Amicus Blog
A Censure is Free Speech and Not a First Amendment Violation
Four months following Rep. Paul Gosar R-AZ censure in the U.S. House of Representatives for posting an anime-style video on Twitter that depicted him killing his colleague, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez D-NY, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that members of an elected body have the constitutional right to censure a member from that same body.
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This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Welcome to This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. State legislatures target abortion and transgender rights, the federal government indicts anti-abortion activists for conspiracy, a jury finds Denver police used excessive force during George Floyd protests, and more.
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Congress Reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act, Adds More Protections
In mid-March, Congress reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, and President Biden signed it into law on March 16. Despite the Act’s potential vulnerability to the Supreme Court, that the Act reinstates protections for survivors of intimate partner violence demonstrates its necessity and public support, even in the United States’ polarized political climate.
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This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Welcome to This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. State legislatures across the country continued their attacks on the LGBTQ community, President Biden reauthorized a major piece of legislation, and the Supreme Court prepared itself to hear arguments on a case...
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Ames Semi-Final Round – March 9, 2022
Welcome to CR-CL’s Ames Live Blog! Tonight is the second night of the Ames Semi-Finals! The Ames Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for appellate brief writing and advocacy in the country. The students participating in the Semi-Final Round started...
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Ames Semi-Final Round – March 8, 2022
Welcome to CR-CL’s Ames Live Blog! Tonight is night one of the Ames Semi-Finals! The Ames Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for appellate brief writing and advocacy in the country. The students participating in the Semi-Final Round started the...
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This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Welcome to This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Blockbuster cases came to the Supreme Court this week involving campaign finance laws, the Jan. 6 Capitol siege, sentencing reductions, and more. Major news about potential criminal charges for election...
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Extending the Franchise for “Americans in Waiting”: Municipal Voting Rights for Noncitizens
By Guest Contributor Fatoumata Waggeh Fatoumata Waggeh, Esq. is a Litigation Associate. She is a recipient of her firm’s “Pro-Bono All-Star Award” for her energetic commitment to pro-bono work for justice. Fatoumata completed her undergraduate education at New York...
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This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Welcome to This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. This week, experts weigh in on the future of Roe in the Supreme Court, New York City mandates vaccines for private companies, two election workers who were targeted for defamation by right-wing media sue, and more.
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Roe May Be the First Domino to Fall in the Series of Fundamental Rights
Photo Credit: AP The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Dec. 1 in a case that legal observers predict will be the nail in Roe v. Wade’s gradually hollowed coffin. A majority of justices seemed poised to rule for the plaintiff-appellees in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s...
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This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Welcome to This Week in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. This week, three white men were found guilty in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on pre-viability prohibitions to elective abortion, a Texas Appeals Court affirms the ban on...
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The Danger of Flirtations with First Amendment Violations
Photo Credit: Zimmytws/iStock, via Getty Images Plus Respect for the Constitution used to be a basic qualification for elected officials. These days, some voters are giddy about campaign promises that would blatantly defy it. More troublingly, some politicians and...
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