News Bureau | ILLINOIS

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Scholar: TV show 'The Wire' accurately depicted how public schools help vulnerable students

Mar 11, 2019 9:00 am1518 views

A new paper from University of Illinois law professor and education law expert Margareth Etienne explores the fictional portrayal of popular educational policy reforms favored by academics in the fourth season of “The Wire,” the critically acclaimed TV show on HBO from 2002-08, and reviews what the show got right and wrong in its depiction of how a large, urban public school functions in a community.
Expert: Justice Department reversal on online gambling 'correct decision'

Jan 17, 2019 12:00 pm1237 views

In reversing an Obama-era decision that effectively allowed internet gambling, the Department of Justice has revitalized the Interstate Wire Act of 1961, an anti-gambling statute championed by then-Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy to fight organized crime, said John W. Kindt, a professor emeritus of business administration at the University of Illinois and a leading national gambling critic.
Expert: Trump’s attitude toward immigrants, migratory laborers echoes past presidents

Jan 14, 2019 8:45 am832 views

President Trump’s approach to undocumented immigrants and migratory laborers follows the example of past presidents who relied on racial animus to scapegoat foreigners during times of cultural change, says U. of I. labor professor Michael LeRoy.
Paper: Courts check presidential powers over immigration policy

Jan 11, 2019 9:00 am481 views

Research by Michael LeRoy, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois, indicates that presidential powers over immigration have been significantly hamstrung by the courts, with plaintiffs winning all or part of 89 percent of the rulings in cases that consider immigration orders that affect employment relationships.
Can birthright citizenship be taken away?

Nov 1, 2018 12:45 pm4310 views

In adopting the 14th Amendment, Congress unambiguously intended that the children of immigrant workers would have birthright citizenship in the U.S., said University of Illinois labor and employment relations professor Michael LeRoy, an expert on immigration and employment law.
New book studies friction between religion, family law

Oct 15, 2018 9:00 am484 views

A spate of Supreme Court decisions on the tension between religious freedom and the protective function of government has caused a sense of unease among religious people, says Robin Fretwell Wilson, the Roger and Stephany Joslin Professor of Law at Illinois and editor of the book “The Contested Place of Religion in Family Law.”
What effect will Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony have on the #MeToo movement?

Oct 5, 2018 1:30 pm783 views

The lasting impact of Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee will be the image of a lone woman speaking truth to power, says Lesley Wexler, a University of Illinois law professor who studies anti-discrimination law.
How has the #MeToo movement impacted the Kavanaugh nomination?

Sep 24, 2018 1:30 pm1044 views

Without the #MeToo movement and the high bar of a lifetime seat on the Supreme Court, it’s doubtful that the sexual assault allegations leveled against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh would have surfaced, says Lesley Wexler, a University of Illinois law professor who studies anti-discrimination law.
Should the age for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts be raised?

Sep 6, 2018 1:00 pm1462 views

Changes to the age for required minimum distributions from retirement accounts could be made after the 2018 mid-term elections, said Richard L. Kaplan, an internationally recognized expert on tax policy and retirement issues, and the Guy Raymond Jones Chair in Law at Illinois.
What is Anthony Kennedy’s legacy as a Supreme Court justice?

Jul 5, 2018 8:30 am876 views

Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy has been the court’s “pivot point” between its liberal and conservative elements since Sandra Day O’Connor’s retirement in 2006, said Vikram Amar, dean of the University of Illinois College of Law and the Iwan Foundation Professor of Law.
What comes now in the wake of Justice Kennedy’s retirement?

Jul 2, 2018 10:45 am458 views

An Illinois political scientist talks about the politics of replacing Justice Anthony Kennedy and the future direction of the Supreme Court.
What now with gerrymandering? Are algorithms part of the answer?

Jun 20, 2018 1:00 pm1110 views

The Supreme Court “punted” this week on the issue of partisan gerrymandering, but left the door open to future action. An Illinois professor hopes her research can be part of the solution.
Paper: Same-sex marriage doesn’t have to be cultural flashpoint

Jun 8, 2018 8:45 am513 views

A new paper by University of Illinois legal scholar Robin B. Kar argues that same-sex marriage doesn’t have to be a flashpoint in the ongoing culture war between secular and religious values.
How will upcoming Supreme Court case, teacher strikes affect organized labor?

