Constitutional Law Commons^™

Punitive Damages For Constitutional Torts, Michael L. Wells

Scholarly Works

Critics complain that punitive damages often serve no good purpose. Whatever the merit of this charge as a general proposition, it is not universally valid across the range of tort suits. This article examines the issues raised by punitive damages for constitutional torts and takes issue with the general failure of commentators on punitive damages to recognize differences between constitutional tort and common law torts. I shall argue that constitutional tort is one area where punitive damage awards are essential to the effective enforcement of our rights. Constitutional tort is a special domain, in which the policy issues that bear …

Some Recent Developments In Canadian Constitutional Theory With Particular Reference To Beatty And Hutchinson, Richard F. Devlin Frsc

Articles, Book Chapters, & Popular Press

This article provides a critique of recent books by two prominent Canadian constitutional theorists - David Beatty's Constitutional Law in Theory and Practice and Allan Hutchinson's Waiting for CORAF: A Critique of Law and Rights. Devlin begins with a brief overview of the various positions that have been staked out in writing on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freed oms during the last decade. He identifies three broad constituencies: Charter advocates who assume that rights are an "unqualified human good" and that judicial review is an important check on majoritarian zealotry; Charter critics who emphasize the undemocratic nature of …

The New Activist Court, Donald H. Zeigler

Articles & Chapters

No abstract provided.

Constitutionalism In Zambia: Past, Present And Future, Muna Ndulo, Robert B. Kent

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Direct Democracy And Hastily Enacted Statutes, John Copeland Nagle

Journal Articles

Phil Frickey qualifies as the leading explorer of the borderline between statutory interpretation and constitutional law. Frickey explores ways to mediate the borderline between statutory interpretation and constitutional adjudication in the context of direct democracy. His is an enormously helpful attempt to reconcile the constitutional issues discussed by Julian Eule and the statutory interpretation issues discussed by Jane Schacter. I agree with many of Frickey's suggestions. Indeed, I will suggest some additional devices that can perform the same role. But I wonder whether Frickey has proved more than he set out to accomplish. The problems of direct democracy are special, …

Developments In Constitutional Law: The 1994-95 Term, Hester Lessard, Bruce Ryder, David Schneiderman, Margot Young

All Faculty Publications

This essay explores the apparent triumph of the individual of classical liberalism in Supreme Court decision making. Our analysis examines the particular way in which this political imagery of the individual interacts with judicial assumptions about important social institutions: the family, religion, media, and the state. What is revealed is the judicial adoption of an intricate social and political map in which abstract individualism combines with, and often masks, traditional, conservative images of social order and moral choice.

The Continental Moral Rights Doctrine And Its Applicability In The United States Copyright System, Oswaldo Jose Quintana

LLM Theses and Essays

In the last half of the twentieth century, international copyright protection has become of much greater concern as the copyright industry has become supranational. Treaties enacted in the last ten years such as the Berne Convention Implementation Act, the Uruguay Round Agreements Act, and the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, provide the highest copyright protection available at the international level. Global piracy has declined in the last several years because of these provisions. However, the adherence by the United States to these treaties has caused controversy; some maintain that it represents a major overhaul of federal law …

Nonviolent Abortion Clinic Protests: Reevaluating Some Current Assumptions About The Proper Scope Of Government Regulations, Leslie Gielow Jacobs

McGeorge School of Law Scholarly Articles

Regulation of nonviolent political-protest activities outside abortion clinics must balance the constitutional rights to free speech and to choose abortion, and the social value of nonviolent political protest. This Article examines and questions two current assumptions about the proper scope of government regulations. The first assumption is that, absent a constitutional obstacle under prevailing free speech jurisprudence, it is appropriate to enjoin or statutorily enhance sanctions for any variety of nonviolent political-protest activities that block access to clinics or constitute illegal trespasses. This Article argues that for a particular type of nonviolent political protest-conduct that is equivalent to speech on …

Cheffer V. Reno: Is The Regulation Of Abortion Clinic Protests The Regulation Of Interstate Commerce, John M. Scheib

Villanova Law Review (1956 - )

No abstract provided.

All Things Being Equal, John H. Garvey

Scholarly Articles

I will discuss the effect that the proposed Religious Equality Amendment might have on existing First Amendment law.

The “Midnight Assassination Law” And Minnesota’S Anti-Death Penalty Movement, John Bessler

All Faculty Scholarship

This article traces the history of Minnesota's anti-death penalty movement and the 1889 Minnesota law - dubbed by contemporaries as the "midnight assassination law" - requiring private, nighttime executions. That law, authored by Minnesota legislator John Day Smith, restricted the number of execution spectators, prohibited newspapers from printing any execution details, and provided that only the fact of the execution could be lawfully printed. Also commonly referred to as the "John Day Smith law," this Minnesota statute was challenged as being unconstitutional by Minnesota newspapers after those newspapers printed details of a botched hanging and were charged with violating the …

Irreducible Constitution, The 1996 Jcli Religion Symposium, Abner S. Greene

Faculty Scholarship

No matter how hard they try, some constitutional theorists can't avoid being, at bottom, either democratic-foundationalists ("democrats") or rights-foundationalists. In the first part of this essay, I will offer a third way, insisting that at the heart of the American constitutional order is an irreconcilable conflict between these divergent accounts, that attempts to predicate constitutionalism on either democracy or rights cannot succeed. Our constitution (a term I will use to mean our constitutional order--text plus ... ) is, at the core, coreless. It cannot be resolved to a master predicate. It cannot be reduced to democracy or to rights. It …

Partial Membership: Aliens And The Constitutional Community, Michael A. Scaperlanda

Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

An Argument For Universal Pediatric Hiv Testing, Counseling And Treatment, Colin Crawford

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article argues that mandatory pediatric HIV testing, counseling, and treatment are essential to address a public health emergency, overriding constitutional concerns. The author, Colin Crawford, asserts that early detection and treatment significantly improve the lives of HIV-positive children, making it a compelling state interest that should take precedence over privacy and autonomy concerns.

