Politics
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, The Federalist remains an indispensable guide to understanding the constitutional system and the nation’s enduring independence
You know how important the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were to making the United States. But do you know about The Federalist and the crucial role it played in the founding era?
Can kids go to prison? A legal expert explains how young people can be tried and sentenced as adults
There’s a separate justice system for people under 18 because their brains are still developing. Treating them as adults can turn them into repeat offenders.
US indictment of Raúl Castro comes amid a long history of American aggression against Cuba
Recent military and economic pressure on Cuba, including Trump’s threats of a ‘friendly takeover’ of the island, follow a long pattern of US hostility toward its southern neighbor.
Tony Carruthers recently survived a lethal injection attempt – the latest man to endure a failed execution
The constitutional prohibition of ‘cruel and unusual punishment’ has shaped legal discourse around failed executions, but courts have not stopped states from attempting to execute the same man again.
From oversight to coercion: How authoritarian governments are twisting AI safety to get tech companies to fall in line
Authoritarian governments, including the Trump administration, are reorienting AI safety provisions away from protecting the public toward coercing support for the regime.
Minnesota raises unprecedented constitutional issues in its lawsuit against Trump administration anti‑immigrant deployment
A US district judge is weighing whether the surge of ICE agents in the state violates the US Constitution or falls within the executive’s power to enforce federal law.
As government privatization efforts grow, lawsuits against federal contractors get more difficult
The Supreme Court limited the ability of people to sue government contractors in state courts.
When Washington and the states are in conflict, the ultimate winner is not always certain
Conflict between Washington and the states is perennial and by design. Lack of clarity about who’s in charge on what issue keeps power from becoming concentrated.
How America’s independence from England revolutionized US philanthropy
US charitable institutions rapidly changed in the 1780s as Americans established groups to support people in need and to reform society.
The US Constitution and laws do not protect oil companies from being sued over the harm they cause to the climate
Calls for the Supreme Court to give fossil fuel companies immunity from liability for climate-related damage misreads the Constitution, precedent and the role of courts.