Events Calendar

This speaker series considers the criminalization of reproduction—historical and contemporary, local and global—largely through the lens of reproductive justice.

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Abstract: In 2022, in Dobbs, the Court held that the Due Process Clause does not protect a right to abortion. Dobbs unleashed a tidal wave of old and new laws criminalizing abortion, including the Comstock Act of 1873, reviving a criminalization regime Roe had held in abeyance. But questions have arisen about the constitutionality of reviving regulations that were created at a time when women and people of color were not viewed as equal members of the polity. Reproductive justice advocates have argued that the revival of this regime violates equal protection law, and that even if due process no longer protects reproductive rights, equal protection often does.

This paper examines growing efforts to enable the revival of old regulatory regimes by extending the Court’s new “history and tradition” doctrine (which replaced traditional due process doctrine in Dobbs) to equal protection as well. “History and tradition” doctrine gauges a law’s constitutionality by asking whether the law would have been considered constitutional in 1791 or 1868. This approach sidelines concerns about equality, public health, and social wellbeing—and courts are adopting it not only in the context of reproductive rights, but in the context of guns as well. This new approach subverts 50 years of equality law, aggrandizes judicial power, and buries the value judgments that continue to influence major constitutional battles over guns and abortion.

Cary Franklin is a Professor of Law at UCLA School of Law. She is also the McDonald/Wright Chair of Law, Faculty Director of the Center on Reproductive Health, Law, and Policy, and Faculty Director of the Williams Institute. Her research focuses on the historical development of conceptions of equality in American law and how this history influences the shape of contemporary legal protections in the contexts of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and race. She has published extensively in major law reviews. Her article “The Anti-Stereotyping Principle in Constitutional Sex Discrimination Law” (New York University Law Review, 2010), was awarded the Kathryn T. Preyer Prize by the American Society for Legal History. Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA, she was the W.H. Francis, Jr. Professor of Law at the University of Texas. She received a J.D. from Yale Law School, a Ph.D. in English from the University of Oxford, and a B.A. in English and History from Yale University.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2024/11/18/78352/

All Texas Law alumni in the Chicago area are welcome. More details to come.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2024/11/18/79297/

Coffee Hosted by the Animal Law Student Organization and Sponsored by ALDF

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2024/11/19/79264/

Join the Justice Center's Student Advisory Board as we begin our monthly Public Interest Office Hours! These sessions are aimed at providing peer support for students who want to learn more about public interest lawyering. This month, members of the Student Advisory Board will be available to answer any questions students have about internships, classes, and more. If you're a 1L who is not sure where to begin on your public interest journey, this is also for you! Your Student Advisory Board is here to support you in forging that path. Stop by the Jamail Pavilion on Tuesday, October 29 from 12-1PM for conversation, coffee, and kolaches!

Please save the dates for our future Public Interest Office Hours, Dec. 19 (virtual), Jan. 14, and Feb. 11.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2024/11/19/79920/

Texas Law Alumni in New York!

The New York Regional Committee is excited to invite you to a pre-game happy hour as we gear up for the Syracuse vs. Texas men’s basketball game at Barclays Center. Whether you’re reconnecting with old classmates or meeting fellow Texas Law alumni for the first time, it’s a great chance to grab a drink, expand your network, and enjoy some Longhorn spirit.

Bring a guest and share this page to invite your fellow Texas Law alums in the NYC area to join the fun! Hosted at Morgan's Brooklyn Barbecue, November 21st, 5-7pm EDT.

Questions? Please contact us at events@law.utexas.edu.

Texas Law is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible event. Please contact events@law.utexas.edu if you need a reasonable accommodation. All requests must be made by November 19.

Full event information: https://law.utexas.edu/calendar/2024/11/21/79855/