March 14, 2019

POS 282 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN LAW
In class today, Thursday 3/14, I returned the exams, and we went over them. I also distributed one handout, my version of the Katko case brief. After going over the exam, we resumed constructing a case brief of Katko. We then looked at the authority relied on by the Iowa Supreme Court in deciding the spring gun issue. I went over the difference between primary authority (law) and secondary authority (non-law), and we looked at the two sources of secondary authority that the court turned to. We left off with the Hooker case as authority, and we'll pick up at hat point when we resume after Spring Break. Once we finish looking at authority, we'll also look at what the dissenting judge thought. After that, we'll look at the Maine statute regarding the use of force in defense of premises and property, and discuss whether the Brineys had committed a crime if their conduct had happened in Maine.
The assignment for Tuesday 3/26 is to review Katko and the Maine statutory handout, and to read in addition through the end of Chapter 1, including Suggs v. Norris.

Have a good Spring Break.


POS 359 THE CURRENT SUPREME COURT TERM
In class today, Thursday 3/14, I returned the exams, and we went over them. I distributed 2 handouts, the Petitoner's and Respondent's Briefs in American Legion et. al. v. American Humanist Association. After going over the exam, we talked about one of the three "shadow docket" cases that I had previously distributed, Dunn v. Ray. We will begin class on Tuesday 3/26 with the other 2 shadow docket handouts, and then move on to American Legion v. American Humanist Association.
The assignment for Tuesday 3/26 is to review those other 2 shadow docket handouts, to read today's American Legion handouts, and to listen to, read, and have available for class the American Legion oral argument, found at
https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-1717_8n59.pdf
and
https://www.oyez.org/cases/2018/17-1717

Have a good Spring Break.