Courts & Law

Watch Scalia and Breyer Debate Competing Theories of Constitutional Interpretation

Bill Blum / Truthdig Mar 3, 2023 If you want to deepen your understanding of the differences between “originalism” and “living constitutionalism” as competing theories of constitutional law and interpretation, there’s no better place to begin than with the 2006 debate between the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the recently retired liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

The Biggest Hurdle to Gun Control May Be the Supreme Court

Bill Blum / Truthdig Aug 19, 2019 A new Second Amendment appeal could radically expand the scope of District of Columbia v. Heller, handicapping Congress for years to come. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

The Dangerous and Unrelenting Extremism of Clarence Thomas

Bill Blum / Truthdig Mar 26, 2019 The implications of Justice Thomas’ tenure on the nation’s top court extend far beyond his own career and legacy. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Donald Trump Is Remaking the Supreme Court in His Own Image

Bill Blum / Truthdig Oct 23, 2018 And with Neil Gorsuch and now Brett Kavanaugh in tow, the president is well on his way achieving his objective. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Brett Kavanaugh and the Triumph of the Conservative Counterrevolution

Bill Blum / Truthdig Sep 3, 2018 The confirmation of President Trump's nominee would mark the culmination of a right-wing legal counterrevolution that has been decades in the making. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s Supreme Court Pick, Will Drive U.S. Law Hard to the Right

Bill Blum / Truthdig Jul 9, 2018 The president has chosen a candidate who poses a great threat to progressive values and causes—and one who might shield him from Mueller. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Rewriting the Second Amendment

John Bachar / Truthdig May 23, 2018 The only way to reduce the number of firearm deaths in the United States is to abolish gun ownership. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Supreme Court Strikes Down Portion of Immigration Law

JESSICA GRESKO / The Associated Press Apr 17, 2018 In an unusual alignment in which Neil Gorsuch joined the four liberal justices, the court ruled that part of a law that makes it easier to deport immigrants convicted of crimes is too vague to be enforced. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

A Footnote Looms Large in the Second Amendment’s Future

Bill Blum / Truthdig Mar 12, 2018 The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who upended prior interpretations of the amendment, left a tantalizing loophole for advocates of gun regulation. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

A Window Into How the NRA Uses its Influence

RICHARD LARDNER / The Associated Press Mar 5, 2018 What the National Rifle Association donates to candidates is small in comparison with the sums it spends on potent get-out-the-vote operations and ad campaigns. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Neil Gorsuch and the Fate of Labor Union Funding

MARK SHERMAN / The Associated Press Feb 19, 2018 President Trump's Supreme Court pick holds the deciding vote in a case affecting the financial viability of unions that are major supporters of Democratic candidates and causes. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Six Major Legal Battles of 2017 Will Persist in 2018

Bill Blum / Truthdig Dec 26, 2017 Every president influences U.S. law and legal institutions, but few have had the impact of Donald Trump. And he’s just getting started. Dig deeper ( 7 Min. Read )