Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Common sense, various poems, and rogue, mooning journalists.
Criminal Justice
5 Ways to Curtail Police Violence and Prevent More Deaths Like George Floyd's
From tighter use-of-force rules to eliminating qualified immunity, here are some reforms that could make a real difference.
Amidst Calls for Abolishing the Police, Universities Cut Ties With City Police Departments
A complete end to police on campus probably isn't in the cards, but smaller victories are within reach.
The Year Gun Control Died
Gun opponents would leave predatory cops armed and their victims helpless.
University of Washington Urging "Accommodations," "Especially" for "Members of the Black Community," as to Assignments and Exams
"Accommodations might include extra time to finish assignments or providing a 'final examination optional' pathway, for example."
Activists Demand Justice for Breonna Taylor, Whose Killers Are Still Employed as Louisville Cops
Plus: lightning strikes D.C., Buffalo cops suspended after knocking 75-year-old man to ground, and more...
Powerpoint Slides and Other Resources for 100 Supreme Court Cases
Email me if you'd like access to our library, which is perfect for distance learning constitutional law class.
Buffalo Police Seriously Injure 75-Year-Old Man During Protest
Two Buffalo police officers have been suspended and the man is in the hospital.
Joe Biden Wants To Reform the Criminal Justice System He Helped Create
The presidential candidate deserves praise for retreating from his tough-on-crime stance. But let's not forget that his policies contributed to mass incarceration and the police misconduct that people are protesting today.
Lancaster County Drug Task Force 'Missing' $150K From Asset Forfeiture Fund
Would you be surprised if you learned the former district attorney was caught leasing an SUV with asset forfeiture funds?
Support, Don't 'Dominate,' Protesters Seeking 'Equal Justice Under the Law,' Writes Former Defense Secretary Mattis
Plus: Protest updates, Grindr goes woke, Twitter suspends an account for repeating Trump's words, and more...
Upgraded Murder Charge Against Derek Chauvin Still Does Not Require Proof That He Intended to Kill George Floyd
Three other former Minneapolis police officers are now charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin.
Tom Cotton Wants to Double Down on the Authoritarianism That Sparked Riots
Police brutality brought Americans into the streets. What would military force do?
Defense Secretary Mark Esper Contradicts Trump on Using Military To Quell Protests
The president has said he's willing to deploy active-duty military personnel to cities and states that aren't doing enough to crackdown on street violence.
How Protests Over George Floyd's Death and Police Brutality Could Help Trump Win Reelection
Princeton political scientist Omar Wasow says violent protests helped Richard Nixon win the presidency in 1968.
Hong Kong Protesters Stand Up to China's 'Draconian' Takeover
Pro-democracy legislator Charles Mok explains what China's new national security law means for dissidents and the future of the city.
George Floyd's Horrifying Death Highlights Stark Racial Disparities in the Use of Police Force
When Minneapolis cops report that they used or threatened violence, blacks are on the receiving end three-fifths of the time.
What Happened to the Public Health Emergency?
People who were insisting that public gatherings, even for funerals, were grave, completely unacceptable threats to public health that must be harshly suppressed are supporting public protests over racism.
Who will write the remaining major Supreme Court decisions?
My prediction: Roberts for Title VII, Roberts for DACA, and Roberts for Espinoza, and Roberts for Tax Return Cases
Here Are 4 Policing Reforms Cities and States Are Considering Right Now
There’s a lot of work to be done to prevent future George Floyds. Here are some baby steps.
Another Way to Think About South Bay: Why Allow Protest, But Not Prayer?
Mayors and Governors admit they think prayer simply isn't as important.
It's Time To Bust Police Unions
Over and over again, unions have defended bad policing and bad police. It’s time for them to go.
It Wasn't Tear Gas. It Was a Gaseous Substance That Causes Tears.
Plus: Protest updates, COVID-19 upates, a surge in gun sales, and more...
Mooting Corona Cases Before They Reach the Supreme Court
Blue states played "keep-away" with Free Exercise and Second Amendment cases on the shadow docket.
'I'm Paying for My Own Suicide': Scenes From a Quieter Night of Protests in D.C.
A heavy but hands-off militarized police presence squared off with demonstrators in the nation's capital tonight.
Joe Biden Basically Admits Libertarians Were Right All Along: Cops Shouldn't Have Military Gear
Biden voted for the 1997 bill that created the Pentagon's 1033 program, which allows surplus military gear to be passed along to local cops. It took 23 years, but he finally changed his opinion.
Violent Protests in 1968 Helped Elect Richard Nixon. Will Today's Protests Help Trump?
Princeton's Omar Wasow talks about the complicated effects of civil rights demonstrations, police brutality, and racial fears on public policy.
Another Fatal Police Shooting in Louisville Gets Chief Canned
The officers who shot David McAtee had their body cameras turned off.
Derek Chauvin's Murder Trial Will Be All About 'Reasonableness'
And that means breaking through the "blue wall of silence."
Those Curfews Sure Didn't Work
Plus: George Floyd's death ruled "homicide caused by asphyxia," and more...
Trump Says He'll Use Military Force To Restore Order in the States
Law enforcement, on his orders, violently dispersed nearby peaceful protesters.
Violent Enforcement of Curfews Will Perpetuate the Cycle of Police Violence
The U.S. already has a major problem with overcriminalization.
America's Terrible Weekend
The Reason Roundtable talks riots, police, protesters, policies, and more.
George Floyd Killing Reignites Calls To Repeal New York's Police Secrecy Laws
For decades, New York's secrecy regime has hidden police misconduct records from families and reporters.
Trump Urges Governors To 'Dominate' Protestors With More Aggressive Tactics
Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton is asking the military to commit war crimes against American citizens. Trump approves!
Riots May Be Destructive, but Abusive Policing Is Tyranny
"Rioting is a form of tyranny," Tucker Carlson said on his Fox News show. He's wrong.
Videos Show Police Aggression Against Protesters Across the Country. Here Are Two Ways To Help It Stop.
Plus: the return of the "outside agitator" narrative, Trump can't designate Antifa a terror group, and more...
