February 26, 2014

POS 282 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN LAW
In class today, Wednesday 2/26, we first finished going over the Maine statute regarding use of force. We looked at both the rules for getting property back, and the rules about defense of premises. We then went through Suggs v. Norris, covering both the public policy issue and the evidentiary questions. On Friday 2/28, we'll have our first exam, open book and open note. If you are missing any handouts, be sure to email me with what you need by Thursday evening. If for any reason you cannot be in class on Friday, be sure to email me asap, so that we can figure out how to have you make up the test prior to the resumption of classes after Spring Break.


POS 384 CIVIL LIBERTIES
In class today, Wednesday 2/26 I distributed one handout, my version of the Hill outline. We went over that case, both the majority decision and the dissents. We looked at the concept of content-neutrality, made up of viewpoint neutrality, subject-matter neutrality, and the additional category of neutrality that Scalia was concerned with. On Friday 2/28, we'll have our first exam, open book and open note. If you are missing any handouts, be sure to email me with what you need by Thursday evening. If for any reason you cannot be in class on Friday, be sure to email me asap, so that we can figure out how to have you make up the test prior to the resumption of classes after Spring Break.


POS 359 THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT TERM
In class today, Wednesday 2/26, I first went over some scheduling matters. I plan to give the class Assignment #2 on Friday, which will be due at the end of the week that we return from Spring Break (March 21st). After that assignment, I plan to start us on the Hobby Lobby case, regarding religious freedom, contraception, and Obamacare. We then went through the Justices and made predictions about how each Justice would vote in Lozano v. Alvarez. We came out 7-2 in favor of Alvarez (Thomas and Alito dissenting). It would be very cool if that turned out to be correct. There is no homework assignment for Friday, other than to start reading about the Hobby Lobby case if you are inclined to get an early start.