It’s not over until they leave or vote, but SC Sen Richard Cash indicates redistricting is dead. “South Carolina citizens are going to the polls today. And neither my conscious or common sense is going to let me stop an election that is already underway” Cash said.

🧵 The Supreme Court's Callais ruling made it harder to prove in court that a legislative map dilutes minority voting strength. But a three-judge panel today confirmed that intentional racial gerrymanders can still be struck down by federal courts. Here’s what you need to know about Alabama 👇

A network of fake academic journals masquerading as legitimate publications has published more than a hundred AI-generated papers in recent months, in some cases using the names of real professors at top universities without their knowledge.

Oh man it’s on

Reminder: Get your abstracts in before May 31 for our state public law workshop in August!

This is a fantastic example of "ChatGPT didn't do my homework, okay it did, but it also ate it." A gasp a post.

It's not too late to register for our panel, "The Work of State Supreme Courts", taking place on Friday, May 29, from 9-10:30 am. You can join us virtually or in person. Register here: go.wisc.edu/h2ef9d

Students Lisa and Aaron want YOU to know your constitutional rights! Get to know the students of Eastman-Baldwin Junior High in our new animated series, Know Your Rights University, and follow along with educational resources. 🧢🎓👒

9. The ruling answers the question public officials have been grappling with in terms of state anti-discrimination law: whether vague federal threats, unaccompanied by any law, are enough to nullify a state’s civil rights protections. The Colorado Supreme Court’s answer was firmly: no.

8. The most consequential portion of the ruling addressed whether federal threats could override state civil rights law. The district court had reasoned that ordering the hospital to resume care would compel it to violate federal law. The Colorado Supreme Court flatly rejected that framing.

Now: About 100 rank and file Legal Aid Society attorneys and allies are rallying outside Brooklyn Criminal Court after a woman was forced to give birth in arraignment. They’re discussing other instances of clients dying in custody & harsher punishments for NYC’s poor.

Excited to share my article, Disenfranchisement Creep, was published Friday in the Virginia Law Review! It argues that state constitutions offer an underexplored way to rein in overbroad criminal and capacity-based disenfranchisement schemes. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

As states explore options for addressing federal corruption, state criminal laws may offer one avenue. We've added an appendix of existing laws to our report here: statedemocracy.law.wisc.edu/our-work/sta...

Come work with us! Are you a *great* litigator with a love for teaching? We are launching a formal federal Indian law clinic--and are looking to hire a two-year clinical fellow to work with us and the great Professor Deborah Archer (also President of the ACLU). apply.interfolio.com/186544

Let’s go Liberty!

If you're a lawyer/law student interested in voting rights, direct democracy, state constitutions, federalism, redistricting, or related issues, check out these opportunities. The team is incredible, the work is interesting and engaging and timely, and you can work fully remote! (I'm based in NYC)

@bridgetlavender.bsky.social discusses the suit over NJ's law enforcement mask ban, explaining that "Federal officials do not have blanket immunity from state laws. So the question is: What laws are seeking to control them? What laws go too far?"

My New One at Slate: “The Supreme Court’s Conservatives Just Issued the Worst Ruling in a Century; This evisceration of the Voting Rights Act requires us to take SCOTUS reform more seriously.” @slate.com slate.com/news-and-pol...

This is perhaps the most significant Supreme Court race-related decision in modern history. While people will focus on Congress, this decision will dismantle thousands of districts electing representatives of minority communities at the state and local levels

I am thinking about this quote today, and think it may be the best writing advice I've ever seen. I used it last night: was sort of jammed up with something, but forced myself to write a (terrible, absolutely juvenile-in-style) first draft before bed. Editing* it today? SOO much more enjoyable.

Last month, the City Council passed two bills related to the right to protest. Today, I am letting one go into effect, and vetoing the other. I’d like to take a moment to explain why. As Mayor, I will always make sure the right to protest, prayer and protection are guaranteed for every New Yorker.

Happy #EarthDay from some my favourite corners of the Earth near(ish) to where I live. I know everything is dark and overwhelming these days, but I hope this can bring you a little light and a reminder of the incredible beauty we share this planet with.

something that broke me about this case is how much Roy Anthony Scott was trying to do The Right Thing--the reason why he called the cops in the first place was because he was scared and wanted help the cops said they were there to help, too then they killed him ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/smith...

A recent U.S. district court decision held that states can constitutionally prohibit federal agents from wearing masks, so long as they do not discriminate against them in the process. Staff Attorney Bridget Lavender explains what this means for other states who are considering their own mask bans.

