Law Commons^™

The Democratic Public Domain: Reconnecting The Modern First Amendment And The Original Progress Clause (A.K.A. Copyright And Patent Clause), Malla Pollack

Malla Pollack

Empirical investigation of public usage of the word "progress" in the United States of 1789 demonstrates that the word meant "dissemination." The original meaning of art. I, sec. 8, cl. 8, therefore, is that Congress has the right to grant only such temporally limited exclusive rights in writings and new technology as encourage the dissemination of knowledge and new technology to the population. This article explains the major differences between current United States positive intellectual property law and the logical dictates of this original constitutional meaning. Additionally, the article asserts that the original meaning of clause 8 supports modern calls …

The Mobility Paradox, Todd E. Pettys

Todd E. Pettys

Nearly half a century ago, in an article spanning a mere nine pages, Charles Tiebout revolutionized the way many think about American federalism. Using the analytic tools Tiebout gave them, numerous scholars now contend that, in our mobile society, citizens’ interests would best be served by dramatically shrinking the federal government and permitting state and local governments to regulate a far greater number of important matters. In this article, I argue that citizens’ interests and the dynamics of federalism are far more complicated than the devolutionary proposals of Tiebout’s adherents suggest. I identify three reasons why a mobile—and rational—public might …

Doublethinking Privacy Under The Multi-State Antiterrorism Information Exchange, Thomas V. Burch

Thomas V. Burch

No abstract provided.

The Supreme Court, Foreign Law And Constitutional Governance, Lawrence J. Connell

Lawrence J. Connell

No abstract provided.

The Agency Law Origins Of The Necessary And Proper Clause, Robert G. Natelson

Robert G. Natelson

This is the first of several writings by the author on the original meaning of the Constitution's Necessary and Proper Clause. It explains part of the legal background of the Clause, identifies it as a recital (not an independent grant of power) of the 18th century doctrine of incidental powers, and explains the content of that doctrine. The article has since been updated and supplemented by the author's signed chapters in Lawson, Miller, Natelson & Seidman, The Origins of the Necessary and Proper Clause (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2010).

The General Welfare Clause And The Public Trust: An Essay In Original Understanding, Robert G. Natelson

Robert G. Natelson

This article explains the original meaning/understanding of the Constitution's General Welfare Clause, including the scope of the taxing and spending power granted to Congress

The Constitution And The Public Trust, Robert G. Natelson

Robert G. Natelson

The American Founders believed that public officials were bound by fiduciary obligations, and they wrote that view into the Constitution. This article copiously documents their position.

What Are Capital Gain And Capital Loss Anyway, Yoseph M. Edrey Prof.

Yoseph M. Edrey

I will try to offer a more analytical definition for capital gains and losses. Such definition, which relies on the economic process that creates the gain or loss, is based on a distinction between what I call “actual/genuine capital gain” and “disguised capital gain.” Such suggested analysis might change the traditional discussion and enable us to appreciate that the actual (genuine) capital gain component is much smaller than what we are normally accustomed to and, hence, the lock-in and risk-taking problems on the one hand, and the possibilities of “cherry-picking” losses on the other hand, are almost nonexistent. Furthermore, the …

A Key Influence On The Doctrine Of Actual Malice: Justice William Brennan’S Judicial Philosophy At Work In Changing The Law Of Seditious Libel, Carlo A. Pedrioli

Carlo A. Pedrioli

In light of the historical change in the law of seditious libel that New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) prompted and the need for further exploration of the human factors behind the case, this article gives attention to William Brennan’s judicial philosophy at work in the case. The article defines judicial philosophy as a system of guiding principles upon which a judge calls in the process of legal decision-making. Specifically, the article explains how, through Times v. Sullivan, Brennan’s instrumentalist judicial philosophy had an important influence on changing the course of legal protection for criticism of the government in the …

Assessing The Constitutionality Of Laws That Are Both Content Based And Content Neutral, Wilson R. Huhn

Wilson R. Huhn

Such a multi-faceted analysis cannot be conflated into two dimensions. Whatever the allure of absolute doctrines, it is just too simple to declare expression "protected" or "unprotected" or to proclaim a regulation "content-based" or "content-neutral." John Paul Stevens (1992)

American legal doctrine evolved from a formalistic categorical approach that dominated legal thinking during the nineteenth century to a realistic balancing approach that developed over the course of the twentieth century. A similar process is now occurring in the constitutional doctrine governing freedom of expression-a process that may culminate in the adoption of what United States Supreme Court Justice John Paul …