A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-April, 1992 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-April, 1992 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-January, 1992 | Richard Grayson

A Writer’s Diary Entries From Mid-January, 1992 | Richard Grayson

Diary of a Forty-Year-Old First-Year Law Student: Mid-April, 1992 | Kinja

Diary of a Forty-Year-Old First-Year Law Student: Mid-April, 1992 | Kinja

Diary of a Forty-Year-Old First-Year Law Student: March, 1992 | Kinja

Diary of a Forty-Year-Old First-Year Law Student: March, 1992 | Kinja

Sunday Afternoon on the Lower East Side: My Daily Constitution Presents Reading the Constitution at The Living Room

This afternoon we were fortunate enough to catch some of this weekend's CMJ-related "Reading the Constitution in [sic] the Lower East Side," presented by My Daily Constitution, at the cool Ludlow Street music venue The Living Room. Yesterday afternoon the reading started at our faves Gavin and Joey DeGraw's Houston Street venue The National Underground.

This stop-and-go public reading of the Constitution, with ample time for audience questions and comments, was "designed for entertainment and exchange" with Constitutional experts and scholars like some of the law professors who were there today -- Susan Herman of Brooklyn Law School, Joseph Landau of Fordham Law School, Ekow N. Yankah of Cardozo Law School -- as well as Melissa Goodman and Alexander Abdo of the ACLU's National Security Program; Philadelphia attorney Angela M. Jones; and arts and entertainment lawyer Adam Davids.

During the 1999-2000 school year, we worked as a visiting professor in the undergraduate legal studies program at Nova Southeastern University, teaching two sections each of Constitutional History I (from the colonial period to 1870), Constitutional History II (1870 to the present), and Civil and Political Liberties.

Con Law was our favorite subject at the University of Florida law school and we got to use what we learned in our jobs as staff attorney in social policy at the Center for Governmental Responsibility and as director of academic resources at Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern.

At The Living Room, we went upstairs and found a stool in the back, got our free copy of the Constitution, and followed along in the readings of Articles IV, V and VI -- which we've always thought of as the "clean-up" articles after the big three devoted to the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government.

But there's an incredible amount to be digested in every sentenceof the Constitution, and we got to hear interesting material about the Privileges and Immunities Clause, the Full Faith and Credit Clause, the Republican Form of Government Clause, the Supremacy Clause, the state admission and constitutional amendment processes, and more.

The musical talent (not to say they don't know also their Constitution) there included Amanda Thorpe, the legendary 3 Teens Kill 4, Goddess, the smart-as-a-whip Jon Sobel, the versatile Dave Mandl, and the bands Admiral Pork Brain and Greenpoint Terminal Market.

The audience was attentive and asked some interesting questions (we got to wonder aloud about the somewhat scary never-used alternate amendment process by convention), and the readers discussed contemporary issues regarding the sections read: the effect of the Supremacy Clause on California's proposed legalization of marijuana or what the Full Faith and Credit Clause means for gay marriage, etc.

It was a fascinating event, but we had papers to grade and lessons to prepare and so we left after the names of all the signers to the Constitution were read because if we let ourselves be hooked by the Bill of Rights, we knew we'd never want to leave. On our way home, we spotted Keith Richards -- in town to promote his memoir -- being photographed on Clinton Street.

On the First Monday in October, Don't Forget to Turn Back Your Clock 100 Years

Former constitutional history professors like us are always interested in the cases appearing before the Supreme Court, whose new term begins on Monday. Adam Liptak, succeeding the retiring Linda Greenhouse as the New York Times's SCOTUS correspondent, gets in perhaps the funniest line we've read in a Times legal article in his Sunday roundup of the "lighter fare" on the Court's docket this year:

Federal courts in California have issued injunctions limiting the use of sonar in Navy training exercises off Southern California on the ground that it harms marine mammals. In Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council, No. 07-1239, the Bush administration argues that the training is vital to national security and that the courts should not interfere.

In Summers v. Earth Island Institute, No. 07-463, the court will consider who has standing to challenge environmental regulations. Winter and Summers will be argued on Wednesday, and decisions are expected by the spring.

Richard Grayson's Boca Raton News Op-Ed Column Advocates Ending Florida's Ban on Adoptions by Gay Parents

Richard Grayson has an op-ed column in the Boca Raton News today (Thursday, January 1, 1998), "Florida Must Move Forward in Gay Adoption Laws," advocating the end of Florida's law to ban gay people from adopting children.

Richard Grayson Op-Ed Column in Tampa Tribune: "A Test of Liberty"

Richard Grayson today (Sunday, January 12,1997) has an op-ed column in the Tampa Tribune: "A Test of Liberty."

Richard Grayson analyzes Morris v. Hill for the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida BULLETIN

Richard Grayson analyzes Morris v. Hill, (Alachua County, Fla. Nov. 22, 1996), Palm Beach Post, Nov. 24,1996 (applying Romer v. Evans and ruling unconstitutional anti-gay ballot measure) for the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida BULLETIN (December 1996).

Richard Grayson analyzes Romer v. Evans for the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida GUARDIAN

Richard Grayson analyzes Romer v. Evans, 116 S.Ct. 1620 (1996)(holding Colorado's anti-gay Amendment 2 unconstitutional as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment) for the Human Rights Council of North Central Florida GUARDIAN's June 1996 issue (Volume 2, Number 2).

Gainesville Sun interviews Richard Grayson on Legal Challenges to Marijuana Laws

The Gainesville Sun today (Saturday, August 26, 1995) interviewed attorney Richard Grayson on legal challenges to marijuana laws after a Gainesville man,Dennis Watkins, the "doobie tosser," was arrested at the Hempfest celebration for tossing joints into the crowd.

An excerpt:

But court records regarding marijuana cases suggest there won't be any changes in the law because of December's hearing, said Richard Grayson, visiting assistant in law at the University of Florida's Center for Governmental Responsibility

"There have been a lot of constitutional challenges under the federal and state constitutions. Most of the challenges have been unavailing," Grayson said.

Past challenges have been based on a variety of arguments, including selective arrests, the right to privacy, religious beliefs, cruel and unusual punishment because of harsh drug laws, the lack of legislation regarding “drugs” such as alcohol and tobacco and the distinction between the use of marijuana and cocaine or heroin, Grayson said.

Grayson also noted that some drug cases have been overturned because there is a legal distinction between what occurs in the home and in public.

“Your home is your castle. You can do things there, like walk around without clothing. You can’t do that on the street.”

Watkins was charged by Gainesville Police last November for distribution and possession of marijuana after officers said he tossed marijuana cigarettes to the Hempfest crowd outside the courthouse.

“It doesn’t sound like you have much of a chance,” said Grayson about the defense’s position.

“We are hopeful we can get some favorable ruling,” said Watkins’ attorney, Gary Wainwright, about the upcoming trial.

The trial also gives marijuana supporters a chance to express their opinions to the public, Grayson said.

There is always a chance that something surprising will happen, Grayson said.

In 1978, a Florida circuit court found the state statute for private possession and use of marijuana unconstitutional following medical testimony showing the social effects of prohibition outweighed the social effects of decriminalization.

“There are all kinds of constitutional things if you have a creative attorney,” Grayson said.

Grayson also appeared as a guest on the WUFT-TV/5 program North Florida Journal in a show devoted to the issue marijuana legalization.

Richard Grayson Op-Ed Column in Gainesville Sun: "Paddling Will Not Cure Schools"

The Gainesville Sun today (Saturday, June 22, 1995) has an op-ed column by Richard Grayson, "Paddling Will Not Cure Schools."