By Kerry Martin Associate Editor, Vol. 24 On June 18, 2018, in a courtroom at the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse in downtown Detroit, at the end of a long pretrial argument on a matter of evidence, defendant Corey Bailey stood up. The courtroom was nearly full: this was preparation for the blockbuster trial of the […]
Detroit
The Color of Blight: Michigan’s Troubled History of Urban Renewal Complicates Detroit’s Comeback
By David Bergh Associate Editor, Volume 23 Online Publications Editor, Volume 24 The governmental power of eminent domain has deep roots in the Anglo-American legal tradition. Early English law held that the power to expropriate land was inherent in the Crown’s sovereign authority.[1] As an element of the Crown’s sovereignty, this power was essentially limitless […]
Restoring Democracy in Michigan
By David Bergh Associate Editor, Volume 23 In the wake of the economic destruction wrought by the Great Recession of 2008, many Michigan municipalities fell into dire financial straits.[1] Faced with cities that were sliding into insolvency, the Michigan Legislature passed so-called “emergency manager laws,” in the hope that, by putting the municipality’s finances in […]
Sanctuary Cities Resist Donald Trump’s Plan to Withhold Federal Funding
By Anonymous Associate Editor, Vol. 22 From the outset of his presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump[1] took extreme stances on immigration.[2] He spoke about heavier enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal crossings during his speech announcing his candidacy, claiming, “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have […]
COMMENT: The Detroit Water Shut-Offs: An Alternative Approach to Analyzing the Constitutionality of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s Shut-Off Policy
By Jackie Pilcowitz Associate Editor, Vol. 21 The City of Detroit is denying water to thousands of its residents. In the spring of 2014, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) announced its plan to disconnect water service to Detroit residents with delinquent accounts — those who owed $150 or more.[1] The median income in […]
MJR&L Associate Editors Take A Trip to Detroit’s Arts & Scraps
By: Daniela Tagtachian, Associate Editor Vol. 20 On August 27, 2014, the Associate Editors of the Michigan Journal of Race & Law drove out to Detroit to volunteer their time at Arts & Scraps, a nonprofit organization that serves the needs of youth in low-income areas in Detroit. A Bit Of Background Arts & Scraps […]
Michigan Journal of Race & Law 