Constitutional law - Commerce Clause - Fourth Circuit rules that Violence Against Women Act is an unauthorized exercise of Congressional authority - Brzonkala v. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 169 F.3d 820 (4th Cir. 1999) (en banc), cert. granted sub nom. United States v. Morrison, 120 S. Ct. 11 (1999)

Article Abstract:

A Fourth Circuit decision striking down the Violence Against Women Act as an unconstitutional exercise of congressional authority is analyzed. The author contends that the circuit's decision threatens the balance between the federal courts and the legislative branch by the court's failure to properly defer to the intent of Congress.

---

Disputing male sovereignty: on United States v. Morrison

Article Abstract:

The author examines United States v. Morrison, in which the majority of the US Supreme Court ruled that the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 violated the Commerce Clause of the federal Constitution. The impact of the decision on state action and the women's human rights movement is analyzed.

States, Analysis, State action (Civil rights), Feminist jurisprudence

---

Constitutional law - Commerce Clause - Seventh Circuit holds that the federal government may regulate arson of residential property - United States v. Jones, 178 F.3d 479 (7th Cir. 1999), cert. granted, 68 U.S.L.W. 3321, 68 U.S.L.W. 3325 (U.S. Nov. 15, 1999) (No. 99-5739)

Article Abstract:

A Seventh Circuit ruling that a federal arson statute applied to a residential arson is analyzed. The author argues that the court erred by failing to prove that residental arson constitutes commercial activity not regulated by the states, subject to interstate commerce protection.

Arson

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Recent tobacco rulings give both sides the jitters: the anti-tobacco effort has suffered setbacks in West Virginia and Florida, but has advanced in Minnesota
• Abstracts: Securities class action litigation developments under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 - the adequacy of notice and appointment of lead plaintiff and the stay of discovery during the pendency of a motion to dismiss under the PSLRA
• Abstracts: Insurance counsel under attack; suits say use of company-owned law firms to defend policyholders is fraud. Test case for insurers' billing rules; Montana Supreme Court case could start a trend
• Abstracts: The facts. Territorial sovereignty of islands and other maritime features - sovereignty of low tide elevations - presumptions with respect to sovereignty - critical date - treaty interpretation
• Abstracts: Comments on "The 1994-1995 drought, what did we learn from it? The Mexican perspective," presented by Dr. Octavio Chavez. part 2

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.