Mia Brett

Mia Brett, PhD, is the Editorial Board's legal historian. She lives with her gorgeous dog, Tchotchke. You can find her @queenmab87.

Yeah, no, Reconstruction laws were actually race conscious

November 4, 2022 /

Critics of affirmative action want you to believe that laws meant to protect Black people weren’t meant to protect Black people.

The Republicans want judges to define ‘Black’

October 25, 2022 /

We’ve been here before. It was bad then. It’s bad now.

SCOTUS ignores its own rulings to keep executions going

October 20, 2022 / Comments Off on SCOTUS ignores its own rulings to keep executions going

A death row man ate his own eye. Justices said whatevs.

Pot pardons aren’t meaningless, but they aren’t enough either

October 12, 2022 / Comments Off on Pot pardons aren’t meaningless, but they aren’t enough either

The racist consequences of the “war on drugs” are still with us.

The 19th century called. It wants its abortion laws back

October 4, 2022 / Comments Off on The 19th century called. It wants its abortion laws back

There is nothing fun about zombie laws.

The Supreme Court’s dangerous abuse of religious exemptions

September 19, 2022 /

How far are the rightwing justices willing to go?

Why do the Republicans keep proving their ‘semi-fascism’?

September 8, 2022 / Comments Off on Why do the Republicans keep proving their ‘semi-fascism’?

They could just ignore Biden’s claim, but don’t.

Federal law requires some hospitals to give emergency care, including abortions

August 31, 2022 / Comments Off on Federal law requires some hospitals to give emergency care, including abortions

Republicans are fighting it in court.

Someone like Trump pleading the Fifth is funny, but the right against self-incrimination is no laughing matter

August 15, 2022 / Comments Off on Someone like Trump pleading the Fifth is funny, but the right against self-incrimination is no laughing matter

It’s just too perfect considering that Trump said in 2016 that, “if you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” 

Breonna Taylor and how a civil rights law from 1866 could pave the way to police accountability and federal intervention

August 11, 2022 / Comments Off on Breonna Taylor and how a civil rights law from 1866 could pave the way to police accountability and federal intervention

Is the Justice Department re-embracing its original mandate?