Israel and the U.S. – Emergency Measures
Political historian Heather Cox Richardson writes a daily news digest titled Letters from an American. In last night’s edition, she flagged the story about the DOJ secretly seeking emergency powers.
Should Therapists Disclose that Patients Have Looked at Child Porn?
Today, the Supreme Court of CA decided, 4-3, that a legal challenge mounted by California therapists against a law requiring them to report patients who have admitted to viewing child
Counseling Criminal Clients on Immigration: A Tall Order
In 2010, the Supreme Court decided Padilla v. Kentucky. Padilla, a long-time legal permanent resident of the United States and a Vietnam veteran, was caught with drugs in Kentucky. His lawyer
The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
Theodore R. Davis’ illustration of Andrew Johnson’s impeachment trial in the Senate, published in Harper’s Weekly. Much has been made in the last couple of days of Nixon and Clinton
Moratorium!!! What Does It Mean?
California’s death chamber: closed. Source:Office of the Governor. Today’s stunning, forward-thinking announcement from Governor Newsom requires some careful parsing out. I am on my way to KQED, where I will
Thank You for Your Courage, Governor Newsom
Governor Newsom’s announcement of a death penalty moratorium is a breath of fresh air after decades of stagnation. Since the reinstatement of the death penalty in California, 13 inmates have
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Seizure: A Biker’s Perspective on the Fourth Amendment
Recently, SCOTUS decided Collins v. Virginia (2018), in which the Court, by a 8-1 majority, did not uphold a search involving a motorcycle in a driveway. The story is this:
Not Your Typical Kavanaugh Opinion Piece
To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape.
No Big Surprises: Deportation Law Triggered by Criminal Convictions Declared Vague
Today, the Supreme Court decided Sessions v. Dimaya, in which the respondent appealed his deportation. It is an interesting decision both legally and politically. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA)
Prosecutors in Orange County Sued for Obtaining Unlawful Confessions
More distressing news from the OC. The Guardian reports: Prosecutors and sheriff’s deputies in California’s Orange County used jailhouse informants in an extraordinary and long-running scheme to illegally obtain confessions