Constitutional Law Commons^™

Alternatives To Immigration Detention, Fatma E. Marouf

Cardozo Law Review

The United States places over 440,000 people each year in immigration detention, far more than any other country in the world. This Article argues that there are compelling humanitarian and financial reasons to utilize more alternatives to detention. It examines the strengths and limitations of existing alternatives, including the need to develop more community-based case management programs and to rely less on electronic monitoring. The Article then sets forth several legal arguments under the Constitution, Rehabilitation Act, and international human rights law for requiring greater consideration of alternatives to detention.

Human Rights, Human Dignity, And The Concept Of Honour: A German Perspective, Eric Hilgendorf

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The overuse of terms like human rights, human dignity, and honour in European legal discourse risks diminishing their normative impact. Rooted in Enlightenment ideals and reactions to historical injustices, these concepts are central to German law, balancing individual rights with freedoms like expression. However, their broad application, especially in criminal law, necessitates a more precise definition to preserve their legal potency.

Human Dignity In Judicial Decisions: Principles Of Application And The Rule Of Law, Doron Shultziner

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

Human dignity has become a central legal concept worldwide and has been increasingly employed in judicial decisions in many jurisdictions, including in countries that do not incorporate it into their constitutions. However, due to the acknowledged vagueness of the concept, scholars and judges alike have identified many difficulties in its application and specific challenges that it poses to the rule of law. This Article addresses those challenges and proposes four formal principles for the use of human dignity in judicial decisions: using the concept strictly in relation to written law; defining the concept and its actual meaning in rulings; maintaining …

From The Bill Of Rights To Basic Laws: Constitutional Rights In Israel, Isaac Amit

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The article explores the development and application of constitutional rights in Israel, emphasizing the unique challenges faced by the Israeli Supreme Court due to the absence of a formal constitution. It highlights how the judiciary has played a pivotal role in shaping constitutional rights through the interpretation of Basic Laws and common law, while navigating the complexities of Israel's multicultural and often polarized society. The analysis underscores the use of comparative law and the balancing of individual rights against state interests, particularly in matters of security and social welfare.

The Association For Civil Rights In Israel V. Minister Of Public Security, Elyakim Rubinstein, Hanan Melcer, Uri Shoham

Translated Opinions

[This abstract is not part of the Court's opinion and is provided for the reader's convenience. It has been translated from a Hebrew version prepared by Nevo Press Ltd. and is used with its kind permission.]

The Petition asked that the minimum living space allotted to every prisoner and detainee in Israeli prison and detention facilities be set at 4 square meters, exclusive of lavatory and shower areas. The Petition was grounded upon two primary legal provisions: sec. 11(B(b) of the Prisons Ordinance, which was introduced to the Ordinance by the Prisons Ordinance (Amendment no. 42) Law, 5772-2012, (Amendment 42) …

Two-Stepping Around A Minor's Constitutional Right To Abortion, Wendy-Adele Humphrey

Cardozo Law Review

A woman's constitutional right to abortion was first generally established in the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, and a female minor has the same right to abortion. In the majority of states, however, pregnant young women are required to either notify their parents or to get their parents' consent before obtaining a safe, legal abortion. These parental involvement laws do not infringe on a minor's constitutional right to abortion if a proper 'judicial bypass" proceeding is available. But in Texas, the recently amended judicial bypass law imposes additional extensive-possibly unconstitutional-restrictions on a pregnant minor who seeks a …

Should The President’S Words Matter In Court?, Katherine A. Shaw

Online Publications

The most striking aspect of last Thursday’s opinion by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, which rejected the Trump administration’s latest effort to revive its travel ban for individuals from six predominantly Muslim countries, was its reliance on Donald Trump’s own words as candidate, president-elect and president. The court leaned particularly heavily on his now-famous campaign statement that he was “calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.”

