Case Studies

  • Case Study | Understanding the U.S. Presidency: Powers, Legal Challenges, and Constitutional Boundaries

    Introduction The office of the U.S. President is one of the most significant and powerful political roles in the world, serving as both the head of state and government. The constitutional framework governing the presidency is outlined in the U.S. Constitution, primarily in Article II, and has evolved over the years through legal precedents, legislative…

  • Case Study: The Landmark Case of ‘Brown v. Board of Education’ and Its Impact on Civil Rights Law

    Introduction Brown v. Board of Education (1954) is one of the most significant cases in the history of U.S. constitutional law. This landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the doctrine of “separate but equal” that had been established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and marked a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.…

  • Case Study: Property Insurance Challenges and Legal Implications in the Aftermath of the L.A. Wildfires

    Introduction The recent wildfires in Los Angeles County, described as the most devastating fire seasons in recent history, have brought to light significant issues regarding property insurance coverage and the complexities of filing claims after natural disasters. In a 2023, a similar devastating fire hit L.A. and as the fires wreaked havoc on thousands of…

  • Buck v. Bell (1927): A Dark Chapter in U.S. Legal History

    In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in Buck v. Bell that has since remained one of the most controversial in American legal history. The case centered around Carrie Buck, a young woman from Virginia who was forcibly sterilized after being diagnosed with “feeblemindedness.” The Case of Carrie Buck Carrie Buck’s story…

  • Major Cases Decided By The Supreme Court This Term

    The U.S. Supreme Court’s current term featured major decisions involving former President Donald Trump’s claim of immunity from prosecution and his ballot disqualification, abortion rights, gun rights, the power of federal agencies, social media regulation, Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy settlement, and others. Here are the rulings issued in various cases: TRUMP IMMUNITY CLAIM On July 1,…

  • Palko v. Connecticut: Landmark Case Brief Highlights Evolution of Double Jeopardy Law

    In the case of Palko v. Connecticut, the defendant, Palko, was indicted for first-degree murder but was convicted of second-degree murder and received a life sentence. However, the State of Connecticut appealed, leading to a reversal of the judgment and the order for a new trial. Subsequently, Palko was retried and convicted of first-degree murder,…

  • Seduction or Rape by Deception: Revisiting the Boundaries of Consent Espoused in the Papadimitropoulos Affair

    ABSTRACT Papadimitropoulos v The Queen has shaped many decisions in Anglo-American jurisdictions. The case is often quoted by judges to underscore the position that only in cases of the identity of the man and the nature of the act would fraud be allowed to vitiate consent in rape and other sexual assault trials. The courts…

  • Marbury v Madison: On Misciting The Foremost Judicial Review Authority

    In deciding whether to overrule the Chevron doctrine, the Supreme Court should not be persuaded by mistaken invocations of a famous dictum. “It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is.” That quotation from the U.S. Supreme Court’s famous 1803 opinion in Marbury v. Madison has been recited thousands of times.…

  • Harvard’s Prof Dehlia Umunna Discusses Powell v. Alabama (Video)

    In the inaugural installment of “Cases in Brief” two years ago, Harvard Law Professor Dehlia Umunna delves into the landmark case Powell v. Alabama (1932), famously known as the “Scottsboro Boys” case. This pivotal case marked the U.S. Supreme Court’s seminal ruling, establishing defendants’ rights to adequate legal representation in capital cases under the 14th…

  • Roe v. Wade (1973): Understanding the Landmark Supreme Court Case on Abortion Rights

    Roe v. Wade is a landmark Supreme Court case that has shaped the landscape of abortion rights in the United States since its decision in 1973. This case, along with its companion case Doe v. Bolton, established a woman’s constitutional right to access abortion services. However, the legal and social debates surrounding this decision have…