In response to increasing calls to reform the Supreme Court, President Biden has appointed a judicial commission to study the possibility of increasing the size of the Supreme Court and adopting term limits for justices. The judicial commission should avoid falling into the trap that the United States has little to learn from other countries. The experience of the Supreme Court of India, the largest common law court in the world with jurisdiction over one billion people, suggests that imposing term limits on justices of the Supreme Court of the United States could negatively impact judicial independence. A court with a revolving door of justices could also frequently flip flop on issues of major significance, including abortion. Legal scholars Steven Calabresi and James Lindren argue that imposing term limits of 18 years on justices and giving each president the ability to appoint two justices each term will depoliticize the current appointments process. Although … [Read more...] about Lessons from India on the issue of Supreme Court justice term limits
Which supreme court justice is from california
What packing the Supreme Court would really do
Elizabeth Slattery is a senior legal fellow at Pacific Legal Foundation and co-host of Dissed , a podcast about the Supreme Court. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion on CNN. (CNN) US Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer recently offered some advice to the proponents of court packing: think long and hard about the consequences. The octogenarian justice, who finds himself the latest target of a pressure campaign to retire, warned while speaking at Harvard Law School that "[s]tructural alteration motivated by the perception of political influence can only feed that perception, further eroding that trust." Elizabeth Slattery Breyer is right. Any silver-bullet solution that purports to fix the perception of a politicized court will likely miss the mark and worsen the problem. Nevertheless, President Joe Biden has tasked a commission to examine a variety of court reforms, including appointment procedures, judicial … [Read more...] about What packing the Supreme Court would really do
Kamala Harris’ Criminal Justice Plan: End The Death Penalty And Legalize Pot
Democratic California Sen. Kamala Harris released her criminal justice plan Monday — it aims to end both mandatory minimum sentencing and the death penalty as well as legalize marijuana. The policy platform also wants to gradually end for-profit prisons and “mass incarceration.” As the plan notes, the penitentiary population has increased to 2.3 million people today from 500,000 in 1980. To end “mass incarceration,” Harris is advocating an end to mandatory minimum sentencing policies that force judges to administer stricter sentences as well as allowing women convicted of non-violent crimes to serve their sentences outside of jail. 2020 Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris speaks during the Presidential Gun Sense Forum in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., Aug. 10, 2019. REUTERS/Scott Morgan The Democratic presidential candidate makes it clear that she believes, as a former prosecutor, she is well situated to both assess and reform America’s criminal … [Read more...] about Kamala Harris’ Criminal Justice Plan: End The Death Penalty And Legalize Pot
‘The First Step Towards Justice’: Officials In Minnesota React To Guilty Verdict In Derek Chauvin Trial
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A jury of 12 Minnesotans Tuesday found ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. Officials in Minnesota are reacting to the verdict, calling it an important step towards justice, but also acknowledging the road that is still ahead. “Today’s verdict is an important step forward for justice in Minnesota. The trial is over, but our work has only begun,” said Gov. Tim Walz. “No verdict can bring George back, and my heart is with his family as they continue to grieve his loss. Minnesota mourns with you, and we promise the pursuit of justice for George does not end today.” pic.twitter.com/qBtbXPnuNj — Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) April 20, 2021 Walz addressed the public on Tuesday evening. Minnesota, he said, is often lifted up as a model of well-being, but the disparities in education, health care, and home ownership make it clear … [Read more...] about ‘The First Step Towards Justice’: Officials In Minnesota React To Guilty Verdict In Derek Chauvin Trial
Eric Garcetti Unveils ‘Justice Budget’: Income Grants, ‘DACA Fees,’ ‘Slavery Reparations,’ ‘Alternatives to Policing’
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told the city Monday evening in his annual “State of the City” address that L.A. was more “just” and “forward-looking” after a year of pandemic, riots, and economic shock. “Through our pain and our trauma, we showed who we are, and defined what we believe,” Garcetti said. Join us live for our annual State of the City address. Together, we can recover, rebuild, and reimagine a more just, resilient, sustainable, equitable and fair city for every Angeleno. #SOTC2021 https://t.co/r82p384qJp — MayorOfLA (@MayorOfLA) April 20, 2021 Speaking from the iconic Griffith Observatory, the mayor struck a more optimistic tone than he had in 2020, when he told the city: “This is the worst it’s ever been.” He had tweeted earlier that the state of the city was “strong, & bruised––bursting w/ joyous possibility, while cracking with sorrow.” The state of our city is strong, & bruised––bursting w/ joyous possibility, while cracking with … [Read more...] about Eric Garcetti Unveils ‘Justice Budget’: Income Grants, ‘DACA Fees,’ ‘Slavery Reparations,’ ‘Alternatives to Policing’