Erisa Preemption After Gobeille V. Liberty Mutual: Completing The Retrenchment Of Shaw, Edward A. Zelinsky

Articles

Gobeille v. Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. is the U.S. Supreme Court’s most recent preemption decision under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In Gobeille, the Court completed the process of reconciling the restrained approach to ERISA preemption announced in New York State Conference of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v. Travelers Insurance Co. with the Court’s literal and expansive approach adopted earlier in Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. Gobeille consummated this reconciliation by confirming the sub silentio retrenchment of Shaw and its “plain language” approach in favor of Traveler’s broader construction of ERISA preemption. …

The Wealth In Waste: America's Ability To Enter The Waste To Energy Market By Embracing European Landfill Diversion, Waste Framework, And Renewable Energy Laws And Waste To Energy Initiatives, Emilio Lamanna

Cardozo Journal of International and Comparative Law

The note argues that the United States should adopt European Union (EU) strategies for waste management, particularly landfill diversion and waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, to address its significant environmental and economic challenges. The EU's success in reducing landfill use and increasing renewable energy production through directives and portfolio standards serves as a model for the U.S. The author proposes that the U.S. implement a Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Portfolio Standard and a national Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS) to promote WtE and reduce reliance on landfills.

I Am Not Law Enforcement! Why The Special Needs Exception To The Fourth Amendment Should Apply To Caseworkers Investigating Allegations Of Child Abuse, Lauren Kobrick

Cardozo Law Review

The note examines the application of the Fourth Amendment's special needs doctrine in child abuse investigations, advocating for the adoption of a primary purpose test to determine the doctrine's applicability. It critiques the inconsistent approaches across circuits and proposes this test to clarify when warrantless searches and seizures by caseworkers are constitutional, ensuring a balance between child protection and Fourth Amendment protections.

The Political Process Argument For Overruling Quill, Edward A. Zelinsky

Articles

Should the U.S. Supreme Court overrule Quill Corporation v. North Dakota? In Quill, the Court held that, under the dormant Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, the states cannot impose the obligation to collect sales taxes on out-of-state vendors which lack physical presence in the taxing state. As internet commerce has grown, Quill’s physical presence test has severely hampered the states’ ability to enforce their sales taxes.

Much of the Supreme Court’s case law suggests that, under the banner of stare decisis, the Court should not overturn Quill. This case law indicates that it is Congress’s …

Aviram V. Minister Of Justice, Neal Hendel, Isaac Amit, Uzi Vogelman

Translated Opinions

A petition concerning whether the Knesset is required to ensure that a member of the opposition serves on the Judicial Selection Committee (hereinafter: the Committee) at all times. Background: The two Members of Knesset sitting on the Committee are elected by the Knesset by secret ballot. Since 1990, the Knesset has elected at least one Committee member from the ranks of the opposition. This was also the case in the last elections, with the election of MK Ilatov to the Committee. MK Ilatov was a meber of Yisrael Beitenu, which then sat in the opposition. Shortly thereafter, Yisrael Beitenu joined …

The Constitutionality Of Sec Administrative Proceedings: The Sec Should Cure Its Alj Appointment Scheme, Kaela Dahan

Cardozo Law Review

The note examines the constitutional challenges surrounding the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) use of administrative law judges (ALJs), particularly under Section 929P of the Dodd-Frank Act. It argues that the SEC's ALJ appointment process violates the Appointments Clause, as current ALJs have not been properly appointed by SEC Commissioners. The note also highlights due process and Seventh Amendment concerns, as defendants in SEC administrative proceedings lack rights such as trial by jury and immediate appellate review. To maintain the integrity of its administrative processes, the SEC must adopt measures to ensure its ALJ appointments comply with constitutional requirements.

