Associate Dean Amar Discusses Upcoming Supreme Court Hearing on KQED
Associate Dean Vikram Amar was part of a discussion on KQED radio regarding the U.S. Supreme Court's recent announcement that it will decide whether UC Hastings College of Law violated the constitutional rights of a Christian group by denying it recognition as an official campus organization because it excludes gays and lesbians. The discussion was broadcast as part of KQED's "Forum with Michael Krasny" program on December 9 and is available for download from the station's website.
The Christian Legal Society filed suit after it was refused official status at UC Hastings, which prohibits student groups from excluding members based on their sexual orientation, race or beliefs. Federal courts in San Francisco rejected the group's assertions, but the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the appeal, and argument will take place in the spring. Professor Amar recounted the Supreme Court's history in deciding similar cases, and suggested that Justice Anthony Kennedy may again be called upon to provide to be the crucial swing vote, as he often has on constitutional issues.
Vikram Amar, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law with the UC Davis School of Law, is a national authority in the fields of constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, and remedies. His biweekly column for FindLaw.com, the leading provider of online legal information, centers on his expertise in constitutional law.