In Moore v. Harper, decided last year, the Supreme Court addressed the “independent state legislature theory.” In a case arising out of an election in North Carolina, proponents of the theory contended that North Carolina’s Supreme Court did not have the authority to review a legal claim that the state legislature had adopted an illegally gerrymandered congressional map. The Supreme Court rejected the theory by a 6-3 vote in Moore. In this Touro Law Review podcast, Nicholas Maggio, an attorney who has written about the independent state legislature theory, discusses the case – in particular, its relevance during an election year and its significance for understanding the current Supreme Court – with Associate Dean Rodger Citron.

Stephen Bright’s relentless pursuit of equal justice is at the center of Professor Robert Tsai’s most recent book. For nearly forty years, Bright led the Southern Center for Human Rights, a nonprofit that provided legal aid to incarcerated people and worked to improve conditions within the justice system. Among other things, Bright argued four death penalty cases at the Supreme Court and won each of them.
As Tsai discusses with Associate Dean Rodger Citron, the story of these four cases illustrate inequalities in the legal system and legal strategies for combatting them. The discussion illuminates how race, economics, and politics influence the operation of the criminal justice system when the stakes are at their highest – that is when the defendant’s life literally depends upon the outcome.

Professor Kennedy conducted an insightful interview with Professor Daniel Kiel, a distinguished law professor at the University of Memphis and author of the book "The Transition: Interpreting Justice from Thurgood Marshall to Clarence Thomas." This literary work seamlessly blends historical narratives, legal analysis, and literary elements, comprehensively exploring the Supreme Court justices' perspectives on educational inequalities and racial disparities—issues Professor Kiel has dedicated his career to addressing. Notably, Professor Kiel directed the acclaimed documentary "The Memphis 13," shedding light on students' groundbreaking efforts during the segregation era in Memphis. For further exploration, you can access the book and the documentary through the links below.

The Transition: Interpreting Justice from Thurgood Marshall to Clarence Thomas: https://eastapt.wixsite.com/daniel-kiel

The Memphis 13: http://www.thememphis13.com/