Affirmative action is a controversial policy that allows minorities or a historically underprivileged class of citizens increased odds in accomplishing goals that they may not otherwise have the chance to accomplish. Although not a uniquely American idea, the concept of affirmative action gained popularity in the United States in the 1960s as a way to Read More

The Fair Housing Act was enacted by Congress in 1968 as Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act.  The Fair Housing Act was promulgated in response to the civil rights movement and originally mandated that neither landlords nor sellers could discriminate against renters or potential buyers on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or Read More

Do you remember middle school or high school? Many of us have strong memories associated with our adolescent years and oftentimes they are not great. Teen years can be difficult; you are going through changes and trying to figure out who you are. This transitional period can be particularly difficult for teens struggling with their Read More

The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was created over 100 years ago. It began as a combination of several other groups and quickly grew to become the largest youth organization in our country for a time. Throughout its tenure, the BSA has faced its share of conflict. For example, in the segregated south, many Boy Read More

The First Amendment of the United States constitution effectively gave us the separation of church and state that we know today. The First Amendment contains two cornerstone clauses by which the founding fathers emphasized this separation. The Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause prevent Congress from prohibiting the exercise or the regulation of religion. Read More

Recently, we discussed the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling regarding contraception and the Affordable Care Act. Although the court ultimately left that decision to the lower courts, on Monday, June 27, 2016, the court made a bold statement regarding abortion and reproductive rights when it handed down a 5-to-3 decision reaffirming the prior landmark cases of Read More

  Mississippi recently became the third state this year to sign a bill against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. The bill, set to take effect on July 1, 2016, allows businesses with religious objections to refuse their services to gay couples. This anti-LGBT legislation is potentially far-reaching in terms of discrimination, and allows Read More

On May 16, 2016, the Supreme Court of the United States (the “Supreme Court”) issued an opinion remanding a string of cases related to contraception and contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. In its opinion, the Supreme Court vacated the decisions of the lower courts, and asked that the respective courts allow the parties Read More

On May 26, 2016, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, citing separation of church and state, held that two religious institutions may not receive their allotted $11 million in state grants. The Court’s holding stems from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) in 2013.  The ACLU-NJ Read More

Much of the case law surrounding sports and religion in recent history has focused on the high school or collegiate level. The “Friday Night Lights” traditions that bind school age sports stars to their parents and predecessors are often steeped in religion, be it through prayer, cheers, or statements of good luck. For much of Read More