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Lecture 6: Civil Liberties, cont’d

Lecture 6: Civil Liberties, cont’d. 2nd amendment Right to privacy Patriot Act/ 9/11. II Amendment. Right to bear arms Ct said in 1939 right to bear arms tied to existence of state militias inconsistent lower court rulings. Right to “Privacy”. Roe v Wade (1973)

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Lecture 6: Civil Liberties, cont’d

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  1. Lecture 6: Civil Liberties, cont’d 2nd amendment Right to privacy Patriot Act/ 9/11

  2. II Amendment • Right to bear arms • Ct said in 1939 right to bear arms tied to existence of state militias • inconsistent lower court rulings

  3. Right to “Privacy” • Roe v Wade (1973) • mother has right to choose through second trimester--point of viability outside the womb • Chipping away: Hyde Amendment • Casey: no more trimesters, instead “undue burden”--hence waiting periods, parental consent • Access to services becoming more rare • 2006 South Dakota’s test ban

  4. Right to Privacy, cont’d • Bowers v Hardwick (1986) • Georgia sodomy law upheld • Lawrence v Texas (2003) • Texas sodomy law overturned

  5. Right to Privacy--right to die • 1997 Ct: No constitutional right to die--states may ban assisted suicide • 2006 Ct: Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act not in violation of a federal substance control law

  6. Patriot Act • Expanded third party surveillance powers under sec. 215 • no notification of directly concerned party • no judicial oversight/recourse for injunction • not “probable cause,” but assertion that the search is part of an ongoing terrorist investigation

  7. Bush and warrantless wiretaps • 1978 Congress established exception to warrant requirement with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) • 2006 Bush argues: • 1) has authority as Commander in Chief in time of war • 2) Congress’s authorization to fight terror gave right to conduct warrantless searches outside of FISA

  8. Other 9/11 issues • Extra-legal zones--Guantanamo • Ct in 2004: they are entitled to hearings in US courts • Extra-legal persons--”enemy combatants” • Ct: citizens like Hamdi and Padilla still get lawyers and hearings before a “neutral decision-maker” • http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article13176.htm

  9. The torture issue • Interpreting Geneva Conventions • The Geneva Conventions prohibit ''cruel treatment and torture'' and ''outrages upon personal dignity, in particular, humiliating and degrading treatment.'' • Extraordinary rendition and secret prisons • 2006 Bush signs anti-torture law

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