Friday April 21, 2023
12:30-1:30 p.m.
Meeting Both In-Person and by Zoom
Dampeer Room, Second Floor of Kelvin Smith Library*
Case Western Reserve UniversityDear Colleagues:I think many of us probably guessed that when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in the highly anticipated and debated decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that dramatic ruling would set off new rounds of both litigation and politics about women’s rights and reproduction.And so it has. As organizer of the “Friday Lunch,” I had two questions about that as a topic. First, would Professor Hill be available at the right time? As our leading scholar of the issue she follows all relevant developments and can relate them to the mainstreams of the constitutional law debate. She also is very kind about giving talks around campus and in the community. The second question was what would be the right time. Since there would surely be lots of developments, when would there be so much going on, or would so much have happened, that participants in our discussions would especially like to hear her highly-informed perspectives?I think we’re at that point now. On the one hand, there is powerful evidence, most recently from the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 4, of a political backlash against the Republican party for its creation of this Supreme Court and campaign against abortion. This includes the current efforts to place a right to abortion into the Ohio Constitution. As supporters gather signatures to get the proposed language on the ballot, opponents are already spending a reported $5 million on rather remarkably deceptive ads against the proposal.These are examples of one expected result: much more intense battles at the state level, mostly abortion opponents making bans harsher, but in some cases with abortion supporters trying to undo state restrictions. But there is national action as well, and that hit a crisis point when a Texas federal district court judge ruled that the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion-inducing drug mifepristone was illegitimate and should be suspended. As surely almost all recipients of this newsletter know, that set off a series of appeals and court rulings; and that should include a preliminary Supreme Court response on Wednesday, April 19.So I eagerly anticipate gathering on Friday the 21st for an update from Professor Hill on what has happened, is happening, what may happen next, and how it all may matter.
In-Person and Virtual Attendance
In order to make it easy for people to protect themselves and still participate, the meetings can be attended on Zoom. Participants can register for each meeting in the same way they did for the past two years. The link is posted below.
The discussion begins at 12:30 p.m., but the room should be open no later than Noon. We try to have beverages and refreshments set up soon after that. Participants should be able to sign on to Zoom also by Noon. But please remember not much will be happening online until the talk begins at 12:30 pm. Please also be prepared to show identification when entering Kelvin Smith Library.
Zoom participants should speak up when asked for questions or comments, or submit thoughts through Zoom’s chat function. Please keep yourself muted until you are choosing to speak.
Each week we will send out this newsletter with information about the topic. It will also include a link to register (for free) for the discussion. When you register, you will automatically receive from the Zoom system the link to join the meeting. If you do not get the newsletter, you should also be able to get the information each Monday by checking http://fridaylunch.case.edu Then if you choose you can use the contact form on that website to request the registration link.
This week’s Zoom link for registration is:
https://cwru.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYtcu2oqjIsGdZoJw5Y36OvLgwSE9d_uMzc
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Please also e-mail padg@case.edu if you have questions about arrangements or any suggestions. Or call at 216 368-2426 and we’ll try to get back to you. We are very pleased to be partnering this semester with the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program to share information about the discussions.
Best wishes for safety and security for you and yours,
Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies
About Our Guest
Jessie Hill, J.D. is Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Judge Ben C. Green Professor of Law. She joined the faculty in 2003 after practicing First Amendment and civil rights law with the firm of Berkman, Gordon, Murray & DeVan in Cleveland. Before entering private practice, Hill worked at the Reproductive Freedom Project of the national ACLU office in New York, litigating challenges to state-law restrictions on reproductive rights. She also served as law clerk to the Honorable Karen Nelson Moore of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Hill’s teaching focuses on constitutional law, civil rights, reproductive rights, and law and religion. Her scholarship has been published in the Michigan Law Review, the Duke Law Journal, the Georgetown Law Journal, and the Texas Law Review, among others.
* Kelvin Smith Library requires all entrants to show identification when entering the building, unless they have a university i.d. that they can magnetically scan. We are sorry if that seems like a hassle, but it has been Library policy for a while in response to security concerns. Please do not complain to the library staff at the entrance, who are just doing their jobs.
Schedule of Friday Lunch Upcoming Topics and Speakers:
April 28: China. With Paul E. Schroeder Ph.D., longtime Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science. |
