John Hinckley Jr mugshot

What Do People Think of the Insanity Defense?

John Hinckley Jr., who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, has been released from the psychiatric hospital where ...
Photograph of a building on the University of Michigan's law school campus

Do People Regret Going to Law School?

The legal profession is in crisis, with more new lawyers than demand, and law schools are scaling back. Is law school still a safe bet?
A group assembling to welcome asylum seekers

The Ongoing Legal Plight of LGBTQ Refugees

Until governments recognize the right to freely express sexual and gender identity, safe haven for LGBTQ refugees is uncertain at best.
Louis D. Brandeis

The Confirmation of Louis D. Brandeis

Louis D. Brandeis was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice a century ago. The protracted nomination process may sound familiar.
A collage of old black and white mugshots

The Right to Legal Counsel

Adequate legal counsel is not provided to many of the poor accused of crimes.
Sandra Bland via Facebook

Why is Perjury So Rarely Prosecuted?

Perjury is often considered the "forgotten offense." Despite being widespread, it is rarely prosecuted. 
Statue of Lady Justice holding a sword in one hand and scales in the other

How Reforms to Rape Law Changed Our Understanding of the Crime

Reforms to rape law in the 1970s and 1980s transformed the definition of rape and brought the crime out of the shadows.
Man with wind up knob

Did You Hear the Joke about the Lawyer?

Why lawyer jokes typically involve the killing or maiming of lawyers.
"Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00652, Richard Loeb und Nathan Leopold" by Bundesarchiv, Bild 102-00652 / CC-BY-SA. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-00652,_Richard_Loeb_und_Nathan_Leopold.jpg#/media/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-00652,_Richard_Loeb_und_Nathan_Leopold.jpg

Leopold and Loeb, Again

The defense in the trail of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for the Boston Marathon bombing is using Clarence Darrow's strategy in the Leopold and Loeb trial of 1924.
Senate Building in Washington, D.C.

The Logan Act

An old American Law, The Logan Act, has suddenly been thrust into the news.