Apr 25, 2018 8:00 am1397 views

A pending U.S. Supreme Court case could lead to the most significant changes in labor relations since the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, says Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at Illinois.
Study: Judges as susceptible to gender bias as laypeople – and sometimes more so

Apr 19, 2018 8:30 am2661 views

A new study of trial court judges suggests these arbiters of the law sometimes let their personal ideas about gender roles influence their decision-making.
Scholars: In #MeToo movement, lessons of restorative and transitional justice important

Apr 13, 2018 9:00 am1509 views

A new paper from a team of U. of I. legal scholars explores restorative and transitional justice in the #MeToo movement.
Professor makes legal case for schools to challenge cyberbullies

Apr 3, 2018 10:00 am2397 views

Schools have a limited ability to challenge cyberbullies, but an Illinois professor has made a legal study on how to change that.
Paper: 'Pseudo-contract' creeps into digital terms and conditions

Feb 20, 2018 8:15 am1581 views

The boilerplate text that nobody reads when signing up for an online service has very tenuous legal footing, said Robin B. Kar, a University of Illinois legal scholar and internationally recognized expert in contract law.
What does the tax reform bill mean for the middle class?

Dec 20, 2017 10:45 am3592 views

The current tax bill fits with a 30-year trend that doesn’t favor income from work, says sociologist Kevin Leicht
What keeps women from reporting sexual harassment?

Dec 12, 2017 10:30 am834 views

Women often don’t report sexual harassment because grievance procedures frequently take on the feel of litigation, an Illinois professor says.
Does revoking professional licenses prompt borrowers to repay student loans?

Dec 11, 2017 3:45 pm947 views

Even though several states have these regulations on the books, they’re really a last resort for collecting student loan debt, says Professor Angela Lyons
Who wins and loses in proposed tax reform?

Dec 7, 2017 8:30 am1438 views

Richard Kaplan, an internationally recognized expert on U.S. tax policy, discusses the Republican tax overhaul plan now before Congress
Study: Stereotypes about race and responsibility persist in bankruptcy system

Nov 29, 2017 8:45 am589 views

Bankruptcy attorneys have little knowledge of the racial disparities that exist within the bankruptcy system, relying instead on common stereotypes about race, responsibility and debt, according to research co-written by Robert M. Lawless, the Max L. Rowe Professor of Law at Illinois and a leading consumer credit and bankruptcy expert.
What role do judges play in employment harassment cases?

Nov 27, 2017 9:15 am1033 views

Judges can unilaterally dismiss sexual or racial harassment cases through summary judgment, a legal maneuver that ends up favoring employers over employees, says Law professor Suja Thomas
Paper: ‘No money down’ bankruptcies prevalent among the poor, minorities

Nov 13, 2017 9:15 am581 views

Bankruptcy attorneys are increasingly encouraging clients to file for the more expensive “no money down” option of Chapter 13 bankruptcy – a tactic that’s used more often with blacks than with whites, according to research co-written by Robert M. Lawless, the Max L. Rowe Professor of Law at Illinois and a leading consumer credit and bankruptcy expert.
Does President Trump’s tax reform plan add up?

Sep 28, 2017 10:45 am675 views

President Trump’s much-hyped tax overhaul plan is tantamount to a 'tax-reform wish list,' said Richard L. Kaplan, an internationally recognized expert on U.S. tax policy
How should universities handle controversial speech?

Aug 30, 2017 8:30 am2979 views

The proper way to register dissent with speech one finds offensive doesn’t involve blockades or threatening violence. It’s more speech, says lllinois law dean Vikram Amar
Is affirmative action in college admissions under threat?

Aug 23, 2017 9:00 am2298 views

An Illinois expert on affirmative action in higher education talks about the Justice Department’s plans to investigate possible racial discrimination in college and university admissions policies
How do employers combat a resurgent white supremacy movement?

Aug 15, 2017 9:30 am1619 views

Labor and employment relations professor Michael LeRoy discusses his research about confronting a resurgent white supremacy movement.
Can President Trump pardon himself?

Jul 27, 2017 3:45 pm507 views

No provision of the Constitution prohibits it, but the threat of impeachment should function as a check on the president's clemency powers, said law professor Jason Mazzone
After two fiscal years without a budget, what’s next for the state of Illinois?

Jul 14, 2017 8:45 am631 views

"...fixing the major problems that Illinois has – both in policy and in finances – is going to require the governor to work in cooperation with rather than in opposition to the majorities in the General Assembly, and vice versa"
New paper explores promise, pitfalls of Trump as ‘deal-maker-in-chief’

May 31, 2017 9:00 am383 views

A style of governance that relies heavily on “deal-making” also has the potential to render President Trump’s administration prone to incompetence and corruption, said Robin B. Kar, a University of Illinois legal scholar.
Paper: ‘No admit-No deny’ settlements undercut accountability in civil enforcement

May 22, 2017 8:30 am564 views

The failure of federal watchdog agencies to require admissions of guilt from the targets of civil enforcement can trigger calls for greater accountability from the public, says a new paper from U. of I. law professors Verity Winship and Jennifer K. Robbennolt.
Are law enforcement agencies abusing civil asset forfeiture?

