February 1,2011

POS 359--The Current Supreme Court Term
In class today, Tuesday 2/1, we first went over questions regarding the Snyder v. Phelps paper due Thursday. I then discussed some general aspects of the Supreme Court operations, such as the assignment of opinion-writing, and different types of concurring opinions. I then introduced 8 current cases before the Court, and (barring bad weather) the class will vote on Thursday to decide which case to tackle next. The merits briefs for the cases, and the oral arguments,can be accessed via the Supreme Court's site. The cases are (with date of oral argument):
1) October 13--Skinner v. Switzer: the procedural mechanism for how a death-row inmate can try to force the state to test for DNA.
2) November 2--Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants: whether the First Amendment bars a state from restricting the sale of violent video games to minors.
3) November 3--Arizona Christian School v. Winn: the standing of a taxpayer to challenge an alleged establishment of religion by religious school tax credits, and the legality of such a scheme.
4) December 8--Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting: whether Arizona's law sanctioning employers who hire illegal aliens is preeempted by federal law on the subject.
5) January 11--McIntyre Machinery v. Nicastro: whether a foreign manufacturer is subject to personal jurisdiction in whatever state a consumer has bought their stuff.
6) January 12--Kentucky v. King: Under the Fourth Amendment, whether a warrantless search is allowed under either the "exigent" circumstances or the "hot pursuit" exceptions to the general need for a warrant.
7) January 19--FCC v. AT&T: whether a corporation has "privacy" interests that are protected by the federal Freedom of Information Act.
8 February 22--Bond v. U.S.: whether a person convicted under a federal anti-chemical and biological warfare statute has standing to challenge that federal law as violating the Tenth Amendment.


POS 282--Introduction to American Law
In class today, Tuesday 2/1, I collected the Lyman case briefs, and we spent the class going over them. My intention is to return them on Thursday. The assignment for Thursday 2/3 is to read in the text pp. 28-42.