November is both National Native American Heritage Month and National Adoption Month. Tomorrow, November 9, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a case that has implications related to both, Brackeen v. Haaland, which concerns the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA), 25 U.S.C. §§ 1901-1963. The ICWA governs the removal, placement, and return of Native American children in child welfare proceedings for both foster care and adoption. At issue on appeal is the constitutionality of the act’s child placement preferences, as set forth in 25 U.S.C. § 1915. This blog sets forth the ICWA’s child placement preferences and a brief procedural history of the case.
Read moreThe Publication Procedure of U.S. Supreme Court Opinions
The procedures of the United States Supreme Court are commonly thought of as convoluted yet airtight, established with the goal of preventing bias and outside influence from affecting the decisions of our highest court in mind. One such procedure is the drafting and publishing of the opinions of the Supreme Court.
Read moreCents and Sensibility: U.S. Currency Design Law and Procedure
U.S. currency is periodically redesigned to mitigate counterfeiting threats. The Coinage Act, passed by Congress on April 2nd, 1792, created the first national Mint in Philadelphia, and established a national currency system. The last two hundred years has seen many changes to the design of our paper money and coins.
Read moreComing to a Passport Near You: Non-Binary Gender Marker
The U.S. Department of State currently allows people to select a binary gender marker (M or F) for their U.S. passports, “even if the gender [they] select does not match the gender on [their| supporting documentation such as a birth certificate, previous passport, or state ID.” In addition, passport holders may “request a new passport with a different gender than the one [they] have on [their] current passport” by following the instructions on the Department of State’s “Selecting your Gender Marker” webpage. Further, there are plans for an “X” gender marker on U.S. passports for non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming people, which is expected to be available in early 2022.
Read morePutting the Squeeze on Grapefruit in Texas
February’s unprecedented winter freeze swept across Southeast Texas, affecting everything from agriculture to zoos. Citrus growers in the Rio Grande Valley, where the best Ruby Reds are produced, took an especially hard hit. As a result, this season’s yield of saleable Ruby Reds is lower than expected, and Texas grapefruit are in short supply. Consumers, however, are just as hungry for their favorite fruit. In order to meet their demand, Texas is relying more heavily on imported grapefruit from places like Mexico or South Africa. What does this mean for the grapefruit growers of Texas? Here’s the pulp.
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