A few weeks ago, an editor at the Berliner Zeitung asked if I might be interested in writing a piece about how lawyers defend death row inmates in the USA. I said 'Sure, why not?' (Beers may have been involved). The piece was just published this weekend, you can read it here. It's paywalled --… Continue reading Essay about Defending Death Row Inmates published in ‘Berliner Zeitung’
Category: Public Law
The Söring Parole Decision
Over at Soering Guilty as Charged, Holdsworth has an fine analysis of the decision to parole Soering and Haysom at the same time. As he points out, the decision makes zero sense from any perspective. The factors cited by the Parole Board in freeing Haysom and Soering apply to hundreds of prisoners who never get… Continue reading The Söring Parole Decision
German Word of the Week: Reichsbürger
Before committing a racist mass-shooting in Hanau, Germany, the schizophrenic killer, Tobias R., had sent a petition (g) to the German Federal Prosecutor's Office asking them to initiate formal legal proceedings against the shadowy "intelligence service" which was tracking, stealing, and broadcasting his thoughts. This raised the issue of how, and whether, authorities should respond… Continue reading German Word of the Week: Reichsbürger
The Federal Constitutional Court Eviscerates German Welfare Law. Or does it?
In 2005, the German Bundestag revolutionized social welfare law with the so-called Hartz IV(g) reforms. These reforms were pushed through by former Social Democratic German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, and quite possibly ended his political career. The reason? They tightened eligibility criteria, capped the amount of benefits people could receive, and tied the benefits to "cooperation"… Continue reading The Federal Constitutional Court Eviscerates German Welfare Law. Or does it?
Can the Bundestag pass laws with 85% of its Members Absent? The Answer May Shock You.
A recent dispute involving the German federal parliament, the Bundestag, has highlighted a quirk of German parliamentary practice: The Bundestag sometimes passes laws when the vast majority of its 709 current members aren't there. This quirk became a political theme on June 28, 2019, when the Bundestag held a marathon session before its summer break.… Continue reading Can the Bundestag pass laws with 85% of its Members Absent? The Answer May Shock You.