Abstract: This study explores and evaluates the application of the death penalty in Connecticut from 1973 until 2007, a period during which 4686 murders were committed in the state. The objective is to assess whether the system operates lawfully and reasonably or is marred by arbitrariness, caprice, or discrimination. My [...]
The Supreme Court on health reform: day three
This week the Supreme Court is devoting an impressive six hours of argument, over three days, to the Affordable Care Act. Four different federal Courts of Appeal had reached decisions about various provisions of the Act; the Court asked to hear arguments about four specific issues:
1.Does the Anti-Injunction Act keep [...]
Congress Should Fix the Copyright Mess
The real story behind the recent blow-up over legislation regulating piracy on the Internet has less to do with the fears of motion picture studios or the intransigence of technology companies than with the legislative process itself. By taking their lead exclusively from copyright owners, and failing substantively to consult [...]
The Bill of Rights Doesn’t Come Cheap
The Following is an excerpt an op ed by Associate Professor of Law Jeffrey Fisher printed in The New York Times on Dec 2, 2011 ON Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Williams v. Illinois, the latest in a string of cases addressing whether the Sixth [...]
“Coal Mine Safety: Do Unions Make a Difference?”
Professor of Law and John A. Wilson Distinguished Faculty Scholar Alison D. Morantz in her recent working paper series examines the relationship between unionization and underground, bituminous coal mine safety from 1993 to 2008. Her study uses a more comprehensive dataset and updated methodology and finds that [...]
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Fall Issue Preview: STUDYING PRISON REALIGNMENT IN REAL TIME
The photos flashing on the screen required little explanation, though Michael Bien offered it anyway to students assembled for their third meeting of the fall quarter‘s Advanced Seminar on Criminal Law & Public Policy: A Research Practicum.
“Areas that once provided recreation space are now lined with bunk beds, some three [...]
Believing in the Goodness of People
In the latest issue of the Texas Law Review (89), Dean Larry Kramer joined Judge Marsha Berzon, Frank Michelman, and several legal scholars in a “Book Review Symposium” for which each contributed a review of Justice Brennan:Liberal Champion by Seth Stern and Stephen Wermiel. Here is an excerpt from Kramer’s article Believing in the Goodness of People:
Judicial biography [...]
Me, Inc.
In her latest column for Boston Review, Professor Karlan explores the Supreme Court’s decision Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and the idea of corporations as people. Here is an excerpt:
When the Supreme Court heard Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific Railroad Co. in 1886, few would have pegged the case as a turning [...]
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Prof. Hank Greely with the Center for Law and the Biosciences predicts the court’s split on stem cell research
Four and half months after oral argument, a three judge panel of the D.C. Circuit has reversed the preliminary injunction against NIH funding of human embryonic stem cell research. The Court of Appeals Decision: As I predicted in a March 7, 2011 post, the court was split [...]
Stanford students lead classes in San Quentin prison
When Philip Senegal considers the 21 years and seven months he’s served in San Quentin since his murder conviction, he can’t help but think his time behind bars will one day come to an end. Although his parole was recently denied, he’s banking on another shot at freedom in seven [...]