Thursday round-up
on Feb 2, 2012 at 9:37 am
Although the Justices are in their mid-term recess, coverage of the Court continues to focus on last week’s decision in United States v. Jones. Writing for Fox News, Robert Samuel of NewsCore reports on the lack of consensus regarding whether the Court’s decision in Jones requires authorities to obtain warrants before attaching GPS devices to vehicles. Orin Kerr of the Volokh Conspiracy responds to Samuel’s article, arguing that the text of the Jones opinion and the Fourth Amendment’s “automobile exception” indicate that the Court’s decision in Jones does not impose a GPS warrant requirement.
Mark Sherman of the Associated Press reports that Justice Ginsburg is visiting Egypt and Tunisia during the Court’s recess. Ruthann Robson of the Constitutional Law Prof Blog links to the Egyptian television station Al Hayat TV’s interview with Justice Ginsburg. Mike Sacks of the Huffington Post also has coverage of the interview.
Briefly:
- At the ABA Journal, Erwin Chemerinsky contends that the Court’s decisions in Minneci v. Pollard and Ryburn v. Huff “will create new obstacles for civil rights plaintiffs” looking to advance cases in federal court.
- The editorial board of the New York Times argues that the Court should allow video broadcasts of oral arguments, citing the experience of the Supreme Court of Britain as an example.
- Brian Lyman of the Montgomery Advertiser reports that former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman filed a petition for certiorari requesting the Court to review his 2006 conviction for bribery and obstruction of justice.
- In a guest column for the Cincinnati Enquirer, Fred J. Naffziger hails the Court’s decision to uphold a “ministerial exception” to federal, state, and local laws in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC as “a ringing victory for those who believe in religious freedom.”
- Marisa M. Kashino of the Washingtonian’s Capital Comment Blog notes that several Justices regularly make time to meet with children and students visiting the Court.
- In an op-ed for the Lehigh Morning Call, Matthew Rozsa argues that Justice Kagan should not be required to recuse herself from the health care cases because “there is no historical or legal basis supporting a Kagan recusal.”
- At this blog, Amy Howe explains several recent opinions in plain English.
- At his Election Law Blog, Rick Hasen discusses the effects of Citizens United and super PACs on elections.
- Debra Cassens Weiss of the ABA Journal reports that Justice Scalia will speak on Saturday as part of this week’s ABA’s Midyear Meeting in New Orleans.
