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Law
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December 17, 2013
One Man, One Woman. Or More.
Should courts recognize a right to plural marriage among consenting adults?
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November 22, 2013
What the Filibuster Rule Changes, and What It Doesn’t
What are the likely effects of the Senate's decision to limit filibusters?
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November 3, 2013
The Appearance of Impartiality
A New York judge is accused of improperly steering cases and commenting out of court. What restrictions should be placed on judges?
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October 22, 2013
If Police Encounters Were Filmed
Should police officers be required to wear cameras that record their interactions with the public?
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September 18, 2013
Reconsidering Young Lifers’ Sentences
Should prisoners serving mandatory life sentences without parole who committed their crimes as juveniles be eligible for a new sentencing hearing?
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June 26, 2013
Is the Civil Rights Era Over?
With rulings on affirmative action, voting rights and same-sex marriage, are we seeing the end of the civil rights movement? Did it …
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June 18, 2013
Out of Officials’ Hands and Onto the Ballot
Should voters enact more local laws through ballot initiatives? Or would that become too chaotic?
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June 11, 2013
A Whistle-Blower, a Criminal or Both
How should the government handle the case of Edward J. Snowden, who admitted disclosing secrets about N.S.A. surveillance?
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June 9, 2013
Secrecy and Freedom
Is government surveillance a threat to our democracy?
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May 22, 2013
How Can Marijuana Be Sold Safely?
Legalizing pot is the easy part. Figuring out how to regulate and tax the marketplace is much more complex.
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March 26, 2013
Campaigning in Court or the Statehouse
Gay rights advocates are fighting in both courts and legislatures. Given the history of other civil rights movements, which front is more …
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March 21, 2013
The Power of the Prenup
Should everyone have a prenuptial agreement? Do they really mean anything?
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March 5, 2013
Walking the Line Between Offputting and Illegal
What’s the difference between protected speech (like online fantasies) and threats that warrant legal action?
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February 20, 2013
Too Many Restrictions on Sex Offenders, or Too Few?
Lawmakers have to ask what restrictions make people safer, and which just create new problems like camps of homeless sex offenders.
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February 5, 2013
When Can the U.S. Kill One of Its Own?
Are targeted killings depriving U.S. citizens of constitutionally protected due process rights?
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December 25, 2012
Asleep at the Wheel: Bad Luck, or a Crime?
Should drowsy driving be prosecuted like drunken driving, or is nodding off at the wheel simply an accident – like hitting a …
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December 18, 2012
Prison Could Be Productive
How can incarceration change so that people are improved by the experience, rather than harmed and hardened?
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December 2, 2012
Do Filibusters Stall the Senate or Give It Purpose?
Many want to improve the filibuster rules. But can they change without losing the Senate’s value as a counterweight to the House?
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November 18, 2012
Time to End Military Tribunals?
Should President Obama stop using military commissions to prosecute combatants captured in the war on terror, and transfer the Guantánamo cases to …
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October 10, 2012
Does the Law Support Inventors or Investors?
The protections for intellectual property were intended to encourage innovation. Now many fear they have become 'destructive weapons.'
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August 19, 2012
Do Prosecutors Have Too Much Power?
When one party decides whether to bring charges, what charges to bring and whether to offer a plea bargain, is the justice …
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August 12, 2012
Is the Threat From Hate Groups Overlooked?
Has the government's focus on Muslim terrorists made us neglect the threat from white hate groups? Should law enforcement pay more attention …
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July 24, 2012
Has Sarbanes-Oxley Failed?
After a decade, are there aspects that seem too onerous or too weak?
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July 17, 2012
Does ‘Stop and Frisk’ Reduce Crime?
The constitutionality of the police tactic has been questioned in New York City and elsewhere. But does it work?
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July 8, 2012
Another Stab at the U.S. Constitution
If the U.S. Constitution were being written today, what would you omit, add or clarify?
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June 17, 2012
Life After the Health Care Ruling
What would the future hold if the Supreme Court strikes down the most controversial part of the health care law, the individual …
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June 5, 2012
When to Punish, and When to Rehabilitate
When minors commit violent crimes, should they be treated differently from adults? Is prison effective as a punishment or a deterrent for …
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April 22, 2012
How States Should Approach Immigration
Arizona and Alabama have run into controversy. What are the alternatives to their policies?
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March 25, 2012
Is the Court Being Thoughtful or Partisan?
Are the Supreme Court justices giving due consideration to the health care law, or preparing to engage in 'judicial activism' to reduce …
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March 21, 2012
Killing, With the Law on Your Side
Do Stand Your Ground laws provide too much criminal immunity when innocent people are shot by someone who feels threatened?
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