Christopher E. Smith Livres

A young mans hilarious encounters with life, love, and a flock of celebrities. It is as if Forrest Gumps smarter brother stumbled through the Ivy League on his way to a career as a college professor. A naked jog around Harvard Yard; an unsuccessful effort to become part of the Kennedy clan; wandering in the West Virginia hills looking for long-lost relatives; delivering mail to dead senators on Capitol Hill; catching priceless artifacts thrown by a duchess during the tour of a grand English estate; misplaced nude photographs from a medical photographer; and even a face-to-face encounter with the Queen at Royal Ascot. These outrageously funny stories form a memoir of self-discovery by someone who can never quite learn the lessons of life.

Law changes as new developments affect society. The dawn of a new century provides a marking point for the evaluation of trends in law and policy. This book examines emerging issues that will shape society's rules and legal processes in the twenty-first century. By identifying developments affecting technology, demography, and politics, the authors evaluate impacts on law and criminal justice. Many of the issues discussed, including the expanding Latino population, new technologies for investigations, weapons, and executions, health crises in prisons, DNA testing, and the «war on terrorism», will have profound effects on the fates of individuals drawn into the justice system.

The words «equal justice under law» are literally etched in stone and prominently displayed above the entrance to the United States Supreme Court. These words stand as an enduring proclamation of a paramount objective of the courts and the Constitution. Although judges are the guardians of the Constitution’s principles, this book examines how their decisions both advance and impede the ideal of equal justice. By analyzing interpretations of «equal protection» and other rights affecting discrimination and disadvantages linked to race, gender, and social status, Smith, DeJong, and Burrow illustrate how constitutional law often facilitates the denial of equal justice for people drawn into the criminal justice system.

Justice Clarence Thomas is a controversial figure on the U.S. Supreme Court because of sexual harassment allegations raised against him during his 1991 Senate confirmation hearings. This study avoids unanswerable questions about Thomas’s past by making a straightforward comparison of his confirmation testimony about his judicial philosophy against his subsequent judicial opinions. This comparison raises serious questions about Thomas’s truthfulness during his sworn testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Because the legitimacy of the courts depends on the integrity of the judges, the authors argue for increased consideration of impeachment if significant evidence indicates that judicial nominees intentionally deceived the Senate and the public about their views on law and public policy.

Focusing on Justice John Paul Stevens' significant role in defending rights within the criminal justice system, the book explores his life experiences and influential judicial opinions. It highlights how he emerged as a prolific opinion author during a time when the Supreme Court leaned increasingly conservative, showcasing his commitment to safeguarding individual rights throughout his thirty-five-year tenure.