Court Cases

Religion.

The father of a little girl is atheist, and does not want his daughter practicing religious acts. She is in Elementary School and has to recite the pledge every day at school. The father is suing the school because of the words "under God" in the pledge. The Magistrate Judge concluded that the Pledge is constitutional, and the District Court agreed and dismissed the complaint.

School System.

In texas the schools are big on sports. At the sports the kids would lead in a pre-game prayer.  A number of students sued, arguing that such solemnizing statements or prayers constituted an endorsement of religion, violating the Establishment Clause. They found that the student speech was not private. The control the school maintained over the content of the student speech registered government preference for religious speech or prayer

Minority.

This case involves a white woman who applied to the University of Texas. She did not get accepted because of the color of her skin. She said that she was higher in her class and she was in more activities than some of the people who got accepted. She stated that the only known difference was the color of their skin. Texas' argument was that they wanted diversity.

Notes 3/20

Inferior courts were created to function beneath the supreme court.
There are 94 district courts.
12 judicial districts. then broken down on population.
677 judges for 350,000 cases.
FISA = foreign intelligence surveillance court
districts get criminal and civil cases
each court has 6-28 judges and 1 supreme court justice
court of appeals get nation-wide cases
court of international trade - a federal trial court - only tries civil cases that arise out of the nations customs and other trade related laws.
9 judges

BR 3/20

Judicial activism.

Chapter 18 section 1

Souter, David Hackett 

BR 3/19

What is your opinion of Flight 370's disappearance? Is this an issue that should concern America?

I think that it is crazy that it disappeared and that it should concern american.

BR 3/12

1.  Why did air traffic control fail to notify authorities that plane was so far off route.
The radar was turned off.

2.  Research and explain possible causes for the problems with the plane.
It could have ran out of gas.

BR 3/11

1.  Should pharmaceutical companies put people ahead of profits?

Yes.

2.  Should government be able to compel pharmaceutical companies to provide life saving medicines?

Yes.