The US Constitution was written in 1787 and ratified in 1788. In 1791, the Bill of Rights was also ratified with 10 amendments. Since then, 17 more amendments have been added. The amendments deal with a variety of rights ranging from freedom of speech to the right to vote. The Constitution of the United States was written in 1787 by 55 delegates at a Constitutional Convention. Its purpose was to revise the weaker Articles of Confederation that had held the 13 states together after they gained independence from Britain. Before it could be put into place, it had to be ratified by conventions from each of the 13 states, where the delegates argued both for and against the binding document. One of the main arguments against the ratification of the US Constitution was the lack of specified individual rights and liberties, so James Madison drafted a set of amendments to add to the US Constitution if it was ratified. By June 1789, Madison submitted 12 amendments, though only 10 were … [Read more...] about The US Constitution has 27 amendments that protect the rights of Americans. Do you know them all?
Exclusionary rule cases
Progressives, Kavanaugh and the precedent predicament
Marshall H. Tanick As U.S. senators take the measure of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, currently a federal appellate court judge in Washington, D.C., progressives (as liberals are wont to call themselves nowadays) and even some conservatives who regard themselves as judicial purists have been intent on getting the high court aspirant to pledge fidelity to following legal precedent. During confirmation hearings this week, senators probed his thinking on the subject. But they may be asking for something they don’t necessarily want. Their concern, indeed fear, is understandable; if confirmed, as seems increasingly likely, Kavanaugh may form a quintet of jurists, along with four other sitting justices, that may be poised to overrule settled legal principles underlying reproductive rights in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case establishing women’s constitutional right to abortion. Additional notable rulings of late concerning health care, same-sex marriage, … [Read more...] about Progressives, Kavanaugh and the precedent predicament
Tech giants seen shielded from antitrust scrutiny by AmEx case
By Greg Stohr and David McLaughlin Published 3:40 pm, Monday, June 25, 2018 A U.S. Supreme Court ruling favoring American Express Co. could shield Silicon Valley companies from accusations that they are thwarting competition just as antitrust enforcers are vowing to heighten scrutiny of the technology sector. The justices, voting 5-4 along ideological lines, said Monday the U.S. government and 11 states failed to prove that American Express harmed cardholders by prohibiting merchants from steering customers to cards with lower fees. Writing for the court, Justice Clarence Thomas said antitrust enforcers focused only on the fees paid by retailers to American Express and failed to prove that consumers suffered any harm. The government “did not offer any evidence that the price of credit-card transactions was higher than the price one would expect to find in a competitive market,” Thomas wrote. The case focused on what antitrust lawyers call a two-sided market, … [Read more...] about Tech giants seen shielded from antitrust scrutiny by AmEx case
Justices limit police searching vehicles without a warrant
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is putting limits on the ability of police to search vehicles when they do not have a search warrant. The court sided 8-1 Tuesday with a Virginia man who complained that police walked onto his driveway and pulled back a tarp covering his motorcycle, which turned out to be stolen. They acted without a warrant, relying on a line of Supreme Court cases generally allowing police to search a vehicle without a warrant. The justices said the automobile exception does not apply when searching vehicles parked adjacent to a home. The court ruled in the case of Ryan Collins, who was arrested at the home of his girlfriend in Charlottesville, Va. Collins had twice eluded police in high-speed chases in which he rode an orange and black motorcycle. The authorities used Collins' Facebook page to eventually track the motorcycle to his girlfriend's home. Collins argued that police improperly entered private property uninvited and without a warrant. Virginia's Supreme … [Read more...] about Justices limit police searching vehicles without a warrant
Supreme Court limits warrantless vehicle searches near homes
Mark Sherman, Associated Press Updated 8:02 am, Tuesday, May 29, 2018 Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, AP Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2017 file photo, the Supreme Court in Washington is seen at sunset. The Supreme Court is putting limits on the ability of police to search vehicles when they do not have a search warrant. The court sided Tuesday with a Virginia man who complained that police walked onto his driveway and pulled back a tarp covering his motorcycle, which turned out to be stolen. less FILE - In this Oct. 10, 2017 file photo, the Supreme Court in Washington is seen at sunset. The Supreme Court is putting limits on the ability of police to search vehicles when they do not have a search ... more Photo: J. Scott Applewhite, AP Supreme Court limits warrantless vehicle searches near homes … [Read more...] about Supreme Court limits warrantless vehicle searches near homes