UPDATE November 2013: The Court of Appeals opinion discussed in this post was reversed by the Supreme Court.  See this Coates Canon post:  Holding Over After Your Term Ends (revisited).   North Carolina law permits officeholders to continue in office, … Read more

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides, in part, that “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizure, shall not be violated.” In the context of … Read more

A problem springs up every 10 years, with the new census numbers, in cities, counties, and school units that elect their council members, commissioners, and school board members from districts:  how, and how much, to take race into account in … Read more