Legislating The First Amendment: A Trio Of Recommendations For Lawmakers Targeting Free Expression, Clay Calvert

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

This Article offers three recommendations for lawmakers attempting to restrict expression that is presumptively protected by the First Amendment. The proposals include: (1) embracing a "prism of protection" through which all potential laws affecting expression are filtered prior to drafting; (2) mandating inclusion of sunset clauses in all statutes that may detrimentally impact free expression; and (3) adopting a comprehensive legislative oversight and review process for determining if an expired statute should be renewed, revised or abandoned. Although far from creating what Dean Roscoe Pound more than 100 years ago called a "science of legislation, " the proposals here nonetheless …

Changing The System Without Changing The System: How The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact ​Would Leave Non-Compacting States Without A Leg To Stand On, Jillian Robbins

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

This Note will discuss the constitutional and legal implications of the NPVIC, and will explore the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments both for and against its implementation. It will argue that the NPVIC is constitutional, despite many opponents’ views that it is not, because it does not encroach on federal supremacy or threaten the political relevance or rights of non-compacting states. This Note proposes that if a lawsuit between the states resulted from the enactment of the NPVIC, even if the merits of the claim are constitutional, the United States Supreme Court should dismiss these cases because the states …

The Roberts Court And The New Textualism, Anton Metlitsky

Cardozo Law Review

The article explores the Roberts Court's approach to statutory interpretation, focusing on its adherence to the "new textualism," a methodology emphasizing the plain meaning of statutory text. While recent cases like King v. Burwell, Bond v. United States, and Yates v. United States appear to prioritize statutory purpose over textual meaning, the Court's reasoning reinforces its commitment to textualism by framing decisions within textualist methodology, even when outcomes seem to depart from strict textual interpretation.

John Roberts And Constitutional Law, Brianne J. Gorod

Cardozo Law Review

The article examines Chief Justice John Roberts's judicial approach during his first decade on the Supreme Court, highlighting his generally conservative jurisprudence while noting instances where institutional concerns about the Court's legitimacy led him to prioritize law over ideology. Roberts's record reflects a tension between his conservative ideological convictions and his commitment to the Court's institutional reputation.

Where Techs Rush In, Courts Should Fear To Tread: How Courts Should Respond To The Changing Economics Of Today, Melanie Defiore

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Insular Citizens: America's Lost Electorate V. Stare Decisis, Nathan Muchnick

Cardozo Law Review

The note examines the historical and ongoing implications of the Insular Cases, which established a form of colonial governance over U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, denying residents full citizenship rights. It argues that these cases, rooted in outdated political and racial biases, contradict modern democratic principles and urges the Supreme Court to overturn this precedent to enfranchise Puerto Rican citizens.

An Empirical Study Of Implicit Takings, James E. Krier, Stewart E. Sterk

Articles

Takings scholarship has long focused on the niceties of Supreme Court doctrine, while ignoring the operation of takings law “on the ground” – in the state and lower federal courts, who together decide the vast bulk of all takings cases. This study, based primarily on an empirical analysis of more than 2,000 reported decisions over the period 1979 through June 2012, attempts to fill that void.The study establishes that the Supreme Court’s categorical rules govern almost no cases, and that takings claims based on government regulation almost invariably fail. By contrast, when takings claims arise out of government action other …

Israel Medical Association V. Knesset, Elyakim Rubinstein, Meni Mazuz, Noam Sohlberg

Translated Opinions

Petitions to strike down the Prisons Ordinance (Amendment No. 48) Law, 5775-2015 (hereinafter: the Law), which addresses “preventing harm to the health of a prisoner on a hunger strike”, and permits, in some instances, coercive medical treatment of hunger striking prisoners despite their refusal. The Petitions addressed, inter alia, the constitutionality of section 19N(e) of the Law, which instructs that in addressing a request for authorizing medical treatment, the court shall take into account “considerations of risk to human life or a real risk of serious harm to national security, to the extent that evidence to this effect is …

Securing Sequences: Ensuring Adequate Protections For Genetic Samples In The Age Of Big Data, Elizabeth R. Pike

Cardozo Law Review

Bulk collection of our personal data is increasingly common. Our internet browser history leads to personalized, targeted advertising; credit card companies aggregate billions of our collective transactions to gain insight into our spending patterns; and, as recently revealed, the National Security Agency engaged in the widespread collection of our telephone data without our knowledge or consent. But what if the data being collected, stored, shared, and used without our knowledge or consent is arguably the most personal of all data - our unique genetic sequence? In ways underreported and underexamined, the genetic information of nearly every American is likely to …

Fast-Track To Injustice: Rapidly Deporting The Mentally Ill, Aimee L. Mayer-Salins

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

No abstract provided.