Apr 13, 2017 8:45 am850 views

The controversial practice of civil asset forfeiture gets a well-deserved bad rap, says U. of I. law professor and criminal law expert Kenworthey Bilz.
Is Obamacare worth fixing?

Apr 5, 2017 3:00 pm643 views

Tom O'Rourke, a professor emeritus of community health at Illinois, has spent much of his professional career examining the nation's health care system. He spoke with News Bureau Life Sciences Editor Diana Yates about the prospects for Obamacare.
With the demise of the Obamacare repeal-and-replace bill, what’s next for health care?

Mar 27, 2017 3:00 pm693 views

With the demise of the American Health Care Act all but rendering health care reform a moribund issue, tax reform likely will present its own challenges for President Trump and Congress, says Professor Richard L. Kaplan.
What are the conditions for a constitutional crisis?

Feb 22, 2017 8:00 am587 views

Constitutional crisis scenarios have yet to occur under Trump, U. of I. law dean and constitutional scholar says.
Does Supreme Court nominee Gorsuch fit the Scalia mold?

Feb 14, 2017 8:30 am325 views

Law professor Robin Fretwell Wilson: Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch similar to the late Justice Antonin Scalia.
What should we expect in the Supreme Court confirmation battle?

Feb 1, 2017 4:30 pm435 views

University of Illinois political scientist Alicia Uribe-McGuire describes the politics involved in the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.
What will be the effect of the Trump administration's immigration ban?

Jan 31, 2017 12:15 pm228 views

The executive order on immigration sets U.S. policy back more than 50 years, says Illinois labor and employment relations professor Michael LeRoy, an expert on immigration and employment policy.
Panel discussion on immigration executive order to be held at College of Law

Jan 31, 2017 9:45 am202 views

The University of Illinois College of Law will host a panel discussion at noon Friday on President Trump’s executive order on immigration. The discussion will be moderated by U. of I. law professor Lesley Wexler.
What quality of education are schools required to provide to students with disabilities?

Jan 25, 2017 8:30 am1753 views

Special education professor James Shriner on a case recently heard by the U.S. Supreme Court to decide the educational benefits that public schools are required to provide to students with disabilities.
Can the design elements of clothing be copyrighted?

Jan 23, 2017 9:15 am385 views

Professor and copyright librarian Sara R. Benson explains an upcoming Supreme Court case at the intersection of copyright and patent for functional designs.
What does the future hold for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?

Jan 17, 2017 8:45 am910 views

Why the sudden impetus to reorganize the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? For starters, it was never a bipartisan effort.
What is driving Congress to potentially change Medicaid?

Jan 6, 2017 9:30 am950 views

Professor Richard Kaplan discusses the impetus behind congressional leaders’ desire to change Medicaid, the health insurance program with more than 74 million enrollees in the U.S.
‘Cadillac tax’ may precipitate wholesale changes to employer-provided health care insurance

Dec 12, 2016 9:00 am1263 views

Even if the Affordable Care Act is ultimately repealed, the law’s so-called “Cadillac tax” on high-cost health care plans has already affected employers’ health insurance offerings, says Richard L. Kaplan, the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at Illinois.
What might the future of Medicare look like under a Trump presidency?

Dec 9, 2016 12:00 pm593 views

It remains uncertain that plans being floated to privatize Medicare by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan will have the support of President-elect Donald Trump, says Richard L. Kaplan, the Peer and Sarah Pedersen Professor of Law at Illinois.
Four years later, what effect has expanded video gambling had on Illinois?

Oct 24, 2016 9:30 am2048 views

Giveaways to gambling interests in Illinois have robbed state coffers of billions of dollars, says John W. Kindt, an emeritus professor of business and legal policy at the University of Illinois.
How will LGBT issues affect the 2016 election? An interview with Robin Fretwell Wilson

Sep 22, 2016 10:15 am616 views

Although Americans overwhelmingly support nondiscrimination protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, no state has enacted significant new legislation protecting them against discrimination in housing, hiring and public accommodations since 2008, says Robin Fretwell Wilson, the Roger and Stephany Joslin Professor of Law and the director of the Program in Family Law and Policy at the University of Illinois College of Law.
Book: Juries robbed of power by federal government, states

Jul 14, 2016 9:00 am760 views

Despite their significant presence in the Constitution, juries have largely disappeared from the U.S. legal system, according to a recently published book by University of Illinois law professor Suja A. Thomas.

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