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Abortion, Justice Kennedy, and Judge Kavanaugh

Description: This report addresses the questions that have arisen about the future of the Supreme Court's abortion jurisprudence, after the recent retirement of Justice Kennedy, the last remaining justice from the Casey plurality. The report first reviews the undue burden standard set from the Casey decision and discusses Justice Kennedy's views on the standard in the case law that has developed since Casey. Then, in light of President Trump's July 9, 2018 nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace Just… more
Date: August 8, 2018
Creator: Shimabukuro, Jon O.
open access

A Brief History of Attorney General Recusal

Description: This report lists the fifteen previous instances of U.S. Attorney General's recusing themselves from an investigation since 1989 after the announcement by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions that he was recusing himself from and any investigations regarding President Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
Date: March 8, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
open access

Broadband Data Privacy and Security: What's Net Neutrality Got to Do With It?

Description: This report is the third in a series discussing the potential impact of the Federal Communications Commission's proposal to reclassify broadband Internet access services (BIAS). This report focuses on the proposal's possible effect on the regulation of BIAS providers' privacy practices.
Date: June 8, 2017
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
open access

The Federal Circuit Rules on Trademarks Considered Offensive: May Affect Redskins Trademark Dispute

Description: This legal sidebar examines cases involving the revocation of the Washington Redskins' federally-registered trademarks (Pro-Football, Inc. v. Blackhorse) and the refusal to grant registration for a rock band's name (In re Tam). These cases raise questions about the constitutionality of Section 2(a) of the Trademark Act of 1946 (conventionally known as the Lanham Act), which denies trademark registration to certain offensive content.
Date: August 8, 2016
open access

President Obama Announces Executive Actions to "Reduce Gun Violence"

Description: This report briefly discusses executive actions aimed at, among other things, "keep[ing] guns out of the wrong hands through background checks" and "mak[ing] our communities safer from gun violence." These actions include, for example, directing specified executive agencies to conduct or sponsor research into gun safety technology and finalizing a rule requiring firearms shippers to notify law enforcement of any firearms lost or stolen in transit.
Date: January 8, 2016
open access

Supreme Court Interprets Dodd-Frank Whistleblower Protections: Implications for Securities Law and Beyond

Description: This report discusses the Supreme Court decision in the case of "Digital Realty Trust Inc. v. Somers" which addressed when retaliation protections for whistle-blowers apply under the Dodd-Frank Act. The court ruled that the protections only apply if the whistle-blower reports securities violations to the SEC and not if they only report the violations internally.
Date: March 8, 2018
Creator: Vanatko, Nicole
open access

UPDATE: Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti, and El Salvador: Key Takeaways and Analysis

Description: This report is an update to a February 2, 2018 report discussing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations and answering questions regarding the recent termination of TPS for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Sudan. The update discusses the termination of TPS for Nepal and Honduras.
Date: June 8, 2018
Creator: Smith, Hillel R.
open access

When Does Sovereign Immunity Protect Property Owned by State Sponsors of Terrorism?

Description: This report discusses sovereign states' immunity from suits and attachments by U.S. nationals except under very specific circumstances, as well as legal interpretations and cases involving immunity rules. It particularly describes state-sponsored terrorism and the effect of The Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), which was proposed to allow U.S. nationals to file civil suits in U.S. courts against foreign nations for aiding and abetting acts of terrorism under a new exception to … more
Date: November 8, 2016
Creator: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service.
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