Articles by: Michael Sacchet

 

• The End Draws Near in New York School Worship Controversy

  By Mike Sacchet, First Amendment March 7, 2012 at 9:32 pm 0 comments

  Finally, after this decade long back-and-forth between Judge Preska and the Second Circuit, the Second Circuit has blinked. Despite Judge Preska’s flagrant disregard of the Second Circuit’s limitation of the injunction to The Bronx House of Worship, on February 29, 2012, the Second Circuit seemed to side with Judge Preska in refusing to grant the schools’ request to stay Judge Preska’s blanket injunction. The Second Circuit, however, did ask Judge Preska to resolve the case by mid-June, once and for all, so that the dispute is over by start of the new school year in the Fall of 2010. The New York school worship controversy will thus soon be over for not only Judge Preska and the Second Circuit, but also the multitude of religious groups seeking to use New York’s public school buildings for weekend worship.

   

• Hosanna-Tabor Helps Resolve Hutterite Colony Dispute

  By Mike Sacchet, First Amendment January 30, 2012 at 1:19 pm 0 comments

  Contrary to its hopes, then, the Hutterville Colony found no secular enlightenment in the South Dakota Supreme Court in the wake of Hosanna-Tabor. Instead, the religious community must rely on its own internal dispute resolution mechanisms to resolve its decade-long controversy as to who shall reign supreme at Hutterville.

   

• Establishment Clause Backlash: Disgruntled Florists Unite Against Student Challenger

  Amicus, By Mike Sacchet, First Amendment January 23, 2012 at 11:30 pm 7 comments

  While it remains unclear whether additional litigation will ensue as a result of the florists’ discrimination against Ahlquist, one thing remains certain: student-plaintiffs often face backlash from a myriad of sources within their local communities in response to their Establishment Clause challenges. Thankfully, though, students such as Jessica Ahlquist are courageous enough to stand up for their First Amendment rights in the face of such community hostility.

   

• Dalai Lama Steps Down

  Human Rights, Issue Areas March 16, 2011 at 9:22 am 0 comments

  Today, in Dharmsala, India, the Dalai Lama will make an unprecedented move in Tibetan politics by stepping down as the political leader of the “government-in-exile” by amending the Tibetan Constitution so as to devolve his authority to a newly elected representative. The Dalia Lama’s decision is likely to encounter significant [...]