SCOTUS Spotlight

Federal Bureau of Investigation v. Fikre Unbiased Case Analysis: In 2010 the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) placed Yonas Fikre on their No Fly List. The FBI’s No Fly List bans anyone on the list from flying to, form, or over the United States. Yonas Fikre is a U.S. citizen who is Muslim and of Eritrean descent. He traveled to Sudan in 2010 on business but was questioned by the FBI. The FBI was suspicious of his activities and ties to the community. The FBI offered to bring Fikre on as an informant, but he refused. Later, he traveled to the United Arab Emirates where he was arrested and tortured for months by the country’s secret police. Eventually, he was released and sought asylum in Sweden. However, Sweden denied asylum and returned him to the United States.             Yonas Fikre sued the FBI for violating his Fifth Amendment right to due process. The FBI removed him from the No Fly List and claimed the case was now...

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District Unbiased Case Analysis:             Joseph Kennedy was a high school football coach. For years he would pray at the 50 yard line after games. Eventually, the Bremerton School District found out about his actions and asked him to stop. The school district was concerned that the school would be sued for violating the Establishment Clause. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from establishing a religion. Endorsing a religion can be thrown into that definition. Although Kennedy did initially comply, he eventually continued to pray after the games. The school declined to rehire him after the season which Kennedy responded in turn suing the school. Kennedy argued his constitutional rights were being violated by the school. The district school ruled in favor of the school district. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling. The case was then h...

Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota Unbiased Case Analysis:             Geraldine Tyler owned a piece of property in Hennepin County, Minnesota. She failed to pay her property taxes, which eventually amounted to $15,000. The county eventually seized her property and sold it to pay off her property tax debt. However, they sold the property for $40,000 and kept the remaining $25,000. Geraldine Tyler sued the county arguing her 5th and 8th Amendment rights were violated by the county. The district court dismissed her case, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the decision. Eventually, the Supreme Court heard the case and decided on it.             The Supreme Courted ruled unanimously in favor of Tyler. The Court found that Hennepin County’s actions violated the Fifth Amendment’s Takings Clause. The Takings Clause requires the government to give just compen...