“Hello officer… I would like to take my consent back, please”
Kansas Supreme Court ruled it is a Fourth Amendment violation to criminally charge a person for refusing to submit to a DUI test when pulled over. ...[Continue Reading]
Public Interest Law
Focusing on local, state, and national topics in areas of public concern, including education, public policy, and constitutional matters.
Less lethal is now more complicated
A 2011 controversy in the Village of Pinehurst, which did not concern golf, has created far-reaching collateral effects. ...[Continue Reading]
Will President Barack Obama’s expansion of salary reporting requirements help in the effort to equalize gender pay requirements?
President Barack Obama’s new proposal to expand salary reporting requirements is an effort to equalize gender pay requirements in the workforce. ...[Continue Reading]
Clean water is a right, not a privilege
The Flint water crisis has devastated the world after investigations have shown a toxic amount of lead and other pathogens in the water supply of Flint, Michigan. ...[Continue Reading]
Fixing a “broken system”—a step towards ending solitary confinement in prisons
President Obama announced a series of executive actions that included a ban on solitary confinement for juveniles in federal prison. ...[Continue Reading]
Public defenders – where art thou?
Budget cuts in funding for public defenders in New Orleans have caused many indigent citizens to be denied their Sixth Amendment constitutional right to appointed counsel. ...[Continue Reading]
Deporter-In-Chief: The Obama administration continues to deport thousands to the world’s most dangerous countries
To start the New Year, the Obama Administration has deported over one hundred immigrants back to their violent homeland countries in Central America. ...[Continue Reading]
Indiana agrees to end solitary confinement of mentally ill inmates
In late January, Indiana joined other US states in the recent trend of restricting the use of solitary confinement by prohibiting seriously mentally ill inmates from being held in restrictive housing. ...[Continue Reading]
Brendan Dassey’s interrogation brings attention to false juvenile confessions
Juveniles are psychologically susceptible to being coerced into false confessions and yet there are few safeguards in place to prevent these confessions. ...[Continue Reading]
Will Tasers be the solution to ending force used by police officers? Chicago Mayor Emanuel seems to think so.
Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, announced a new policy to be implemented consisting of providing more accessible Tasers to police officers and better training of police officers when dealing with confrontational situations with suspects. ...[Continue Reading]
Protecting the door without fencing it in
As the EU struggles to recover from the recent terrorist attacks, while simultaneously trying to address the continued influx of refugees, the fate of the Schengen Zone as well as those seeking asylum hangs in the balance. ...[Continue Reading]
Disney Sued Over its Ride Access Policy for Disabled Park Patrons
Disney theme parks have been sued over their Disability Access Service Card system for not sufficiently accommodating autistic patrons as a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, but Disney has responded that it is only required to make one policy to cover disabled patrons as a whole, not on a case-by-case basis. ...[Continue Reading]
“You shall not pass” – The ongoing debate of deportation in the United States
With the Fifth Circuit’s decision to not halt deportation of immigrants and the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, France, there is a nationwide debate regarding immigration, national security, and allowing refugees inside the United States. ...[Continue Reading]
Police officers in public schools: Are they the main contributors in the “school-to-prison pipeline?”
Police officers who work inside the public school systems across the nation lack the training to work with children, and therefore, contribute to the influx of students being pushed into the “school-to-prison pipeline.” ...[Continue Reading]
The Benefits of “Banning the Box”
Finding post-release employment for ex-offenders is extremely difficult, but it may be getting easier, thanks to President Obama’s “ban the box” initiative. ...[Continue Reading]
