Former U.S. Hostages of Iran to be Eligible for Compensation (open access)

Former U.S. Hostages of Iran to be Eligible for Compensation

This legal sidebar briefly discusses the U.S. victims of the 1979-1981 Iran Hostage Crisis, who will become eligible to receive up to $4.4 million each in compensation, thanks to the Justice for United States Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Act.
Date: December 29, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tropical Storm? The Supreme Court Considers Double Jeopardy and the Sovereign Status of Puerto Rico (open access)

Tropical Storm? The Supreme Court Considers Double Jeopardy and the Sovereign Status of Puerto Rico

This legal sidebar discusses the nature of the relationship between the United States government and the territory of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Based in part on statutory language providing that the relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States is "in the nature of a compact," arguments have been made that any change in Puerto Rico's political status must be consented to by both parties.
Date: November 4, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
You Win Some You Lose Some...New Second Amendment Rulings (open access)

You Win Some You Lose Some...New Second Amendment Rulings

This legal sidebar discusses constitutionality of firearms laws under the Second Amendment since the Supreme Court decided District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008, in light of two recent federal appellate cases in which the circuit courts struck down some parts of firearms laws.
Date: November 5, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
School Locker Rooms Become the New Battleground in the Gender (Identity) Wars (open access)

School Locker Rooms Become the New Battleground in the Gender (Identity) Wars

This legal sidebar discusses the decision of the Department of Education (ED) to side with a transgender female student in Illinois who alleged that her public high school had discriminated against her when it denied her access to the girls' locker rooms.
Date: December 24, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Federal Court Weighs in on "VisaGate 2015": Part 1, the Visa Bulletin and Recent Revisions to It (open access)

Federal Court Weighs in on "VisaGate 2015": Part 1, the Visa Bulletin and Recent Revisions to It

This legal sidebar discusses the incident widely known as "VisaGate 2015" regarding the timeframe for temporary alien guest workers to file applications for lawful permanent resident status. It includes an analysis of the decision from the federal district court in Washington State on the permissibility of certain changes made by the Department of State (DOS) regarding the incident.
Date: November 16, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tying Up Loose Ends... Supreme Court To Evaluate Federal Firearm Provision Again (open access)

Tying Up Loose Ends... Supreme Court To Evaluate Federal Firearm Provision Again

This legal sidebar discusses certiorari to hear Voisine v. United States, a decision examining the federal provision that makes it unlawful for an individual to possess a firearm or ammunition if he or she has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (MCDV).
Date: December 3, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Obama Administration Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Request: Could Congress Nevertheless Approve It? (open access)

Obama Administration Rejects Keystone XL Pipeline Permit Request: Could Congress Nevertheless Approve It?

This legal sidebar discusses the rejection by Obama administration of TransCanada's application for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Date: November 9, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Still Fair Use for Google Books: Second Circuit Ruling in Authors Guild v. Google (open access)

Still Fair Use for Google Books: Second Circuit Ruling in Authors Guild v. Google

This legal sidebar discusses the decision in Authors Guild v. Google case, in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the lower court's ruling and held that Google's copying and distribution of books as part of its Google Books Project qualifies as fair use under the Copyright Act, and thus Google is not liable for infringement of the authors' copyright in these books.
Date: November 30, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fifth Circuit Declines to Lift Injunction Barring Implementation of the Obama Administration's 2014 Deferred Action Programs (open access)

Fifth Circuit Declines to Lift Injunction Barring Implementation of the Obama Administration's 2014 Deferred Action Programs

This legal sidebar discusses a decision by the Fifth Circuit in which they declined to lift an injunction barring the implementation of the Obama administration's 2014 deferred action programs. Additionally, the decision argued that the expansions are impermissible because they conflict with certain provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Date: November 12, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
Can States and Localities Bar the Resettlement of Syrian Refugees Within Their Jurisdictions? (open access)

Can States and Localities Bar the Resettlement of Syrian Refugees Within Their Jurisdictions?

This legal sidebar discusses an intention to restrict the resettlement of Syrian refugees within individual states and states' authority in the refugee resettlement process, which may take action to forestall or prevent such resettlement.
Date: November 18, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Obama Administration's November 20, 2014, Actions as to Immigration: Pending Legal Challenges One Year Later (open access)

The Obama Administration's November 20, 2014, Actions as to Immigration: Pending Legal Challenges One Year Later

This legal sidebar discusses the Obama Administration announcement regarding a number of actions to "fix" what the President has repeatedly described as a "broken" immigration system.
Date: November 20, 2015
Creator: unknown
System: The UNT Digital Library