Once in a while, a technology comes along that promises to revolutionize everything, from how we travel to how we communicate to how we organize our lives. Arguably, automotive technology did just that in the early twentieth century, and, more ... [Read more...]
Columns & Commentary
Heat, Cold and Animal Cruelty
The end of summer brings a final blast of hot days along with the realization that cold weather is just around the corner. For pet owners in some states, extreme weather also carries some liability: it may be illegal to leave your pet outside in ... [Read more...]
Taping Conversations
The topic of taped conversations, both in person and on the phone, has been in the news lately. Omarosa Manigault Newman’s account of recording both her firing by Chief of Staff John Kelly and a subsequent phone call with President Trump might lead ... [Read more...]
Children’s Privacy Online
The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act or COPPA was passed in 1998 and amended in 2012. “The primary goal of COPPA,” wrote the FTC in the FAQ, “is to place parents in control over what information is collected from their young children (under ... [Read more...]
The Policy and Law of Supervised Drug Injection Sites
The opioid epidemic has sent doctors and legislators scrambling for solutions. The federal government has attempted to both block access to opioids and improve treatment options for those who are already addicted. The medical community has looked to ... [Read more...]
The Shape of a District: Gerrymandering and Political Power
With a little over two months remaining until the November midterm elections, three federal judges of the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that North Carolina’s map of congressional districts had been drawn to offer a deliberate and ... [Read more...]
The Transformation of ICE
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) has become a flashpoint for political disagreement; some Democrats have been calling for its abolition, while the House of Representatives passed a Republican-backed resolution in support of the ... [Read more...]
What Is Executive Privilege?
Over the past year, you’ve probably read or heard something about “executive privilege.” It’s an impressive-sounding phrase that seems to suggest great power, but you may wonder what sorts of actions it covers and when it can be invoked. Probably ... [Read more...]
Why the Supreme Court Matters
With the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, that august judicial body and its importance to the lives of citizens has been much in the news, a fact that speaks to the continued vitality of an entity that is more than two ... [Read more...]
The End of MAVNI: Military Service and Paths to Citizenship
Back in 2009, the Department of Defense instituted a new program called MAVNI: Military Accessions Vital to National Interest. These accessions were not technological or financial. Rather, they were actual human resources, potential military recruits ... [Read more...]