Religious Exemptions?: What the Free Exercise Clause Means

Meet Abby Akins: Summer Law Clerk and Newest Member of the Vann Attorneys TeamBy Vann Attorneys, PLLCA North Carolina Law FirmWe’re excited to welcome Abby Akins to Vann Attorneys as our Summer Law Clerk! Abby joins us from Campbell University School of Law, where she’s wrapping up her 1L year. Originally from Holly Springs, she earned her B.A. in History at UNC Chapel Hill—making her the only Tar Heel in a family full of mostly NC State fans (we won’t hold that against her). When asked what drew her to Vann Attorneys, Abby said it was the chance to get hands-on experience in a variety of legal areas and work closely with attorneys who value mentorship. She’s jumping into everything with energy and curiosity, and we’re thrilled to have her here. Abby’s already shown a natural ability for connecting with people. Her previous internships in government and public service gave her a front-row seat to the importance of serving the local…

The latest issue of the Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies (Vol. 16, no. 1, 2025) is out. Contents include:Articles Aneta Peretko, States of Silence: The Growing Influence of Human Rights Courts in Interpreting International Humanitarian Law in the Absence of Opinio Juris Samuel Hartridge & Brendan Walker-Munro, Autonomous Weapons Systems and the ai Alignment Problem Mohammed R. M. Elshobake & Alaa Sakka, Forced Returns and Fragile LivesStrategies for Safeguarding Syrian Refugees and Ensuring Their Protection Caroline Sweeney, The International Response to the Humanitarian Crisis in Syria: A Socio Legal Critique Pratik Purswani & Adithi Rajesh, Beyond Bombs and Bullets: Natural Resource Management in the Indo-Naxalite Non-International Armed Conflict J. P. Vallejo, Manipur: a Genocide?      

A child bicycle accident in Oakland has left a young child hospitalized with severe head trauma. The collision on Monday, May 19, 2025, has raised renewed concerns about bicycle safety in the Oakland area, particularly for vulnerable young riders. Details of the Oakland Bicycle Accident According to fire department officials, the incident occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon at the intersection of Nicol and Coolidge avenues in Oakland. Emergency crews promptly responded to the scene and transported the injured child to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care. The child sustained severe head trauma in the collision, though authorities have not yet released specific details about their current condition. It remains unclear whether the driver involved in the accident remained at the scene or if they are cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Understanding Bicycle Accident Risks for Children Children are particularly vulnerable to bicycle accidents due to…

 Pix credit hereOn the basis of Resolution 26/9 (2014), the Human Rights Council established an open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights. The mandate for the OEIGWG, buttressed by a cohesive and like minded group of supporters, was to elaborate an "international legally binding instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the activities of transnational corporations and other business enterprises." This OEIGWG has sought to do with great vigor, in the process putting together an international network of people who, believing the necessity for legalizing a system of public mandatory human rights due diligence systems, have labored for more than a decade to produce a draft of something that appeals to them and their supporters. Having come close to something that appears to have the characteristics of a finalized draft, the OEIGWG has been engaged through a…

A significant traffic collision involving multiple vehicles occurred on northbound US-101 just south of Moffett Boulevard in Mountain View on May 21, 2025, at approximately 2:34 PM. The crash involved a white box truck, a gray Tesla Model Y, a Toyota Tacoma, and another sedan, resulting in the blockage of lanes 1, 2, and 3. Emergency services were promptly dispatched to the scene to manage the situation and assist those involved. The collision led to a SigAlert being issued, with lanes 1 and 2 remaining blocked for an extended period, causing substantial traffic delays in the area. The box truck, which was carrying construction debris, sustained major front-end damage, while the other vehicles also suffered significant damage. Tow services were called to clear the vehicles from the roadway, and efforts were made to move the vehicles out of the lanes to alleviate traffic congestion. Motorists are advised to expect delays and consider alternate routes while the cleanup and…

At first, it sounds like a dream: hiring your cousin to help with marketing, bringing your sister on as a partner, or giving your son-in-law a “small stake” in the business. It feels easy, natural, and trust-based. But working with family without clear documentation can turn a warm gesture into a legal headache. Here’s why: Misaligned Expectations Relatives might (wrongfully?) assume the workplace rules don’t apply to or that they’ll be taken care of long-term. But without a written agreement covering responsibilities, pay, equity, and termination or severance provisions, those assumptions can turn into full-blown disputes. And yes, they can sue you, even if you’re related. The Lines Between “Employee” and “Contractor” Get Blurry When a relative starts helping out, it’s easy to start casually and think that you’ll figure it out as you go along. Maybe they start as a contractor and if…

