When attorneys file legal complaints in court, they generally request specific relief for the plaintiff, such as a declaration that government action was unconstitutional, or an injunction, or compensatory damages. Then, just in case they forgot something, they add a catch-all request asking for “any such additional relief as would be just and proper.” While [...]
Every four years, Americans are met with countless ads and displays encouraging them to vote. However, current and formerly incarcerated Americans are continuously left out of the conversation. Our criminal justice system is so stigmatized that we discount incarcerated Americans from the voting process: the pillar upon which our democratic society is built. In 1972, [...]
Speaking at a naturalization ceremony held at the U.S. National Archive in 2018, beloved Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg heralded immigrants as playing a “vital role” in ridding our great nation of the “stains” of discrimination. As she stood before an original copy of the U.S. Constitution, she told the new Americans, “We are a [...]
The Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSE) patch is likely to expire in January 2021. This change poses concerns to many individuals, as it would make access to mortgages more challenging for less qualified, but still worthy candidates. For background, the GSE patch overrides the 2013 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rules intended to reduce the risk [...]
On December 9, 2020 argument is scheduled for Collins v. Mnuchin at the Supreme Court. The case originated in the Fifth Circuit and the Court of Appeals issued an en banc opinion on September 6, 2019. The primary questions before the Court are whether the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s structure violates the separation of powers and [...]
This year, California suffered its most destructive fire season ever. Over four million acres burned, but the fight to contain the flames is far from over. To meet the extraordinary demand for firefighters, California tapped into its largest pool of able-bodied people—its prisons. Over 1,200 prisoners have been sent to the frontlines this year. The [...]
On 25th September 2020, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment notified the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 which removed the mandatory medical examination requirement that the previous draft of these rules (issued in July 2020) had created. The earlier draft was heavily criticized by the transgender community for taking away their [...]
In the 1970s, the federal government passed the Controlled Substance Act (“CSA”), outlawing a plethora of psychedelic substances. Many of these now illegal psychedelic plants have been used for sacramental purposes for eons. Over the following decades, a number of regulatory, statutory, and judicial exemptions were carved out of the CSA for religious use of [...]
Breonna Taylor’s killing is not only a tragedy, but a great injustice. The Kentucky Attorney General, despite having the power to contribute to repairing this unconscionable wrong, has failed. The Kentucky attorney general announced that no criminal charges will be filed for Breonna Taylor’s death against the individual officers who were responsible. Beyond the failure [...]
Nationwide protests in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd have put a spotlight on the profound injustices of the criminal legal system. Much of the criticism has rightly focused on the abuses in policing and incarceration. But along with abusive policing, another urgent threat that impoverished communities face under this system is the [...]
