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.…
The American Bar Association (ABA) has called on U.S. senators to vote against the Laken Riley Act (S. 5), a bill that mandates the indefinite detention of noncitizens arrested for certain low-level offenses, without an option for bond. In a letter dated January 16, ABA President Bill Bay expressed concerns that the bill would undermine…
In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the U.S. Supreme Court established the now-famous “Miranda rights,” fundamentally changing how law enforcement approaches custodial interrogations. The landmark case centered on Ernesto Miranda, an Arizona resident accused of kidnapping and assault. During police questioning, Miranda confessed without being informed of his constitutional rights against self-incrimination, leading to the Supreme…
In a case that highlights the systemic flaws of the criminal justice system, Sheldon Thomas, a man wrongfully convicted for nearly two decades, was finally exonerated in 2023 after spending over 18 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit. His conviction was based on a misidentification that stemmed from a photo of…
Donald Trump’s vow to deport millions of undocumented immigrants if re-elected has reignited a legal and logistical debate over the practicality and legality of such a sweeping enforcement action. Despite promises to target up to a million individuals as a starting point, legal experts and policy analysts warn that the challenges associated with mass deportations…
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has intervened to reject a plea deal that would have allowed three alleged planners of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to avoid the death penalty. The plea agreement, revealed earlier this week, had proposed that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, Walid Bin ‘Attash, and Mustafa al Hawsawi plead guilty to their…
Florida’s Attorney General, Ashley Moody, petitioned the US Supreme Court on Tuesday to reinstate a controversial law aimed at curbing drag shows, pending ongoing legal challenges. The law, known as the “Protection of Children Act,” was enacted in 2023 with the intention of shielding children from exposure to sexually explicit live performances. It criminalizes knowingly…
The issue of gay rights and the constitutional protection of homosexual conduct has long been a subject of contentious legal debate in the United States. Over the years, landmark Supreme Court decisions have shaped the legal framework surrounding this issue, leaving many questions unanswered and raising concerns about the treatment of individuals based on their…