Below is one of the five copies of President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a […]
Juris Blog
Should a Death Row Inmate be Allowed to Donate His Organs After Execution?
By: Amy Coleman, Staff Writer Organ donor sign-up and organ donations as a whole have generally carried a ‘the more the merrier’ tone. If all the checks of compatibility and health check out, and the donor agrees, all lights are a go. Because, when it comes to medicine and possibly […]
Eden Foods: The Latest Secular, For-Profit Corporation to Seek Religious Protection Under the RFRA
by: Kevin Lorello, 2L Contributor The debate continues over whether a secular, for-profit corporation can assert a religious claim under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”). The RFRA provides that government may not substantially interfere with a person’s exercise of religion, unless it demonstrates a “compelling governmental interest.” This is […]
ACLU, Local GOP Group Team Up to Fight Campaign Sign Ordinance
by: Lauren Gailey, Associate Editor When reports began to emerge last week that the American Civil Liberties Union’s Greater Pittsburgh Chapter rushed to the defense of a local political group alleging that selective enforcement of a campaign sign ordinance was hurting its candidates, few were surprised. After all, the ACLU […]
The Securities and Exchange Commission Finally Proposes New Rules for Crowdfunding
by: Matthew Andersen, Web Editor After much anticipation, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has finally proposed new rules for equity crowdfunding. These new rules will allow investors to purchase stock in companies over the Internet through a crowdfunding exchange. This will assist the SEC in regulating any business that […]
Human Trafficking in Pennsylvania, Part II: Legislation, and a Recent Case
by: Judy Hale Reed, Staff Writer Earlier this month, the Judge Ambrose in the Western District of Pennsylvania accepted a plea from a Hill District man charged with human trafficking. A Pittsburgh police vice detective discovered that the man was prostituting two women, a minor and an adult, here in […]
Why Do Judges Wear Black Robes?
by: Meghan Collins, Graphic Designer To wear robes and wigs, or to not wear robes and wigs: that is the question. When the United States declared its independence from England, the Founding Fathers set out to create a government. It is not surprising that they used English common law as […]
Casting the Vote: Raising the Constitutional Mandatory Retirement Age for Pennsylvania Judges
by: Jamie Inferrera, Staff Writer Imagine being told that you must retire from your job at the age of 70. No pleading a case to continue working; no exceptions. This is a reality for the over 1,000 judges serving within Pennsylvania’s judicial system. Currently, thirty-three states and the District of […]
Obamacare: The ACA’s Individual Mandate and the Constitution
by: Thomas Cocchi, Staff Writer The government shutdown, and the impending debt ceiling hit on October 17th, has come with renewed challenges from the Republicans in the House of Representatives and the Senate to the Affordable Care Act (“the Act”), commonly known as “Obamacare,” and, more specifically, to its individual […]
October 2013 Term Preview: U.S. Supreme Court to Reevaluate Precedents
by: Lauren Gailey, Associate Editor The United States Supreme Court kicked off its October 2013 term last week despite the government shutdown, which has not yet affected the Court’s argument schedule. This term’s docket includes cases dealing with a wide range of important and divisive issues such as affirmative […]