Maryland has, for now, stopped ICE from converting a warehouse designed to hold commercial products into a warehouse used to hold people. Similar lawsuits have been filed against ICE's warehouse detention camp plans in New Jersey and Michigan.

Big abortion win in PA today - the ban on Medicaid funding is unconstitutional! AND there's a fundamental right to abortion! We won! (Though this Commonwealth Court opinion can be appealed - we'll see what our AG does.)

I decided to write about at each & every one of the 32 states with supreme court elections this year. Why? On abortion, redistricting, death penalty, & more, these institutions & their elections remain so critical. So here's everything you need to know. NEW from me:

While federal laws and the U.S. Constitution's Supremacy Clause place constraints on what property-related tools states and localities can use to push back on ICE actions, this report explains that they still have some avenues for ensuring the federal government and its contractors do not overreach.

🚨 MAJOR BREAKING NEWS🚨 The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania strikes down a law restricting Medicaid from funding abortion, and in doing so recognizes a "reproductive autonomy" as a fundamental right in the state constitution. www.inquirer.com/news/pennsyl...

A recent U.S. district court decision offers lessons for states that are considering laws to ban ICE agents from wearing masks, writes @bridgetlavender.bsky.social.

Federal law makes it nearly impossible to hold federal officers accountable for violating our rights. That's why we're using a state law — the Maine Civil Rights Act — to sue the agents who violently abducted an immigrant with legal status. We'll do whatever it takes to protect our communities.

Breaking News: An immigration agent was charged with assault in Minneapolis, a rare state prosecution for on-duty actions.

NEW: Retired Iowa Justice Brent Appel writes about the potential of state constitutions to offer more robust protections for the right to counsel -- including how courts' supervisory powers and oversight over legal ethics can offer solutions. A fascinating read. statecourtreport.org/our-work/ana...

A Kansas law has left many trans people seeking to vote in the state with two options: Obtain a new state ID with an inaccurate gender marker, or refuse and sit out of elections.

Some lessons here: *State courts matter. *State constitutions matter. *Whether a particular state is viewed as "red" or "blue" does not always matter!

MONTANA SUPREME COURT: “Transgender discrimination is, by its very nature, sex discrimination,” and is subject to strict scrutiny under the Montana Constitution.

Last summer, an incarcerated woman in Missouri had a hot flash while we were on the phone. Since then, I've been talking to people around the country about what it's like to go through perimenopause and menopause in prison. Here's the result, co-published by @themarshallproject.org and @19thnews.org

Lawgeeks, here is the complaint --> assets.aclu.org/live/uploads... The c/as are Fourth and Fifth Amendment violations pursuant to the Maine Civil Rights Act, with Bivens claims tacked on.

New lawsuit filed by valid visa holder against federal immigration agents includes "converse 1983" claims under Maine Civil Rights Act. 👇

Interested in a state supreme court clerkship? @statecourtreport.org has a database featuring clerkship opportunities from 25 states and more than 80 justices. We hope it's a good starting point for applicants! statecourtreport.org/state-judici...

Birds are so amazing

A GENTLE REMINDER: we are trying to eliminate fossil fuels because using them kills us. If fossil fuels were cheap (they're not) or reliable (they're SO NOT), it would still be urgent to get rid of them because their intended use destroys our life support systems.

oh, this is very important to know!!

ICYMI: I made an interactive map for yall to explore all the cherry blossom, magnolia and crabapple hotspots across NYC! 🌸 with @lillysabs.bsky.social! bonus: there's also a tool in here to search how your neighborhood ranks in terms of flowering tree density www.thecity.nyc/2026/04/08/s...

I have a father and mother in law in Iran. I have a sister in law. A niece. She's 14. She likes silly pink headbands and purses and dresses, just like kids her age all over the world. There are 93 million people like her in Iran. People who do all the normal mundane life things as the rest of us.

Let me say this plainly: Iranian children have as much of a right to live and thrive as American children. Their babies MUST be as precious to me as my 6 niblings and my baby grandnib are IF I want them to have a future. If I want a future for my kin AND humanity, I MUST act like it. So must you.

We are terrorizing an entire country. www.wsj.com/world/middle...

If the wealthy can get you thinking about who deserves basic needs and who doesn't, they win. They don't care if you think wealthy people are the ones who don't deserve; establishing that it must be earned is the key. With that done, they can just keep expanding the definition of "undeserving."

Also true for legal writing