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Massachusetts Looks to International Sources to Inform ‘Evolving Standards of Decency’
In declaring life without parole unconstitutional for people under 21, the state’s high court cited sentencing practices in Canada and the United Kingdom.
Massachusetts Rejects Harmful Federal Standard for Evaluating Whether Punishment Is Unconstitutional
The state supreme court’s decision outlawing life without parole for people aged 18 to 20 is notable for both its outcome and the test it used to get there.
Massachusetts Reminds Youth Defense Attorneys to Consider State Constitutions
By holding that life without parole sentences are unconstitutional for anyone under 21, the Massachusetts high court goes far above the federal floor.
Kristina Kersey
Kristina Kersey is an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee College of Law, where her scholarship focuses on the juvenile carceral system and youth rights. She previously worked in...
The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
As the Supreme Court steps back on individual rights, state constitutions are filling the void. Do we fully understand their role and importance?
Where Abortion Litigation in Georgia Stands
Last year the Georgia Supreme Court rejected one challenge to a six-week abortion ban, but additional state constitutional challenges continue to wind through the lower courts.
A Conversation About Abortion Rights and the Future of State Constitutions
A retired state supreme court justice, a reproductive rights scholar, and the director of the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program discuss the role of state courts after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that there is no federal constitutional right to abortion.
Kris Fischer
Kris Fischer is the former editor in chief of the New York Law Journal, and a consultant for the State Court Report.
Why Have States Diverged on Trump’s Ballot Eligibility?
As the U.S. Supreme Court considers whether Trump should be disqualified from the 2024 ballot, it’s worth exploring how state law has impacted outcomes in different states.
