By MAEVE SILK Gerrymandering is the process of drawing electoral district lines in order to gain unfair political advantage. Beginning in the post-Civil War era, illegal “packing” and “cracking” techniques were used in the South to limit the voting power of the black population.[1] The most recent cycle of redistricting … Continue reading Legality of Gerrymandering
GUULR Blog
A Brief Consideration of Sexual Assault Cases in the Criminal Justice System
By LINDSEY CLARK Over the past few years, the #MeToo movement on social media has shed a harsh light on the realities of sexual assault. Across many industries, women are speaking out against their attackers. These brave leaders inspire others who have experienced sexual assault to voice their traumatic experiences. … Continue reading A Brief Consideration of Sexual Assault Cases in the Criminal Justice System
National Security Whistleblowers and the Espionage Act
By CHLOE WALLACE The Espionage Act of 1917 intended to put limits on the First Amendment during wartime in order to mitigate fears of potential traitorous American soldiers and spies.[i] Although this was a wartime measure, several provisions of it are still active. Section 793 of the Act, in recent … Continue reading National Security Whistleblowers and the Espionage Act
Legality of Environmental Justice
By ALEX RAGLAND Environmental justice has heavily relied on the argument of federal common law of public nuisance for its argument. A public nuisance is “an act that causes incontinent or damage to public health or that obstructs public rights.”[i] The first link between pollution and public nuisance was created … Continue reading Legality of Environmental Justice
Presidential Power
By QUENTIN LEVIN On Friday, January 3, 2020, the U.S. military, on the orders of the President of the United States, conducted an airstrike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, along with several other people traveling with him in Iraq. The attack was both politically and legally divisive in the … Continue reading Presidential Power
Paying NCAA Student-Athletes
By DANNY MCCOOEY After years of petitioning the NCAA for payment, collegiate student-athletes finally saw some progress in their favor over the past few months. On September 27th of this year, California passed SB 206 or the California Fair Pay to Play Act. The law, scheduled to be implemented in … Continue reading Paying NCAA Student-Athletes
Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky: Upholding Grounds for Free Speech
By DUSTIN HARTUV Before 2018, Minnesota Statute § 211B.II prevented individuals from wearing politically affiliated symbols/clothing at polling booths on election days.[i] The statute was relatively broad, and so officials would distribute information to polling booth administrators to define specific articles of clothing that failed to uphold the rules outlined in the statute. … Continue reading Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky: Upholding Grounds for Free Speech
The International Law of Drones
By MATTHEW BUCKWALD “The United States Government is fully committed to complying with its obligations under the law of armed conflict, minimizing, to the greatest extent possible, civilian casualties, and acknowledging responsibility when they unfortunately occur during military operations," said a spokesperson for National Security Council on the day that President Trump decided to revoke … Continue reading The International Law of Drones
Libel Law—Past and Present
By JILLIAN AICHER The historic significance of U.S. libel law—that is, the area of law concerning written or published defamation—can be understood in considering the questioning of free speech in early American laws, such as the Sedition Act of 1798, and in the notable Peter Zenger trial.[i] Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ February 19th concurring … Continue reading Libel Law—Past and Present
Intersectionality and Immigration: How Race, Class, and Gender Play into Debates Surrounding DACA
By KAITLIN HUGHES Immigration has played a controversial role in the American political landscape for decades, especially as the world globalizes and political parties in the U.S. become more divisive. Since the Obama administration’s implementation of the executive order entitled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, immigration policy has come to the forefront of … Continue reading Intersectionality and Immigration: How Race, Class, and Gender Play into Debates Surrounding DACA