Oct 31
2011
 3:30 PM
Oct 24
2011
 7:15 PM

Liberalism, Conservatism and the Tea Party: The Meaning of the 2012 Election

When: Friday, October 28th 2011, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Where: Joan B. Kroc IPJ Theatre
Cost: Admission is free but registration is required

From the USD Law Calendar or Events – Joan E. Bowes-James Madison Distinguished Speaker Series:

"The 2008 election looked like the end of a 28-year conservative era, and the dawn of a liberal one. The results of the 2010 election put this judgment in doubt. Liberalism seems less ascendant than liberals expected it to be, conservatism less dead than conservatives feared. This is partly thanks to the Tea Party—which raises its own questions about the future of conservative thought. So one can say that, as the 2012 election approaches, New Deal/Great Society liberalism is in trouble, and Reagan–Bush conservatism seems not up to the task as well. What are the alternative paths conservatism and liberalism might take. What about the populist and "constitutionalist" sentiments captured by the Tea Party? Could 2012 be an inflection point for American politics, like 1932 and 1980? And in what direction might we inflect? These and other questions—including issues of the role of the courts and the meaning of appeals to the Constitution—will be considered."

Oct 11
2011
 8:52 PM

Operation Boo and other California Halloween Laws

California's various counties, not unlike those in many other concerned states, have established safety and nuisance rules to keep Halloween revellers in line.  One law in particular proves controversial: Operation Boo.  Enforced by the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation since 2008, Operation Boo institutes a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew on sex offender parolees. They must stay indoors, extinguish all exterior lights, remove any Halloween decorations and keep the doors to their homes shut. The only exception to the rule is the presence of a parole agent, who might come knocking to verify compliance. Read more

Other California laws include curfews, sound ordinances, and drinking in public rules. Read more

The moral of the story is to try to have fun on Halloween but remember, you could potentially get on the wrong side of a recently passed California law.  It is always good to check out what you can and can't do on Halloween night to avoid problems. [AR]

Oct 10
2011
 2:56 PM

Trans-border Institute Event: Justiciabarometro Ciudad Juarez Police Survey Presentation

When: Tuesday, October 18th, 3-5p.m.
Where: Institute for Peace & Justice, Room H
Cost: Free

Octavio Rodriguez and David Shirk of the Trans-border Institute will discuss the “Justiciabarometro Ciudad Juarez” study, revealing the various issues facing the Ciudad Juarez police force.  This discussion follows a Sept. 22nd Trans-border Institute presentation on the Justiciabarómetro survey, a recently released study of Mexican judges, prosecutors, and public defenders working in the country’s criminal justice system.

To register for this event please email transborder@sandiego.edu [MF]

Oct 6
2011
 12:00 PM
Oct 5
2011
 8:54 AM

California Protects Privacy of Online Book Purchases

Gov. Jerry Brown has signed S.B. 602, the Reader Privacy Act of 2011, into law. Under the law, when government entities or parties to civil or administrative actions seek disclosure of personal information about a reader from a "book service," they must obtain a court order by showing that there is a compelling interest and that they are using the least intrusive means. Prior notice must be provided to the book seller and in the case of civil or administrative action, to the reader, before disclosure. The law brings online book purchases and purchases of e-books under the protection of California safeguards for reading records. The Electronic Frontier Foundation and the ACLU have issued a fact sheet explaining the new law. [RL]