Pearly, 2013–2026

Congratulations to my Civil Procedure students on finishing their fall semester and starting a new one! Now you can try the final exam for yourselves at home: stevesachs.com/Exam_CivPro_...

Now published in the Harvard Law Review Forum: "Zionism and Title VI" harvardlawreview.org/forum/vol-13... A solicited response to Profs. @beidelson.bsky.social and Debbie Hellman on how federal civil rights laws apply to campus anti-Zionism. A few excerpts from the introduction: 1/

Some related professional news! Honored to serve.

It's RULES AMENDMENTS DAY! No Act of Congress having intervened, the amendments to the Federal Rules of Appellate, Bankruptcy, and Civil Procedure promulgated earlier this year by the Supreme Court are now in effect. REJOICE!

December:

New amicus brief with Steve: “Sovereign immunity is for sovereigns.”

Now online: A new amicus brief by @williambaude.bsky.social and me, filed today in the Supreme Court in Galette v. New Jersey Transit Corp., on sovereign immunity and the "arm of the State" doctrine: www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24... 1/

NOW IN PRINT in the Notre Dame Law Review: "GIVE PARENTS THE VOTE," with Joshua Kleinfeld: arguing that parents, not strangers, should direct the voting power of children, and that state legislatures can make it happen! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

107 years ago today, the Balfour Declaration:

November:

In honor of Halloween, my favorite essay in the philosophy of candy: 200proofliberals.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-...

New amicus brief, now on @ssrn.bsky.social! Submitted today in King v. Bon Charge, No. 1:25-cv-105-SB (D. Del. filed Jan. 24, 2025), exploring how Rule 4(k)(2) personal jurisdiction applies after Fuld v. PLO. Download it here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Happy National Black Cat Day! Sometimes shelters have a hard time finding homes for black cats, if people are superstitious or don’t think they’re friendly. But we love our two black cats, adopted from Chatham Animal Rescue & Education in Pittsboro, NC!

NOW ON SSRN: "Zionism and Title VI" The HarvLRev Forum had asked me to respond to an essay by Profs. Eidelson & Hellman, applying Title VI's antidiscrimination rules to recent campus protests. A useful exchange, I hope; comments welcome! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.... 1/

Two years.

October:

NOW AVAILABLE at @constitutionctr.bsky.social and @ssrn.bsky.social : "Restoring Conventions, One Amendment at a Time" A new paper on a new way to revitalize Article V, by letting states move first. (1/) papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Congratulations to my 1L students on their first day of Civil Procedure! Syllabus below, for those who'd like to follow along at home: stevesachs.com/syllabi/civp...

Some professional news, as they say! Honored to be among these new members of the Board of Directors of the Federalist Society. fedsoc.org/commentary/f...

September:

Solar-powered cat recharging

Attention incoming Harvard Law students: consider signing up for my new 1L Reading Group, "Conservative Legal Thought"! Syllabus below, for those interested (or interested in following along at home): stevesachs.com/syllabi/cons...

Available for signup on Friday, my Fall 2025 reading group on Jurisprudence! Here's the syllabus, both as screenshots and link, for those interested (or just following along at home): stevesachs.com/syllabi/juri... 1/

Interesting juxtaposition: www.thetimes.com/world/middle...

Part of my Shabbos reading list (a new habit I’m trying to build). Short and recommended. Adam Kirsch, “On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice” www.amazon.com/Settler-Colo...

Here's an updated proposal for federal district-court original jurisdiction over state-diversity suits. (§ 1251(b)(3) allows for original jurisdiction in the SCt, but not in district courts.) Comments welcome!

These historians’ briefs also pose a risk for professional history, because (as advocacy) they are often unrigorous, misleading, and/or one-sided. See eg the characteristically wise Fallon quote in the NYT piece.

An anti-Israel arson attack a few minutes from my childhood home. This is what endless demonization does. www.timesofisrael.com/cars-torched...

Merits of the bill aside, I’ve long thought Congress should criminalize the use of the channels and instrumentalities of interstate commerce to deprive a state body of a quorum. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/03/u...

August:

Worth re-reading: William Tecumseh Sherman to the city council of Atlanta:

Harvard first-years: for a course on a contentious topic that won’t shield you from complexity, try my seminar this fall on “Abortion in Controversy”! stevesachs.com/syllabi/abor...

Worth reading: x.com/spencerguard...

Starting at Harvard College this fall (or know someone who is)? Want to think through hard moral and political issues? Look into my first-year seminar on "Abortion in Controversy," Tuesdays, 3-5 pm stevesachs.com/syllabi/abor...

New Paper with @williambaude.bsky.social, forthcoming in the Yale Journal of Law & the Humanities: "Yes, The Framers Were Originalists" A critical review of Jonathan Gienapp (@jgienapp.bsky.social)'s Against Constitutional Originalism. Comments welcome! papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

Rarely have I known someone so universally beloved by his colleagues, his students, and his community. May his memory be a blessing.

RIP Dick Fallon. A devastating loss professionally and personally.

Happy Fourth! youtu.be/Vmc-pEyUHTs

July:

On the other hand, "wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late"

A guest appearance on @dividedargument.bsky.social , discussing the opinions in Fuld v. PLO!

Flag Day:

June:

Congratulations to my Conflict of Laws students on finishing their semester! Now the rest of you can try out their final exam for yourselves—including the terrifying DROP BEAR: stevesachs.com/Exam_Conflic...

Tomorrow’s front page, 77 years ago: