Category: General
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Racketeers of the Bird World: The Ecological Impact of the Brown-headed Cowbird
The brown-headed cowbird is an unusual bird. Instead of raising its own young, it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. Cowbirds usually choose smaller passerines (songbirds), but they are not picky—they have been recorded parasitizing at least 220 species’ nests, including unsuitable host species such as sandpipers, owls, and hawks.[1] This is not a mutually-beneficial relationship. The…
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Major Questions Remain About the Major Questions Doctrine After Biden v. Nebraska
June 2023 was rife with U.S. Supreme Court decisions on hot button issues. Debt relief, affirmative action, and protections for LGBTQ+ people, for example, were all at the forefront of minds and the national conversation. While Biden v. Nebraska is most notable for settling the debate around the student debt relief plan proposed by the…
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The Human Cost of Legislative Delay
On March 23, 2023, the North Carolina House of Representatives voted 87-24 in favor of a Medicaid Expansion deal that would provide healthcare coverage to over 600,000 people in the state.[1] In finalizing the legislation, North Carolina became the 40th state to adopt Medicaid Expansion, an Obama-era program associated with the Affordable Care Act. Nearly six months later, the proposed expansion had not…
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Moving from Property to Personhood: Hippos as Plaintiffs in U.S. Federal Court
In the United States legal system, animals have traditionally been viewed as property, lacking legal rights and the ability to redress injustices in court. As evidenced through philosophy, religion, and history, humans have viewed animals as objects that exist solely for their use and benefit. Yet, animals, like humans, are intelligent, sentient creatures with the…
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Not So “Lucky”: Britney Spears’ Conservatorship Battle Illuminates Potential Abuse of Legal System Against Young People
After thirteen long years, pop star Britney Spears has finally regained the freedom she once enjoyed.[1] In 2008, Spears entered what became an abusive conservatorship at the hands of her father, Jamie Spears.[2] A conservatorship is a legal mechanism that is established for individuals who are unable to manage their personal and financial affairs.[3] A…
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Southern-State Legislative Lessons from Virginia’s Abolition of the Death Penalty
The lives of Virginia’s last two death-row inmates were recently saved by the legal system—but not quite in the typical way for Southern states. With the stroke of a pen, Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill 1165 at Greensville Correctional Center,[1] ending capital punishment altogether in the state that has executed the most prisoners since…
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Will Texas Plaintiffs’ Claims Against State Energy Provider Be Lights Out?
A mid-February 2021 winter storm left dozens of Texans dead, millions without power, and nearly 15 million with water issues. The hazardous weather also disrupted medical care and caused widespread property damage.[1] As a result, Texas lawmakers have lobbed criticism at the Public Utility Commission of Texas (“PUC”), the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”),…
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The Continued Need for Bail Reform in North Carolina
About a year ago, in the spring and summer of 2020, the spotlight was on bail funds as a practical way to fight racism and injustice in America. Social media was filled with links to statewide and local community funds. Now? Crickets. But the issues surrounding bail have not disappeared just because the social media…
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Criminality Should Not Affect COVID-19 Vaccination Access
Advocates and scientists have urged vaccinating vulnerable individuals first when creating COVID-19 vaccine rollout plans.[1] According to a report from the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice, prisons had almost four times more confirmed coronavirus cases and twice as many deaths as the general public.[2] One of the greatest challenges of reducing the spread…
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Transgender Women in Sports: Sexual Difference and Fairness
After the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which held that Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act protects transgender people from workplace discrimination, the political battles and culture war around transgender people will likely shift onto new terrain. One of these battles is expected to center on the rights of transgender…