Briefly

As states and the federal government impose vaccine mandates to curb the spread of COVID-19, the constitutionality of those mandates has come into question, particularly with regard to religious freedom. Constitutional challenges to state and federal vaccine mandates have found varying success before the Supreme Court. Host Reagan Kapp and Professor Nathan Chapman (U. of Georgia School of Law) discuss the interplay between the First Amendment, freedom of religion, and vaccine mandates.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the "right of the people peaceably to assemble." The recent prevalence of protest movements, alongside a global pandemic, has influenced the interpretation of this right. Host Kyra Cooper speaks with Professor John Inazu (WashU School of Law) about the right to assemble and its interaction with modern events.

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In 2020, YouTube influencer Myka Stauffer received widespread criticism when she revealed her family had given away her adopted son to another family. Host Kyra Cooper speaks with Professor Cynthia Hawkins (Stetson U. College of Law) about the unregulated custody transfer of adoptees and the legal regime surrounding the adoption process.

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In a new University of Chicago Law School seminar, Professor Emily Buss (U. Chicago Law) and ten law students co-taught incarcerated high school students about the constitutional rights of minors. Host Andrew Zeller, Professor Buss, and Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, discuss the rewarding and challenging aspects of the course.

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Appointed as Cook County public defender in March 2021, Sharone Mitchell, Jr. took office with a vision to serve as "an engine for progressive systems change." Host Dylan Platt speaks with Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell, Jr. and Professor Judith Miller (U. Chicago Law) on the evolving role of public defenders at the state and federal level.

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A mere six votes determined the outcome of the 2020 election in Iowa's 2nd congressional district, revealing the delicate balance of power between elections shared by states and the federal government. For the inaugural episode of season five, hosts Kyra Cooper and Rachel Smith discuss the role of the federal government in state-run elections with Professors Derek Muller (University of Iowa Law) and Franita Tolson (USC Gould Law).
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Last week, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Mahanoy Area School District v. B. L.—its first student-speech case in more than a decade. In this second part of a special Briefly season finale, Adam Hassanein and Professor Emily Buss (U. Chicago Law) discuss Mahanoy, how new technology has changed the speech landscape, and how the Supreme Court could transform students' right to speak their minds.

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The Supreme Court hears argument today in its first student-speech case in more than a decade. In this first part of a special Briefly season finale, Adam Hassanein digs deep with plaintiffs and attorneys from the Court's legendary speech cases, who tell their student-speech stories. Guests: John & Mary Beth Tinker (from Tinker v. Des Moines); Matthew Fraser (from Bethel v. Fraser); Cathy Kuhlmeier (from Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier); and attorney Douglas Mertz (from Morse v. Frederick).

"Not in my backyard" has kept the dream of an affordable home beyond the reach of many Americans. Lee Anne Fennell (U. Chicago Law) joins host Taiyee Chien to explain how and why zoning rules constrict affordable housing—and which reforms could change everything.

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Huge numbers of civil cases feature at least one party who lacks legal representation. Host Adam Hassanein and Professor Anna Carpenter (Utah Law) discuss the ins and outs of the access-to-justice problem—and solutions sounding in law, policy, and human decency.