Any day now, the Supreme Court is set to release its opinion on Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a case argued in October 2020. The central conflict in the case deals with a Catholic foster care organization that contracts with the city to screen potential foster parents for placement. Following the Court’s ruling in Bostock, [...]
After the age of accountability in the 1990’s and early 21st century, there are certain lessons that have been learned since then. One of those lessons is that the beast of impunity must be faced down…always. International courts seeking justice for atrocity crimes in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone were beacons of light [...]
Almost five years ago I contributed to a Commentary to JURIST entitled, “Guantanamo: An Unnecessary Presidential Legacy,” which focused on former President Barack Obama’s unsuccessful attempt to shut down the Guantanamo prison facility because of missed opportunities, faulty decision making, internal administration opposition and ultimately partisan political division that resulted in an unnecessary presidential legacy. [...]
“It is clear, absolutely clear,” said President Biden at his first presidential press conference, “that this is a battle between the utility of democracies in the 21st century and autocracies.” Biden’s rhetorical flourish echoed a more famous one from his political idol, John F. Kennedy, who declared in his first inaugural speech in 1961 that [...]
With the recent announcement that it shall be soon initiating a massive release of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean over a course of two years, Japan has stirred a global debate. The decision has been criticized for posing a direct threat to the human life and marine [...]
To a U.S. immigrant who grew up (1972-1992) under a de facto dictatorship where election fraud and accepted discrimination were a societal norm, the concepts of fair and transparent elections, “All men are created equal,” and “equal opportunity …” were unfamiliar. They became a substitute of justice for the customary sense of helplessness. I felt [...]
The filibuster debate has focused on whether the rule facilitates or stifles negotiation and compromise. Of course, the rule – that 60 votes are required to end debate – doesn’t do either. It’s the norms that those subject to the rule adopt that matter. When I was younger, it seemed, Congress adhered to a norm [...]
Ironically, Turkey was the first country to ratify “The Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence”, commonly referred to as the ‘Istanbul Convention’. On 24 November 2011, the Turkish Grand National Assembly unanimously ratified the Convention. Subsequently, it was incorporated into the domestic law- Law No. 6284, on [...]
As technology continues to advance, will Indian regulators take user privacy more seriously? From internet activists to lawmakers, this is a question that is in the vanguard of regulating technologies. This space is also very dynamic; new technologies are so pervasive and capture the public imagination much before the regulator plays catch-up. Can the core [...]
A year into the pandemic, the ABA’s Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility published ABA Opinion 498, providing guidance on how lawyers can comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct while practicing virtually. The ABA Model Rules permit the virtual practice, defined as practicing law anywhere other than in a brick-and-mortar office. But they [...]
