Kristen Doyan and Gabrielle Wast Archives - JURIST - Commentary

Commentaries by Kristen Doyan and Gabrielle Wast

9th CIRCUIT COWBOY: The Story of a True Public Servant

January 26, 2021 10:00:11 am

“In the field of law and public interest, there are stars, there are superstars, and then there’s Harry Pregerson.” When you hear the term “judicial activism,” what comes to mind? Do you imagine judges legislating from the bench? Going beyond their constitutional power to interpret the law by considering the broader societal implications of their [...]

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38 Santee Sioux hanged by US for rebellion

On December 26, 1862, 38 Santee Sioux men were hanged in a mass execution for their roles in a rebellion against US authorities in Minnesota which left hundreds dead and made refugees of some 40,000 white settlers. Government annuities promised under a treaty with the Sioux had failed to arrive on schedule and credit for purchases was not advanced in the meantime, threatening the tribe with starvation. The Santee Sioux Tribe's members were deported first to South Dakota and ultimately to Nebraska, where they remain today. Learn more about the 1862 Minnesota Sioux Rebellion.

Louis XVI put on trial during French Revolution

On December 26, 1792, Romain de Sèze, a defense attorney for deposed King Louis XVI, presented a defense of his client. The former King was on trial before a French Revolutionary court on thirty-three charges, including treason and other crimes against the state. He was convicted on January 15, 1793 executed by guillotine on the following January 21.