Making Equality Law More Effective: Lessons From The German Experience, Ninon Colneric

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the evolution and effectiveness of equality law in Germany, particularly focusing on gender equality. It highlights the significant influence of European Community (EC) law on German legislation and discusses the challenges in implementing these laws to achieve substantial gender equality. The analysis reveals that while progress has been made, there are persistent issues in effectively enforcing these laws.

Equal Rights-Compatibility Of Family And Career-Legal Comparison: East Germany (Gdr) And Federal Republic Of Germany Today, Anita Grandke

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the evolution of gender equality in East Germany from the post-WWII era through the 1990 unification with West Germany, highlighting how East Germany's progressive laws promoting women's rights were rolled back after unification, leading to significant setbacks for women in employment, family life, and legal protections.

Reach And Substance Of The Principle Of Equal Treatment In Social Security Law Under European Community And German Constitutional Law, Ursula Rust

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the principle of equal treatment in social security law under European Community (EC) law and German constitutional law, highlighting their differences in scope and application. While both legal systems prohibit sex-based discrimination, EC law, primarily through Directive 79/7, applies narrowly to specific risks and allows significant exceptions, particularly for survivor and family benefits. In contrast, German constitutional law provides broader protections under the Basic Law, which directly binds the legislature and judiciary to ensure equal rights, though it also struggles with addressing indirect discrimination effectively.

Understanding Constitutional War Powers Today: Why Methodology Matters, Jane E. Stromseth

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

With the Cold War over, Americans have grown more introspective about the role of the United States in global affairs. It could hardly be otherwise. America's rise to military preeminence, its overseas commitments and priorities, and its basic sense of international purpose all were forged by circumstances of the past fifty years that have changed dramatically. The Soviet threat is gone; once shaky allies in Europe and Asia are now comparatively stable and prosperous; the specter of cataclysmic nuclear war has receded while regional conflicts, ethnic strife, and humanitarian emergencies have moved to center stage. Although the world is no …

Congressional-Executive Information Access Disputes: A Modest Proposal - Do Nothing, Neal Devins

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Restrictions On Law Enforcement Investigation And Prosecution Of Crime, Paul Marcus

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

California’S Proposition 187--Does It Mean What It Says? Does It Say What It Means? A Textual And Constitutional Analysis, Lolita K. Buckner Inniss

Publications

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To “Mandatory Hiv Screening Of Newborns: A Child’S Welfare In Conflict With Its Mother’S Constitutional Rights?” - False Dichotomies Make Bad Law., Paris R. Baldacci

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article examines the contentious issue of mandatory HIV screening of newborns, highlighting the false dichotomy often presented in the debate between the welfare of the child and the constitutional rights of the mother. It argues that this dichotomy oversimplifies the complex legal, medical, and ethical considerations involved, leading to ineffective public policy. The article emphasizes the need for a more holistic approach that balances medical interventions with respect for individual rights and addresses the broader societal and structural factors affecting HIV-infected mothers and their children.

Introduction, Harold H. Bruff

Publications

As citizens, we ought to ensure that our criticisms of Congress are constructive, lest we damage ourselves. In that spirit, the American Bar Association's Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice created a special Congressional Process Committee to study selected aspects of congressional procedures and to recommend appropriate reforms. The Committee, which I chair, is composed of administrative lawyers who are experienced in legislative practice, or who have worked in Congress. We decided to address selected aspects of congressional structure and procedure for which we believe administrative lawyers possess relevant expertise.

The articles that form this Symposium grew out of …

The Future Of Federalism, Robert F. Nagel

Publications

No abstract provided.

Progress And Constitutionalism, Robert F. Nagel

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Term Limits Dissent: What Nerve, Robert F. Nagel

Publications

No abstract provided.

This Could Be Your Culture--Junk Speech In A Time Of Decadence, Pierre Schlag

Publications

No abstract provided.

Hiding The Ball, Pierre Schlag

Publications

No abstract provided.

Government Lawyers And The New Deal, Neal Devins

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Is There A General Trend In Constitutional Democracies Toward Parliamentary Control Over War-And-Peace Decisions?, Lori Fisler Damrosch

Faculty Scholarship

My hypothesis is that there is a general trend toward subordinating war powers to constitutional control, and that this trend includes a subtrend toward greater parliamentary control over the decision to introduce troops into situations of actual or potential hostilities. UN peace operations present one variant of a recurring problem for constitutional democracies, as do collective security and collective enforcement operations under the auspices of the United Nations or a regional body such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).