utilize to ensure their parties secure legislative seats. The Supreme Court heard cases of partisan gerrymandering throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, establishing different standards for evaluating its constitutionality. In 2019, the Supreme Court decided in Rucho v. Common Cause that partisan gerrymandering was a non-justiciable … Continue reading Creating a New Standard for Assessing the Unconstitutionality of Political Gerrymandering
By Emma Wilson 36% of Americans reported feeling “serious loneliness” according to a study by Harvard Graduate School of Education.[1] American individualism and isolation are an epidemic which is corroding the well-being of society. [2] Growing homelessness, apathy to disasters, increased cynicism, and political frustration are hallmarks of American socio-political life today.[3] Unfortunately, this reality of American life was prophesied in the early 1800s by … Continue reading How Urban Planning Can Increase a Sense of Community
By: Sophie Fields In many high-poverty communities, the challenges often perceived as “struggles” by those in more affluent circumstances are a product of limited access to adequate funding and opportunities. Moreover, it’s important to recognize that there are rarely one-size-fits-all answers to systemic issues such as lack of affordable housing. Specifically, the implementation of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) in communities create significant opportunities and … Continue reading Empowering Communities: A Look at the Future of LIHTC
By: Gracie Elliott I started working at the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) shortly after my 1L year came to an end. Originally, I was working with the Board of Local and Regional Jails (BOLRJ). “The role of the board is to establish standards and guidelines for local and regional jails that are designed to guarantee the health, safety, and welfare of staff and offenders … Continue reading Enhanced Sanctions and the Disciplinary Process for Drug Offenses in Virginia Jails and Prisons
By: Caroline Brady The Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution asserts that “excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.”[1] The Constitution does not require bail but mandates that when bail is given, it cannot be excessive.[2] The Supreme Court held that bail is excessive when it is set at … Continue reading The Elimination of Cash Bail in Illinois
