American Constitution Society

Senator To Take On Nation's Overflowing Prisons

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:21:38 GMT

Virginia Senator Jim Webb (D) is attracting attention -- and some praise -- for a measure he plans to introduce this spring on finding ways to reform the criminal justice system. The Sentencing Law and Policy Blog lauds Webb’s endeavor , saying...(read more)

High Court Urged To Hear Case Over Animal Cruelty Law

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:21:37 GMT

The U.S. solicitor general is urging the Supreme Court to review a 2008 federal appeals court decision that invalidated a federal law banning videos depicting animal cruelty. The New York Times reports that the Federal Depiction of Animal Cruelty Act...(read more)

Minority Coaches Struggle To Land Top Posts In College Football, Article Finds

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:48:11 GMT

African American coaches are struggling to make advancements in college football according to a report from the Sports Law Blog . The blog’s reporting notes that African American athletes make up more than half of the scholarship players in Division...(read more)

Continuing Media Focus On ACS

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:37:55 GMT

More national media outlets are taking note of ACS leaders who have been tapped for top positions in the forthcoming administration or are advising its transition teams. NPR’s Ari Shapiro reported on “Weekend Edition” that “a different...(read more)

Obama Taps Former ACS Board Member Dawn Johnsen For Key Justice Dept. Post

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:30:18 GMT

President-elect Barack Obama announced today that he “intends to nominate” Dawn Johnsen, a professor of law at Indiana University School of Law, and until a few days ago an ACS Board of Directors member, as Assistant Attorney General for the...(read more)

The New Second Amendment: A Bark Worse Than Its Right

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:01:27 GMT

by Adam Winkler, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law In June, 2008, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on the Second Amendment right to bear arms, D.C. v. Heller . For over 70 years, the federal courts had read that amendment to protect...(read more)

New Administration, Congress Set To Move On Employment Discrimination Ruling

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:44:16 GMT

The new administration and Congress are likely to move quickly on enacting legislation trumping a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court that stifled the ability of workers to bring employment discrimination claims, The New York Times reports. As the newspaper notes...(read more)

Happy Holidays

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:31:18 GMT

ACS is closed for the holidays from December 24th - January 5th. Posting will resume on a regular basis on January 5th. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!...(read more)

Securing Administration E-Mails For Historical Record Remains Ongoing Struggle

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:20:26 GMT

A combination of technical and legal barriers may impede the transfer of the Bush administration’s records to the National Archives by the end of its term, the Washington Post reports. Among the 300 million electronic messages and 25,000 boxes of...(read more)

Look Beyond Constitutional Interpretation When Picking Judges

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:09:44 GMT

by Glenn Sugameli, Senior Legislative Counsel at Earthjustice . Sugameli has also headed Earthjustice’s Judging the Environment Project on federal judicial nominations and the environment since 2001. One of President Obama’s most enduring...(read more)

Array of Remedies Should Be Available For Gender Discrimination In Public Schools

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:12:07 GMT

by Dina Lassow, Senior Counsel, National Women’s Law Center . Ms. Lassow analyzes Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee, which was recently argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee , which was argued before...(read more)

Calif. Court Says Schools Can Use Affirmative Action, Despite Prop. 209

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 15:40:45 GMT

A California state court tossed aside an effort to prohibit the Los Angeles Unified School District from using affirmative action policy in admissions for its magnet school. A lawsuit was lodged against the school district by proponents of Proposition...(read more)

EPA Action Weakens Efforts To Limit Power Plant Emissions

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:15:01 GMT

A ruling from the Environmental Protection Agency may ease the way for the construction of more power plants. The Washington Post reports that the ruling from late yesterday will allow the construction of new power plants without technology to limit carbon...(read more)

Pentagon Working On Plan To Close Military Prison

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:41:56 GMT

The Washington Post reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked his staff to create a plan to shutter the military prison at Guantanamo Bay . Gates’ press secretary Geoff Morrell told the newspaper that the Pentagon needs to have the plan...(read more)

Administration Issues Rule Aimed At Serving Health Care Providers' Beliefs

ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:41:55 GMT

The Bush administration issued a new Health and Human Services regulation to yank funding from health care providers who do not comply with an order that allows a slew of health care workers to refuse treatment that they claim violates their religious...(read more)