By Kyle Steenland, Associate Editor Good news for religious organizations hoping to utilize state offered grants and subsidies; not so good news for those opposed to the potential of taxpayer dollars going to religious institutions. A recent Supreme Court decision, with seven justices for and two against, ruled that […]
Juris Blog
Summer SCOTUS Roundup: First Amendment, Sex Offenders, and Social Media in Packingham v. North Carolina
By Karissa Murphy, Executive Editor In 2002, Lester Packingham, a 21-year-old college student, became a registered sex offender after pleading guilty to taking indecent liberties with a child — having sex with a 13-year-old girl.[1] In 2010, Packingham logged onto his personal Facebook account and posted a statement celebrating […]
Summer SCOTUS Roundup: Gorsuch and the Death Penalty in McGehee v. Hutchinson
By Nick Frost, Executive Editor One of the most contentious issues in America today is the application of the death penalty. It is undoubtedly a common topic in public speaking classes around the world because of the passionate arguments it invokes for both sides. It has caused countless protests […]
Summer SCOTUS Roundup: Trademarks, Disparagement, and Government Speech in Matal v. Tam
By Nicole Prieto, Editor-in-Chief After a legal battle spanning nearly a decade, Simon Tam saw victory in the U.S. Supreme Court on June 19 when it held that the disparagement clause of the Lanham Act was facially invalid.[1] The impetus for the holding? Tam’s attempted registration of his Asian-American […]
United Airlines Highlights the Lack of Passenger Rights on Commercial Airlines
By Kurt Valentine, Staff Writer A recent incident filmed by passengers onboard a United Airlines flight, which was operated by their regional affiliate Republic Airlines, has caught the public’s attention.[1] The incident occurred when passengers already on the plane had to be removed to accommodate four airline employees that […]
The Cosmetic Industry and the Inadequacy of Protection for Animals
By Ashley Puchalski, Staff Writer For thousands of years, women and men alike have used cosmetics to improve, change, and enhance their appearance. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians were among the first to use “cosmetics” made from copper and lead ore.[1] Throughout history, humans have attempted to […]
The Professional Amateur: Challenging the NCAA’s Amateurism Rules
By George Pappas, Staff Writer The craze of March Madness has come to an end. Brackets have been busted. (Mine included; thanks, Duke.) There have been excitement galore. From one of the biggest upsets in the history of women’s sports, Mississippi State ended UConn’s 111-game win streak, and North […]
Erasing the Past: How Pennsylvania’s New Criminal Record Sealing Laws Affect Those with Criminal Histories
By Kaitlyn Burns, Staff Writer On February 16, 2016, the Pennsylvania General Assembly followed the lead of at least 18 other states[1] by enacting its first criminal record sealing law.[2] While the law only went into effect a couple of months ago on November 14, 2016 — and it […]
NCAA Avoids Major Transformation in Amateur Athletics
By Nick Frost, Staff Writer The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) could have been in for a major destabilization of its amateur system — and it was not because of the landmark 2015 Ninth Circuit decision O’Bannon v. NCAA.[1] (The U.S. Supreme Court declined[2] to pick up petitions from […]
The Corporate Takeover of the Los Angeles Lakers
By Joe Baublitz, Staff Writer When a family member passes away, families can become strained. Trusts can put family members in a difficult position, especially when it gives ownership to the tenth most valuable franchisees in all professional sports.[1] Jeanie Buss, daughter of the late Jerry Buss, was named […]