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Home > Law Review > Annual Symposium 2008 Minnesota Law Review SymposiumLaw & Politics in the 21st Century October 17, 2008 On October 17, 2008, the Minnesota Law Review hosted its annual symposium, "Law & Politics in the 21st Century." The event took place between the Republican National Convention in St. Paul and the general election. The discussion examined the ways in which political factors increasingly affect the development of the law. Two keynote speakers -- D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh and New Republic Columnist Benjamin Wittes -- highlighted the morning and afternoon discussion. Several of the country's most distinguished scholars participated in three different panels. Professors Tom Brennan (Northwestern), Ward Farnsworth (Boston University), and Tim Johnson (Minnesota) first addressed issues relating to the politicization of the judiciary in the panel "Politics and the Judiciary." Discussion topics included: justices who dissent against their typically characterized ideology, the political economy of judging, and the factors that cause Supreme Court justices to dissent from the bench. The second panel, entitled "Current Issues in Election Law" consisted of Professors Heather Gerken (Yale), Ellen Katz (Michigan), Nate Persily (Columbia), and Terry Smith (Fordham). The panelists tackled several important issues in election law, including Professor Gerken's proposal to create shortcuts to election reform; Professor Katz's observation that the Roberts Court is retreating from election law cases; Professor Persily's suggestion that "as-applied" challenges will become increasingly prevalent in election law; and Professor Smith's discussion of a recent North Carolina case concerning minority vote dilution. Finally, in a panel entitled "Beyond Bush: The Future of Executive Power," Professors Steven Calabresi (Northwestern), Charles Cameron (Princeton), William Howell (Chicago) and Heidi Kitrosser (Minnesota) addressed both the descriptive and normative scope of executive power. Professors Kitrosser and Calabresi analyzed unitary executive theory and engaged in a normative debate about its validity. Professors Howell and Cameron, the panel's political scientists, provided empirical assessments of executive power. To view presentations from the symposium, select the links below: |
Information on 2008 Symposium CLE CreditsMinnesota CLE Event Code: Number of Approved CLE Credits: Name and address of sponsor organization: Sponsor contact person: Contact email address: Phone number:
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