Ricci v. DeStefano involved claims that the City of New Haven, Connecticut discriminated against a group of white and Hispanic firefighters who received the highest scores on two civil service examinations. Statutory claims were asserted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Two separate constitutional claims alleged violations of the Fourteenth Amendment… continue reading
A SYMPOSIUM PRESENTED BY:THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW CENTER OF PHILADELPHIA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 View More
Poverty in the United States of America continues to present a seemingly intractable problem for our society. The percentage of Americans living in poverty climbed to 14.3 percent in 2009, the highest level recorded since 1994. The Census Bureau reported that one in five children is now affected by poverty. One of the foremost problems… continue reading
This discussion identifies two perceived flaws with the Central Registry (Registry) maintained by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). I contend that the Registry statute 1) must allow proof of rehabilitation; and 2) intentionally or unintentionally deems parents perpetually unfit to care for children without the necessary proofs to reach such a destructive determination…. continue reading
In the spring of 2009 a humorous parody of the MasterCard Credit Card Company advertising campaign circulated on the Internet, showing an actual photograph of the first lady, Michelle Obama, volunteering at a soup kitchen, having her picture taken by a man waiting in line with his cell phone. View More
Although the American justice system is derided as expensive, capricious, and prone to abuse, Americans go to court more often—and more expensively—than any other people in the world. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of reducing the incidence of what I will call “abusive litigation” in the United States by replacing… continue reading
In 1953, sociologist Ray E. Baber confidently asserted that the “opportunity which marriage affords for constant and complete companionship with the person most loved, with the full sanction of society, is its greatest single attraction.” Another mid-20th century text, Paul H. Landis’ “Making the Most of Marriage”, referred to the “long-accepted idea that marriage is… continue reading
It is time for New Jersey’s leaders to think outside of the box. Like most every other state in the union, New Jersey is not immune to the harsh effects of the recent economic crisis. For the fiscal year of 2011, New Jersey faces nearly a $10 billion budget deficit and a mid-year budget gap… continue reading
Courts of the United States have routinely neglected to hold Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”) liable for contributory copyright and trademark infringement. However, on August 28, 2009, in Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. v. Akanoc Solutions, Inc., eight jurors out of the Northern District of California found two ISPs liable for $32.4 million in damages to French… continue reading
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) was intended to provide unpaid family and medical leave to employees suffering from a serious medical condition, or to employees having to take care of an immediate family member– including a foster or adoptive child–for up to twelve weeks. As part of the FMLA, an employee… continue reading
