Penn Undergraduate Law Journal
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Faculty Advisory Board
    • Partner Journals
    • Sponsors
  • Submissions
  • Full Issues
  • The Roundtable
  • Events
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Applications
    • FAQs
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • Masthead
    • Faculty Advisory Board
    • Partner Journals
    • Sponsors
  • Submissions
  • Full Issues
  • The Roundtable
  • Events
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Applications
    • FAQs

The Roundtable


Welcome to the Roundtable, a forum for incisive commentary and analysis
on cases and developments in law and the legal system.


INTERESTED IN wRITING FOR tHE rOUNDTABLE?

Disunion in Right-to-Work States

3/31/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Alexandra Aaron

Alexandra Aaron is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Political Science and History.

On Wednesday February 25th, 2015 the Wisconsin legislature passed a highly contentious right-to-work bill that will prevent private-sector employers from requiring their workers to pay union dues. On March 9, presidential hopeful, Governor Scott Walker signed the bill into law, making Wisconsin the 25th so-called right-to-work state.

Proponents of this type of legislation argue that the states that have prohibited compulsory union participation attract more business and create more jobs. [1] The opposition contends that these new jobs fail to provide workers with necessary training, security, and adequate wages. [2] Both sides supplement their argument with constitutional claims that address the benefit or harm caused by requiring private-sector employees to pay union dues.    


Read More
0 Comments

Challenging the Constitutional Definition of Religion

3/5/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
By Alexandra Aaron

Alexandra Aaron is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying Political Science and History.

In October 2014, a federal district court in Oregon ruled that Secular Humanism qualifies as a religion and adherents are thus entitled to the same constitutional—and, more specifically, First Amendment—protections as other religious groups. This decision has significant implications for atheists and agnostics who have been fighting for recognition and equality under the law. In this case, senior Judge Lance Haggerty agreed with the plaintiffs that denying Humanists the same rights as so called “mainstream” religious groups such as Christianity violated the Establishment Clause, which states that Congress “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” [1]

The case was brought by the American Humanist Association (AHA) and federal prisoner Jason Holder who attempted to organize a Humanist study group but was prohibited from doing so. Should Judge Haggerty’s decision be upheld, Humanist prisoners will be able to meet and study with one another, which is generally only permitted for religious reasons. [2] Moreover, such a ruling has the potential to expand religious protections to atheists and agnostics.


Read More
1 Comment

Texas Tort Reform: Reducing Frivolity or Inhibiting Justice?

11/3/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
By Alexandra Aaron

Alexandra Aaron is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying History and Political Science.

On September 26th Thomas Eric Duncan arrived at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas having just returned from Liberia with symptoms consistent with Ebola. Despite having this information, the hospital sent him home. [1] Duncan passed away three weeks later, and anyone he came in contact with is at serious risk of contracting the disease.

Failure to correctly diagnose a patient can be the basis for claims of medical malpractice, and in this case the hospital could be liable to anyone infected by Duncan after his release. But, unfortunately for Duncan and those infected, Texas has in recent years become the country’s leader in tort reform, or, what those opposed to it call, “tort deform.”

Intended to combat what corporate lobbyists and legislators have dubbed “frivolous lawsuits,” a 2003 Texas law made it nearly impossible to sue for medical malpractice and capped non-economic damages at $250,000 and $100, 00 at certain hospitals for those who do manage to get their day in court.


Read More
0 Comments

Excluding Valid Voters? Wisconsin's ID Laws

10/1/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture


 By Alexandra Aaron

Alexandra Aaron is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying History and Political Science.

Do you have “government approved” photo identification?

Most people have driver’s licenses, passports or Student IDs from accredited universities or colleges. However, there are many who do not possess these forms of identification.  For those who live in Wisconsin, this is now an issue.

In 2011, Governor Scott Walker signed a bill into law that would require government-issued or approved picture identification in order to vote. This Republican-backed law has drawn considerable opposition from Democrats and those that view this measure as an attempt to disenfranchise a socioeconomic demographic of low-income voters that are more likely to vote for Democratic candidates. 

 

Read More
0 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Akshita Tiwary
    Alana Mattei
    Albert Manfredi
    Alexander Saeedy
    Alexandra Aaron
    Alice Giannini
    Alicia Kysar
    Ally Margolis
    Alya Abbassian
    Anika Prakash
    Anna Schwartz
    Ashley Kim
    Astha Pandey
    Benjamin Ng'aru
    Brónach Rafferty
    Bryce Klehm
    Cary Holley
    Christina Gunzenhauser
    Christine Mitchell
    Christopher Brown
    Clarissa Alvarez
    Cole Borlee
    Connor Gallagher
    Dan Spinelli
    Dan Zhang
    Davis Berlind
    Derek Willie
    Edgar Palomino
    Edna Simbi
    Emma Davies
    Esther Lee
    Evelyn Bond
    Filzah Belal
    Frank Geng
    Gabriel Maliha
    Georgia Ray
    Graham Reynolds
    Habib Olapade
    Hailie Goldsmith
    Harshit Rai
    Henry Lininger
    Hetal Doshi
    Iris Zhang
    Irtaza Ali
    Isabela Baghdady
    Ishita Chakrabarty
    Jessica "Lulu" Lipman
    Joe Anderson
    Jonathan Lahdo
    Jonathan Stahl
    Joseph Squillaro
    Justin Yang
    Kaitlyn Rentala
    Katie Kaufman
    Kelly Liang
    Keshav Sharma
    Ketaki Gujar
    Lauren Pak
    Lavi Ben Dor
    Libby Rozbruch
    Lindsey Li
    Luis Bravo
    Lyndsey Reeve
    Madeline Decker
    Maja Cvjetanovic
    Maliha Farrooz
    Marco DiLeonardo
    Margaret Lu
    Matthew Caulfield
    Michael Keshmiri
    Mina Nur Basmaci
    Muskan Mumtaz
    Natalie Peelish
    Natasha Darlington
    Natasha Kang
    Nayeon Kim
    Nicholas Parsons
    Nicholas Williams
    Nicole Greenstein
    Nihal Sahu
    Omar Khoury
    Owen Voutsinas Klose
    Owen Voutsinas-Klose
    Pheby Liu
    Rachel Gu
    Rachel Pomerantz
    Rebecca Heilweil
    Regina Salmons
    Sam Nadler
    Sandeep Suresh
    Sanjay Dureseti
    Sarah Simon
    Saranya Das Sharma
    Saranya Sharma
    Sasha Bryski
    Saxon Bryant
    Sean Foley
    Sebastian Bates
    Shannon Alvino
    Shiven Sharma
    Siddarth Sethi
    Sneha Sharma
    Sophie Lovering
    Steven Jacobson
    Suaida Firoze
    Suprateek Neogi
    Takane Shoji
    Tanner Bowen
    Taryn MacKinney
    Thomas Cribbins
    Todd Costa
    Tyler Larkworthy
    Vatsal Patel
    Vikram Balasubramanian
    Wajeeha Ahmad
    Yeonhwa Lee

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013

Picture
Picture
​