The Death Penalty Experiment: State-Sanctioned Laboratories Of Death, Steffi Yellin

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

No abstract provided.

Manufacturers Association Of Israel V. Merck Sharp & Dohme, Neal Hendel, Yoram Danziger, Uri Shoham

Translated Opinions

[This abstract is not part of the Court's opinion and is provided for the reader's convenience. It has been translated from a Hebrew version prepared by Nevo Press Ltd. and is used with its kind permission.]

The rights in an Israeli patent, upon which the Ezetrol medical preparation is based, belong to the Respondents in LCA 8127/15, who are the Applicants in LCA 8263/15 (hereinafter: Merck). According to sec. 52 of the Patent Law (hereinafter: the Law), the period of the patent is 20 years from the date of the application, which was filed in 1994. In 1998, the Law …

Ha'aretz V. Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, Daphne Barak-Erez, Anat Baron, Miriam Naor

Translated Opinions

[This abstract is not part of the Court's opinion and is provided for the reader's convenience. It has been translated from a Hebrew version prepared by Nevo Press Ltd. and is used with its kind permission.]

An appeal of the decision of the Administrative Affairs Court denying the Appellants’ petition against the Respondent’s refusal to give the Appellants the list of guests who participated in a second Passover Seder that was held in the residence of the Israeli ambassador to the United States. Two questions were addressed in the Appeal. The first and primary question regarded the Respondent’s claim as …

Gavish V. Knesset, Miriam Naor, Yoram Danziger, Elyakim Rubinstein, Uzi Vogelman, Daphne Barak-Erez, Esther Hayut, Neal Hendel

Translated Opinions

Section 4 of the Retirement Age Law, 5764-2004 (hereinafter: the Law) provides that "the age at which an employee can be required to retire because of age is 67 for a man and for a woman". The petitioners challenged the validity of section 4 of the Law, and the hearin focused on the question of whether that statutory provision is constitutional.

The High Court of Justice (per President Naor, Deputy President Rubinstein and Justices Danziger, Vogelman, Barak-Erez, Hayut and Hendel concurring) dismissed the petition, holding:

The Court applies judicial review of the Knesset's primary legislation with restraint and caution. …

Mahajna V. State, Elyakim Rubinstein, Anat Baron, Salim Joubran

Translated Opinions

The Applicant, the leader of the Northern Faction of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was acquitted by the Magistrates Court of the offense of inciting racism, but was convicted of the offense of inciting violence. The Applicant was accused of the offenses due to a sermon he gave in 2007 to an audience of approximately one thousand people near Jerusalem. The court imposed a sixteen-month sentence upon the Applicant, eight months of which were custodial. Appeals were filed against the judgment by both of the parties. The District Court convicted the Applicant of the offense of inciting racism. The Applicant …

Yesh Atid Party V. Prime Minister, Miriam Naor, Elyakim Rubinstein, Salim Joubran, Neal Hendel, Hanan Melcer

Translated Opinions

The petition challenged the authority of the Prime Minister to serve simultaneously as a minister responsible for a ministry under Basic Law: The Government. The Petitioners argued that the Basic Law does not empower the Prime Minister to serve simultaneously as a minister, due to the omission of sec. 33(d), which was part of the prior Basic Law: The Government of 1992, from the current Basic Law established in 2001 (hereinafter: the current Basic Law). The said provision expressly stated that “The Prime Minister may also function as a Minister appointed over an office”. The Petitioner also pointed to sec. …

The Politics Of Comparative Constitutional Inquiry: At The Crossroads Of Law, Political Science, And Ideology, Michel Rosenfeld

Articles

No abstract provided.