The Legal Public Square
Addressing Gender Equality: Prison Feminine Hygiene Reform
| Michelle Mikhels
A commonly overlooked example of gender inequality is that which occurs in New York state prisons, primarily with limited feminine hygiene access. To comply with the US Constitution, new gender-responsive regulations must be instituted and enforced to both prevent unsafe and unfair conditions for incarcerated women and reform training programs for correctional officers. Read Here
Navigating the First Amendment in the Digital Age: A Discourse on Freedom of Speech and Social Media
| Abigail Harrison
The rise of social media has sparked a nationwide debate over the boundaries of our First Amendment right to freedom of speech. As this liberty is increasingly exercised online, many are questioning if there should be limits, and if so, where they should be drawn. Read Here
Juvenile Justice: Recognizing the Difference Between Juvenile and Adult Criminal Courts
| Abby Lin
The concept of adulthood is not merely sociological. In American society, it also holds legal relevance. The law explicitly recognizes the difference between a minor and an adult. Despite this acknowledgment, it is not uncommon for a juvenile to be tried as an adult in the criminal justice system. Read Here
Olmstead v. L.C. & the US’ Delayed Shift to Community-Based Services for People with Disabilities
| Lauren Fakhoury
Tracking the impact of the Supreme Court in Olmstead v. L.C. and resources available to people with disabilities. Read Here
The First Amendment Implications of the No AI FRAUD ACT:
An Overreaction to New Technologies
| Ethan Du
As Artificial Intelligence becomes a mainstream tool in nearly every industry, Congress has attempted to regulate it through the No AI FRAUD Act, creating many First Amendment concerns. Can officials regulate AI without smothering innovation and violating the Constitution? Read Here
Removing the Price Tag on Justice:
The Abolishment of Cash Bail
| Abby Lin
In recent years, advocates and state governments have moved to abolish cash bail for specific crimes. While the policy debate continues across the country, it’s worth looking at what the Constitution has to say on the matter. Read Here
The EU AI Act: A Beacon Amid the Chaos of AI Innovation
| Darren Kim
The rise of AI has caused many to call for substantial regulation. In a world where technological advancement regularly outpaces legislative efforts, what framework has the EU put forth to regulate this new industry without stifling it? Read Here
Originalism or Safety?
Analyzing Constitutional Interpretations of The Right to Bear Arms
| Gabriella Sawa
How has constitutional interpretation changed in cases surrounding gun rights, and what do these changes mean for United States v. Rahimi and the rights of domestic abusers? Read Here
Empowering NYC Veterans: Using Artificial Intelligence for a Brighter Future
| Michelle Mikhels
Despite efforts to support veterans during post-deployment, hundreds of thousands of veterans in New York City alone live in households with earnings insufficient to cover basic necessities… Read Here
Supremacy or Sovereignty? The Legal Struggle Between the Federal Government and the Lone Star State
| Neya Kidambi
Recent legal battles between Texas and the federal government have brought the supremacy clause and our system of federalism to the forefront of legal debate. Does Texas have the right or power to control national immigration policy within its state borders? Read Here
The Case for Self-Determination: Kuril Islands and the Ainu People
| William Moon
There is a hopeful thread throughout the history of indigenous people fighting for self-determination. Such victories could be the roadmap to freedom for the Ainu people, who are struggling to find independence from Japan and Russia. Read Here
A Case for the Expansion of the First Step Act of 2018
| Lily Mobraaten
The First Step Act of 2018 was a strong “first step” in the right direction of reducing mass incarceration. But its strong policy solutions are restricted from too many. More incarcerated persons need access to remedy options like the First Step Act. Read Here
Supreme Courts: The Legislature’s New Initiative
A dive into recent State Legislature attempts to influence the Courts
| Mia Bond
Balancing legislative power with judicial oversight has always been a hallmark of our checks and balances system of governance. In recent history, this relationship has taken a turn as legislatures nationwide seek to exert their political wills on independent courts. Read Here
The Lithium Dilemma: Balancing Economic Development, Indigenous Rights, and Sovereignty in Argentina
| Nicole Lu
The world stands on the cusp of a clean energy revolution, and lithium has emerged as a critical resource in powering this transition. Argentina, endowed with a multitude of lithium reserves, finds itself in a favorable position in the global race toward cleaner energy sources. Read Here
The Framework for an Unelected Speaker
| Fabian T. Ardila
The Constitutional and Political Basis on Which Donald Trump Could be Elected as Speaker of the House, Putting Him Only Two Steps Away from the Presidency. Read Here
The Acquisition of Extraplanetary Property
| Fabian T. Ardila
The UN's Outer Space Treaty fails to create a framework for enforcing the treaty, which leaves the international community vulnerable to conflict over extraplanetary resources such as HE-3 and geostationary orbits. Read Here
The Anti-Leaflet Law
| Haan Choi
The controversial amendment epitomizes the dilemma of the trade-off between free expression and national security, but the problem is never too black and white. Could the South Korean government do better to preserve both? Read Here
The Matter of Standing in Student Loan Forgiveness
| Neya Kidambi
Student loan forgiveness has been a highly contentious and anticipated topic, in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decisions. The concept of loan forgiveness highlights [calls attention to?] the fundamental legal concept of standing, and its role in due process. Read Here
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and Abortion Law: Overarching Impacts
| Uma Upamaka
The amount of influence that the political inclination of the Supreme Court has upon the zeitgeist cannot be overstated. The opinion of a nation can be wholly considered, after all, by appraising that of the highest court in the nation. Read Here
COVID-19 Policy as a 'Liability Shield' at NYU
| Jack Li
With higher-education institutions across the nation returning to in-person learning, college and university administrators are becoming anxious to avoid potential liability. Read Here
Reactions to Amy Coney Barrett's Originalist Philosophy on the New Supreme Court of the United States
| Hanna Lee
Read about both the left and right opinions behind Amy Coney Barrett’s originalist judicial philosophy and the legal implications behind the Supreme Court’s interpretation of constitutional human rights with a 6-3 Republican majority. Read Here
An Inductive Approach to Marbury v. Madison
| Ashwath Subramanian
Chief Justice John Marshall precise and process-driven logic leaves no foothold for detractors searching for breaks in reasoning, while remaining accessible to the layman; Marshall’s technique in Marbury was more than worthy of the pervasive legacy that it left behind. Read Here
The Supreme Court Has Always Been Political
| Emily Dai
One of the fiercest defenders over the image of the apolitical Court is Chief Justice Roberts. However, closer inspection reveals the dire truth: the Court has never been neutral. Read Here
Justice Revoked: The Failure of the JEP to Restore Peace in Colombia
| Pablo Vargas
Although achieving peace in a war-torn country is a universally lauded goal, how much are we willing to sacrifice a country’s future to amend for its past grievances? Read Here