During the recent holiday break, I was preparing an online order to replace an aging mobile phone. I had a few questions, so, with great trepidation, I clicked the button to “Chat Live with Agent.” 

As the agent logged on, I prepared myself for an hour-long bureaucratic struggle. But much to my...

“Stroke of the pen. Law of the Land. Kinda cool.” That’s how Paul Begala, advisor to President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s, described the immediate impact of the Executive Orders signed regularly by Clinton and other modern presidents. While not all major policy decisions are enacted so swiftly,...

Over the past few decades, problem-solving courts (specialty and treatment courts) have become increasingly popular nationwide. According to a paper by the Conference of State Court Administrators, the first problem-solving court was established in 1989.  

Courthouses often convey a sense of solemnity and civic importance. Judges don traditional black robes, while attorneys and litigants wear formal business attire. Signs admonish visitors “Quiet: Court in Session” to preserve the sense of decorum. But this decorum can be quickly shattered by a...

“Oh no, not jury duty!” exclaims the frazzled parent of two toddlers, the plumber with a calendar full of appointments and kids in college, or the graduate student working full-time and taking evening classes. Busy citizens from all walks of life often share a sense of dread upon learning they must...