Media Law Blog

As many of us know, the Supreme Court is the highest judicial court in the United States. There is a Chief Justice and eight associate justices. These individuals have the responsibility and power to interpret and uphold the United States Constitution. When there is a vacancy in the court, the President of the United States holds the power to nominate a Justice. This nomination does not guarantee an appointment. It has to be approved by the U.S. Senate before this may occur. Some may say that a political game is played with a non-partisan position. The President as well as the Senate are both guilty of this. The President can nominate someone to the Court that has similar beliefs as the administration causing discomfort to the Senate if they are a majority of the opposite party. With the power the court holds, I was able to witness the decision of the North Carolina gerrymandering court case this past summer while I was in D.C. With a 5-4 vote in the Supreme court, the Justices dec...

In today's society, many individuals interpret sayings and slogans in many different ways. For one man in California, this became a harsh reality. Jon Kotler spent a lifetime devoted to his London-based football team, Fulham FC. To pronounce his love for the team he requested a license plate with the letters "COYW" which stands for, "Come On You Whites". This was shortly shot down by the DMV of California for being racially charged.  Here is a little bit of background history behind "COYW". Most professional soccer teams are referred to by the color of their uniform. This is just another simple nickname and chant for fans to get excited about games. With no racial intent ever being present, Kotler felt his First Amendment Right being infringed upon. He was not wrong. After a court case and explaining his story, the California DMV granted him his license plate. These types of things occur in the United States with confusion or disregard to each o...