By: Giulia Schaub, Blog Editor Women’s reproductive health once again dominates state and national news as the endless debate concerning abortion restrictions rages on in both legislative bodies and media outlets alike. Thus far in 2019, nine states have passed legislation that place major restrictions on a woman’s right to legal […]
Juris Blog
Pittsburgh’s Effort to Curb Gun Violence
By: Rachel Pressdee, Feature Editor On October 27, 2018, 11 people were murdered when a man opened fired inside the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there were 340 reported mass shootings in, making this close-to-home incident one of many gun related acts […]
“Outsiders” and the Equal Access Act
By Samantha Cook, Editor-in-Chief Earlier this year, students at the McKeesport Area High School (MAHS) began the process of organizing a McKeesport Black Student Union (MBSU) to address concerns relating to disciplinary and educational biases within the school district.[1] According to a complaint filed by MAHS students, their request was […]
Warrantless Cell Phone Search at Villanova University: Justice in Privacy Law
By: John Paul Abda, Feature Editor In today’s world cell phones play a pivotal role in everyday life. It is estimated that roughly 77% of U.S. adults own a smart phone.[1] American citizens do everything from online banking to work-related emailing right from their phones. Because so many people have […]
The EU Copyright Law Creates Uncertainty Among Tech Giants and Public Users as to How Guidelines Will be Met
By: Claude Ngatchou, Staff Writer On March 26, 2018, the European Union (“EU”) Parliament voted to approve the controversial amendments to the EU Copyright Directive, Articles 11 and 13.[1] The amendments have sparked outrage from large companies, as well as individuals in the European population, resulting in demonstrations against […]
The United States Suggests that Huawei Raise Cybersecurity Concerns With 5G Technology
By: Brandon Schall, Staff Writer Since 2018, the United States (U.S.) and China have been at odds over cybersecurity concerns with Huawei.[1] In December 2018, Canada arrested Huawei Chief Financial Officer (C.F.O.) Meng Wanzhou for extradition to the United States.[2] Those concerns escalated further when it was reported that Federal […]
Jussie Smollett and the Pre-Trial Advantages of Being Wealthy
By: Christina Pici, Staff Writer The high-profile Jussie Smollett case is again making headlines in light of the prosecution shockingly deciding to drop all sixteen felony charges that were brought against him.[1] One of the commonly cited reasons for dropping the charges is Smollett’s agreement to forfeit the […]
Civil Lawsuits Pile Up Following Operation Varsity Blues
By: Giulia Schaub, Staff Writer A group of students and parents filed a lawsuit against the University of Southern California, Yale University, and other colleges involved in the massive college admissions scandal, now called “Operation Varsity Blues.”[1] In addition to the colleges, the lawsuit names the mastermind behind […]
New Zealand’s Legislative Response to Terrorist’s Attack
By: Elizabeth Fitch, Staff Writer On March 15, 2019, “the nation witnessed a terrorist attack that demonstrated the weakness of New Zealand’s gun laws,” Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern stated.[1] A self-proclaimed white supremacist stole the lives of fifty people at two mosques using two legally purchased […]
Conflicting Rights: Religion v. Anti-Discrimination
By: Rachel Pressdee, Staff Writer In 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to create a custom cake for the wedding of a same-sex couple. The baker believed doing so would violate his religious beliefs.[1] Once again, the […]