In a recent decision with important implications for artificial intelligence (AI) driven innovation, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) denied a patent for an AI-based medical tool.[1] The refusal was not because the invention was not new or inventive. Rather, the refusal was because the invention did not meet a fundamental rule of U.S. patent law. In Ex parte Michalek, the PTAB specifically acknowledged that the patent claims at issue recited new information about the nexus between certain biomarkers and the development of lung cancer as facilitated by machine learning. In fact, prior to appeal, the applicant had successfully refuted all arguments raised by the patent examiner that the invention was not new or nonobvious. That said, based on U.S. Patent Office guidance and a related example from that guidance, the PTAB still determined the claims were flawed based on the legal principle of subject matter eligibility. Although the facts in this decision concern…

In North Carolina, the legal obligation to register as a sex offender does not apply to every offense that involves sexual behavior. Instead, the state defines a specific group of criminal convictions, called “reportable convictions,” that trigger mandatory registration. Understanding who must register, how the law defines qualifying offenses, and how long those obligations last is essential for anyone facing charges that might carry these consequences. This post explains the legal framework for sex offender registration in North Carolina, including how reportable convictions are defined, how aggravated status or recidivism affects the rules, and how long a person remains on the registry after registration. It also addresses related factors such as offense dates, eligibility for termination, and legal distinctions between standard and aggravated registration programs. If you’re facing serious criminal charges in Mecklenburg, Union, Iredell, Gaston, or Lincoln…

The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament yesterday, 20 May 2025. This was following a raft of amendments being tabled at stage 3. The Law Society of Scotland issued the following statement yesterday: A decade of campaigning by the Law Society of Scotland has resulted in new legislation that... The post Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill Passed appeared first on The Time Blawg.

The good news is that Ed Martin will not be the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. In the end, even Republicans in the Senate had too many misgivings to hand one of the most powerful roles within the Department of Justice to a January 6 wingnut. The bad news is that the same administration that invented DOGE so they could install an idiot man-child over the entire executive branch has already worked out how to invest power in their unconfirmable stooges and shunted Martin off to the — on paper — more humble role as head of the DOJ’s “Weaponization Working Group.” Much like the Musk situation, Martin might well prove more damaging in this role. For those who have always wondered: “What if we turned the Justice Department over to a 4Chan troll?” Martin delivers, having gone on record that, when he can’t prosecute the president’s political enemies — because they’ve actually committed no crimes —…

It is clear now how the Trump Administration plans to handle what remains of modern administrative law while advancing its agenda. The plan is to break it. Just look at the Administration’s conduct over its first 100 days. Wacky executive orders that are no less dangerous for becoming instantly infamous. Abuses of interim final rules, direct final rules, and “good cause” rulemaking. Changing compliance dates without rulemakings. Collusive litigation. Claims that huge swathes of law simply do not apply to the Administration’s plans. And on, and on, and on. In light of everything we’ve seen, it is clear what the endgame is: break the law enough times and in enough ways that an outgunned band of attorneys general, private litigants, and nonprofits can do only so much in response. People who represent everyday Americans, not oligarchs, have finite resources and face standing and other doctrines that limit our ability to stop the deluge. At the…

Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Sonya L. Sigler back to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire. As I reflected upon in my last article, for a long time, I thought self-care meant squeezing in activities that made me feel better — like reading, knitting, or the occasional kick-boxing class. And while those activities do matter for my self-care, I eventually realized something deeper: True self-care is about alignment. It’s about designing a life that actually reflects what matters most to you — not what looks good on paper. Not what others expect, but what you value at your core. In the first two articles of this series, we explored the importance of noticing your energy — what fuels you and what drains you — and the critical mindshift from external expectations to…

