Supreme Court Review

Cases discussed: A child abuse case, DeShaney v. Winnebago County revolved around whether or not the county was negligent in not coming to the aid of a child whose father was known to be physically abusive. The child was then seriously beaten. The plaintiff contended that the county deprived the child of his liberty, in violation of his rights under the 14th Amendment. The Court’s opinion stated that despite the tragedy involved, the county had no duty to protect the child under the 14th Amendment. Allegheny County v. ACLU involved the interpretation of the so-called “establishment clause” concerning religion. Specifically, Allegheny County, by voluntarily staging a nativity scene at its courthouse, is accused of “establishing” the Christian religion over others. Also, Justice Kennedy’s first year on the Court is analyzed in an interview by Lewin and Litman. close