Short Circuit

By: Institute for Justice
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  • Summary

  • The Supreme Court decides a few dozen cases every year; federal appellate courts decide thousands. So if you love constitutional law, the circuit courts are where it’s at. Join us as we break down some of the week’s most intriguing appellate decisions with a unique brand of insight, wit, and passion for judicial engagement and the rule of law. http://ij.org/short-circuit
    © Institute for Justice
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Episodes
  • Short Circuit 343 | Fourth Amendment Effects

    Short Circuit 343 | Fourth Amendment Effects
    Sep 27 2024
    “Effects” isn’t a word that most people associate with “my stuff” these days. But that’s what it means in the Fourth Amendment. Our “effects” are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures just as much as “person, houses” and “papers.” Unfortunately, the D.C. police don’t agree and have been seizing people’s phones and other items and not giving them back even when they have no intention of prosecuting the property owners. Well, that may be changing because the D.C. Circuit recently issued a major decision recognizing that a “seizure” is ongoing as long as the police have your stuff in their possession. Michael Perloff of the ACLU argued and won the case and he joins us to discuss its ramifications. Several other circuits have gone the other way on the question, making it a prime issue for another court in Washington D.C. Also, Rob Frommer of IJ’s Fourth Amendment Project treats us to a qualified immunity/Fourth Amendment opinion from the Ninth Circuit about someone who was severely injured by foam baton round fired by a police officer. The judges address the extremely odd question of whether an officer gets the benefit of case law getting better for him after he commits a constitutional violation when it comes to qualified immunity. “Um, no” is the Ninth Circuit’s answer, which leads into a discussion of how qualified immunity may be changing. Asinor v. D.C. Sanderlin v. Dwyer Baby blood case Molly Brady’s “The Lost ‘Effects’” article
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    33 mins
  • Short Circuit 342 | Kicked Out of the Libertarian Club?

    Short Circuit 342 | Kicked Out of the Libertarian Club?
    Sep 20 2024
    Economic liberty is in poll position. Or at least it won an early round victory in North Carolina. IJ attorney, and North Carolinian, Josh Windham reports on a recent ruling of the North Carolina Supreme Court about a racing track and the right to earn a living. Josh brings his knowledge of state constitutions and litigation tactics to tell this tale that began in the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also has a sovereign immunity angle that fans of IJ’s Project on Immunity and Accountability may enjoy. Then we have a special treat for fans of pizza—and, of course, that’s essentially everyone. What doesn’t include everyone, though, are those who enjoy having foreign websites track everything we do on our computers. Will Aronin of IJ tells us of a Third Circuit case that examines how various companies track users’ online activity while on the companies’ websites—including users ordering pizza. Is that tracking enough to mean you can sue the company in Pennsylvania? Well, we don’t know because the court didn’t allow the case to go forward. Will breaks it down while providing some strong views about invasions of one’s personal—and virtual—space, plus a throwback reference to shrinkwrap licensing. And did you know that on any given day 13% of Americans are eating pizza? Kinsley v. Ace Speedway Racing Hasson v. Fullstory, Inc. Shrinkwrap license case Short Circuit episode on Georgia economic liberty case Anthony on Advisory Opinions about Justice Holmes Dumas’ Marguerite de Valois
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    55 mins
  • Short Circuit 341 | Live from Austin: Local Retaliation

    Short Circuit 341 | Live from Austin: Local Retaliation
    Sep 13 2024
    A special edition of Short Circuit Live where the Institute for Justice teamed up with the Texas Observer for a conversation about how local governments increasingly are retaliating against those who call them to account. The event took place in Austin, Texas on September 4, 2024, and was subtitled “Picking the man and then searching the lawbooks: How local governments turn to their criminal codes to silence critics.” It brought together the Observer’s Gus Bova, IJ’s Anya Bidwell, Texas journalist Jason Buch, and Texas attorney David Gonzalez. The discussion mentions several high-profile examples of local-government retaliation from the last few years, including IJ’s Gonzalez v. Trevino and a case that the Supreme Court may soon also hear, Villarreal v. City of Laredo. The confluence of journalists, a civil rights lawyer, and an attorney who has worked as a Texas special prosecutor make for a wide-ranging exploration that we hope you enjoy. Gonzalez v. Trevino case page Villarreal v. City of Laredo en banc Right on Crime Over Ruled by Justice Gorsuch Texas Observer
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    1 hr and 8 mins
Political Science
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