Range v. AG and the Shifting Unconstitutionality of Gun Regulation in the US
On June 6, 2023, an en banc panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1), the “felon in possession of a firearm” statute, is unconstitutional as applied to one individual, Bryan Range. While the decision purports to be “a narrow one” the rationale that underpins the [...]
The Role of the Environmental War Crime in the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has entered its third month. The suffering of Ukrainian civilians has been awful and the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court (ICC) is satisfied that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe war crimes have been committed. Media attention has, quite rightly, focused on the plight of those individuals caught up in [...]
International organizations and bodies like the United Nations, European Union, etc. have been tested time and again since their inception. Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing war and failed deliberations hint at a potential Third World War despite the strong presence of such organizations. Conflicts like these pose a larger question on the effectiveness of international law [...]
Human rights experts urge UN to investigate 1988 Iran massacre
Hundreds of current and former UN officials, human rights and legal experts, international NGOs, and academic institutions have signed an open letter to the UN Human Rights Council calling for an international investigation into the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners in Iran. In 1988, following a fatwa issued by Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah [...]
Federal appeals court upholds Hawaii statute limiting open carry of firearms in public
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Wednesday upheld Hawaii’s firearm-licensing law, which restricts open-carry licenses to those who can demonstrate “the urgency or the need” to carry a firearm, that they are of good moral character, and are “engaged in the protection of life and property.” The appellant, George Young, applied for [...]
The Relationship Between Third-Party Funding with Unconscionable Arbitration Clauses in Canada
International commercial arbitration prides itself on constituting an efficient and less expensive dispute resolution method for clients. While arbitration has been promoted under this premise, in reality, some parties have used arbitration agreements to implement standard terms or one-sided arbitration clauses in order to discourage the other party from initiating a dispute. It has been [...]
The US Supreme court declined on Monday to hear 10 cases seeking to overturn restrictions on gun ownership, disappointing some conservative critics. The 10 cases, spanning six circuits, five states and the District of Columbia, all sought to expand gun owners’ rights under the Second Amendment. The denial may signal a reluctance by the conservative [...]
Supreme Court dismisses challenge to repealed New York City gun ordinance
The US Supreme Court on Monday dismissed as moot a claim concerning a New York City law limiting the transportation of firearms between home and shooting ranges. In New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. City of New York, the regulation transporting firearms is considered moot because the city changed the rule last year. Gun [...]
Suppose someone posts a message on social media suggesting he might shoot up a movie theatre, and punctuates the point with a photo in which he is holding an AK-47-style rifle. Can the government temporarily confiscate the person’s firearms, in order to ensure that he does not pose a threat to himself or members of [...]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases on Monday, including the first high-profile gun control law case in over a decade. In New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. City of New York, the court heard arguments in its first major gun control case since District of Columbia v. Heller dramatically [...]