[Ilya Somin's upcoming speaking engagements.] (NA)I have been remiss this semester in failing to post my usual list of upcoming speaking engagements. However, I do have some coming up in the next several weeks that I would like to list for interested readers. Unless otherwise noted, all are in person and open to the public.  I may update this post with additional events. Below, I also note some information on earlier engagements for which video or audio is available. May 27, 12-1:00 PM, Cato Institute, Washington, DC: "Tariffs, Emergencies, and Presidential Power." (panel with Cato Institute scholar Walter Olson). Virtual event. Free registration available here. May 31, 3-4 PM, Pruyne Lecture Hall, Fayerweather Hall, Amherst College, Amherst, MA: "Challenges Facing American Democracy." This event is primarily for Amherst College alumni, students, and employees (part of Amherst's 2025 alumni reunion activities). But I think members of the…

As of this writing, seven lawsuits have been filed challenging the legality of President Trump’s unilateral imposition of tariffs. The briefing is farthest along in V.O.S. Selections, Inc. v. Trump, pending in the Court of International Trade. That court has scheduled a hearing for May 13 on all pending motions, including a motion for a preliminary injunction. Appeals from the Court of International Trade go to the Federal Circuit. Arguably, of all the cases challenging Trump administration actions, the tariff cases have the greatest consequence for the national economy as well as the division of authority between Congress and the Executive. Stanford Law Professor Michael McConnellBoth sides agree that the President has no inherent constitutional authority to set tariffs. President Trump’s power, if it exists, must come from statute. The government relies on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA). IEEPA gives the President power to take…

Michael Hasday (Benjamin L. Crump College of Law at St. Thomas University) has posted Accuracy and the Robot Judge (25 J. App. Prac. & Process 1 (2025)) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: How can it be shown that AI-powered robot judges are more accurate than human judges? Some commentators believe that legal decision making is too indeterminate for this to be demonstrated. Even commentators who believe that this might be possible do not indicate precisely how this might be done. This article provides possible answers to this question, which to my knowledge has not been directly addressed in the burgeoning robot judge literature. I contend that there are three broad paths through which robot judges can potentially demonstrate superior accuracy over their human counterparts: the consensus path, the comparison path, and the process path. Recommended!

You found an error on your credit report and sent a dispute letter to the Credit Reporting Agency. You even included documents to back up your case. But about month later, you got a response from the credit bureau saying the account is “verified” or “accurate.”Now what?Unfortunately, this is a common, and incredibly frustrating, experience. But you’re not out of options. Here’s what you can do if a credit reporting agency refuses to correct a credit report error after your first dispute.Step 1: Review the Response CarefullyYour first step is to clearly understand the results of the investigation. Did they keep the mistake on your report? Or did they fix it? This isn’t always obvious and it may help to compare the updated report you got as part of the investigation results with your old report from before you disputed. It’s also important to know if they actually investigated your dispute. Although CRAs are generally required to…

Derek was twenty years old when he suffered a stroke. He lost and then subsequently regained his ability to speak and to perform simple tasks; however, he cannot manage important matters like his medical care and finances. Derek’s mom, Greta, successfully petitioned under G.S. Chapter 35A to have her son adjudicated incompetent and was appointed as Derek’s guardian. Recently, Derek was at a store and put candy he had not paid for in his pocket. When an employee intervened, Derek pushed the employee and ran home with the candy. Criminal charges were filed, and Derek was appointed counsel. This post explores difficult questions that arise when a criminal defendant is adjudicated incompetent and has a court-appointed guardian, including the effect those circumstances have on criminal case decisions, client confidentiality, and the allocation of authority between the attorney and client. But first, a little background. Attorney-client relationships and the allocation of…

This weekend marked the national day of Norway, Syttende Mai. I have previously written about the celebrations connected to the national day, including the rules pertaining to the national (Bunad) dresses. Today, I describe the patent act that was in force when the Scandinavian Cheese Slicer (Ostehøvel) first got patented in 1925, 100 years ago this year. In 1925, the 1910 Patent Act (Lov om patenter (LOV-1910-07-02-4) was in force. The law can be located either in the Norsk Lovtidende Avd. 1 for the year 1910 or in the Almindelig Norsk Lovsamling. The amendments made in 1920 can be found in Norsk Lovtidende Avd. 1 1920. (Lov om midlertidig tillegg til lovene om patenter av 16. juni 1885 og 2. juli 1910 (LOV-1920-07-16-9).) Section 1 of the 1910 Patent Act provides that: A patent protects, in accordance with this law, new inventions, which can be utilized in industry. However, the following are excluded: a) Inventions, the exercise of which would be contrary to law,…