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Mr. Shahid Ali Buttar When senior U.S. officials are complicit in enhanced interrogation techniques that some describe as torture, what is the potential impact on the international legal regime?
Bill of Rights Defense Committee

Northampton, MA 		Despite international commitments to investigate allegations of torture, and the Nuremberg precedent requiring prosecution throughout the chain of command, senior U.S. officials confront neither prosecution nor investigation for potential war crimes (including torture) violating international treaties, federal statutes, and the Constitution. Can the international legal regime founded after WWII survive violations by the nation that pioneered it? Does a limited investigation of junior level players ratify the legality of torture, even if repudiated as a policy matter? Will it invite further torture in the future? And does it threaten the legitimacy of the criminal justice system generally?
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Ms. Maha Jweied The Civil and Human Rights’ Implications of the Migration of Citizens from one U.S. Territory to Another


Washington, DC 		A recent documentary explores the unknown history of Puerto Ricans who migrated to the U.S. Virgin Islands between the 1920-1950s. During this time period, the status of these territories and it inhabitants were legally different (U.S. citizenship being given in different years). What legal issues arose from this migration: was it proper for Puerto Ricans to go through immigration upon arrival in Virgin Islands (depends on legal status of territories?); what types of discrimination were faced by Puerto Ricans; what about language issues; and access to courts?
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Ms. Annie Orelind Decker Local planning commissions and race-based impact
Impact Section, County of Santa Clara, California

San Jose, CA 		Local planning commissions dispense funding for a wide of array of public services such as healthcare, public transit, sanitation, and waste management. These commissions, however, often have membership structures that do not track population size. This disadvantages densely populated areas, which often also have high minority populations. Does disparate per capita public services funding for minorities compared to per capita public services funding for non-minorities violate Equal Protection or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act?
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Ms. Annie Orelind Decker One-person one-vote rule and planning commissions
Impact Section, County of Santa Clara, California

San Jose, CA 		Public services planning commissions shoulder the important responsibility of ensuring adequate modes and supplies of public services (such as healthcare, public transit, sanitation, and waste management). Their membership structures often do not track population size. Does this disproportionate membership structure violate the one-person one-vote rule that arises under Equal Protection principles? The two traditional obstacles to such challenges are (1) that planning commissions are appointed bodies, and (2) that they are considered non-governmental organizations. What arguments can be made that these arguments no longer guide the one-person one-vote analysis?
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Mr. Jeff Senter What is the impact of elected judges, and judicial elections, on the adjudication of sexual assault cases?
Students Active For Ending Rape (SAFER

Brooklyn, NY 		The United States is virtually alone among nations in its extensive use of elected judges. What impact does the use of elected judges have on the adjudication of criminal and civil cases of sexual assault? States vary in their use of judicial elections. How do elected judges in the United States compare to unelected judges in the United States in handling cases involving sexual assault? What impact do publicized, competitive judicial elections have on the prosecution and handling of sexual assault cases?
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Ms. Tuyet Duong Enforcement of election laws against faith-based and other leaders representing 501c3s who endorse political candidates
Asian American Justice Center

Washington, DC 		Among Asian American communities in the South, there has been a trend among some faith based leaders and community leaders, both representing 501(c )(3) nonprofits, endorsing political candidates. Can election laws be enforced against these individuals? Is clarifying that the endorsement is in their individual capacity sufficient even though their positions are widely known and their influence and voice stem from leadership roles?
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Ms. Odette J. Wilkens Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act
Equal Justice Alliance

Forest Hills, NY 		How are First Amendment rights affected by anti-terrorism legislation such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, and what laws obviate the need for such a law? This recently enacted anti-terrorism law could chill the free speech civil rights of American citizens who would advocate for labor, civil rights, the environment, as well as animals. It could potentially prosecute any American citizen trying to exercise their free speech rights even if they cause no harm or damage, or if they cause any corporate profit loss.
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Mr. David Moon Would Congress violate the Constitution by imposing on the states a uniform method of filling vacancies for the U.S. Senate?
FairVote

Takoma Park, MD 		Is it constitutional for Congress to impose on the states a uniform method of filling vacancies for the United States Senate or a requirement that this be done be special election? How does this correspond with the domain of elections designated as states rights by Article I, Section 4 of the United State Constitution versus the supervisory powers given to Congress under the same section?
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