Commentary and Opinion

July 14, 2026

New Ohio Law Establishes Warrant Requirements For Police Drone Searches

Ohio has enacted a new law governing the use of drones by law enforcement, reflecting the growing effort by legislatures to adapt Fourth Amendment principles to rapidly evolving surveillance technologies. Signed by Governor Mike DeWine, House Bill 251 establishes that, in most situations, police officers must obtain a search warrant before using a drone to conduct a search when a warrant would also have been required had officers entered the location in person.

The legislation recognizes that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly valuable investigative tools while also raising significant privacy concerns. Until now, Ohio law addressed some warrant requirements for surveillance conducted from manned aircraft but did not specifically regulate drones. House Bill 251 fills that gap by extending traditional constitutional search principles to unmanned aerial surveillance.

Principal Provisions

July 7, 2026

The Pope vs. the President: Two Visions of Capital Punishment

by David Badertscher

Introduction

Few issues illustrate the continuing moral and legal debate over capital punishment more clearly than the sharply contrasting positions of Pope Leo XIV and Donald Trump. One approaches the death penalty primarily as a question of the inherent dignity of every human person; the other views it principally as an essential instrument of justice, punishment, and public safety.

This difference is not merely theological or political. It reflects two fundamentally different understandings of criminal justice, the purposes of punishment, and the role of government in responding to the most serious crimes.

July 6, 2026

Understanding World Models: An Emerging Direction in Artificial Intelligence and Its Potential Significance for Legal Research

by David Badertscher

David G. Badertscher

“Every generation of legal researchers inherits new tools. Their enduring responsibility is to learn how to use them wisely.”

Introduction

June 18, 2026

Estate Planning in New Jersey: A Discussion Guide

by David Badertscher

Introduction

This discussion guide provides a practical, non-technical introduction to estate planning in New Jersey, including wills, probate, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, trusts, and digital estate planning. Developed from a discussion I recently moderated, the guide is designed to encourage informed conversation and thoughtful planning rather than provide legal advice. Whether you are just beginning to think about estate planning or reviewing an existing plan, this overview offers useful questions, key concepts, and resources to help you better understand the issues involved and identify topics that may warrant professional guidance. Estate planning remains one of the most important gifts we can leave to those we care about. Estate planning is the process of deciding how your property, finances, healthcare decisions, and personal wishes will be handled during your lifetime and after your death. It is not just for wealthy individuals. Anyone who owns property, has savings, maintains retirement accounts, or wishes to provide guidance to family members can benefit from having an estate plan.

Key Questions to Consider

June 14, 2026

Understanding Budget Reconciliation: How Congress Fast Tracks Major Fiscal Legislation

by David Badertscher

Budget reconciliation is a special congressional procedure created by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that allows Congress to consider legislation affecting federal spending, revenues (taxes), and the debt limit under expedited procedures. Most notably, reconciliation bills can pass the Senate with a simple majority vote rather than the 60 votes normally needed to overcome a filibuster. As a result, reconciliation has become one of the most important tools for enacting major fiscal policy changes. The following is an overview of the congressional budget reconciliation process and a discussion of its importance to librarians, researchers, and the general public.

What Is Reconciliation?

Reconciliation is designed to align existing laws with the fiscal goals established in a congressional budget resolution. It can be used to:

June 12, 2026

Overview of Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains are (Again) Flowing to the Top

by David Badertscher

Source: Mohamed Obaidy, Associate Director, Economic Policy Team, Center for New York City Affairs (CNYCA), Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains Are (Again) Flowing to the Top (2026).

Introduction

In Income Polarization Redux: NYC’s Wage Gains Are (Again) Flowing to the Top, Mohamed Obaidy examines recent wage, employment, and productivity trends in New York City and concludes that economic gains are becoming increasingly concentrated among higher-income workers and higher-paying industries. While New York City’s economy continues to grow and workers are becoming more productive, the benefits of that growth are not being distributed evenly across the workforce.

June 9, 2026

Upcoming Presentations by Staff and Affiliates of CBO’s Health Analysis Division

by David Badertscher

From: Congressional Budget Office (CBO), June 8, 2026.

By Chapin White, CBO’s Director of Health Analysis.

This week, several of my colleagues in the Congressional Budget Office’s Health Analysis Division are participating in sessions at the 15th Annual Conference of the American Society of Health Economists (ASHEcon) in Minneapolis. The sessions are part of CBO’s ongoing efforts to engage with the broader research community. Such engagement improves the quality of CBO’s analysis and makes the agency’s methods and findings more transparent and available. CBO looks forward to discussion and feedback on the following topics.

June 9, 2026

The DOJ Weaponization Working Group: Mission, Objectives, and the Debate Within the Criminal Bar

by David Badertscher

Can a government investigate allegations of politically motivated law enforcement without creating new concerns about political influence over the justice system? That question lies at the center of the debate surrounding the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group. This article explores the origins and objectives of the Working Group, summarizes its stated mission, and reviews the differing reactions it has generated within the criminal defense community. In doing so, it seeks to highlight the broader constitutional and institutional questions raised whenever government examines the exercise of its own prosecutorial power.

In February 2025, Pam Bondi, soon after being sworn in as Attorney General of the U.S Department of Justice , signed a memorandum creating the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group, a special initiative charged with examining allegations that federal law enforcement and prosecutorial powers may have been used for political purposes. The establishment of the DOJ Working Group followed President Donald Trump’s more broadly based Executive Order 14147 entitled Ending the Weaponization of the Federal Government, which directed federal agencies to review actions allegedly taken against individuals or groups based upon political considerations.

To clarify:

May 25, 2026

When Leaders Become Saviors: The Rise of Messianic Leadership in Authoritarian Systems

by David Badertscher

Introduction

The purpose of this essay is not to criticize leadership itself. Every society requires leaders. Effective leadership can inspire, unify, and guide communities through difficult circumstances. Rather, the focus here is on a recurring historical phenomenon: the tendency of some societies to elevate leaders into figures of redemption and the tendency of some leaders to embrace that role.

Temptation of Political Salvation

May 20, 2026

Debt Without End? Examining America’s Long Term Fiscal Challenges

by David Badertscher

Few issues in American public life generate more political rhetoric, and less public consensus, than the growth of the national debt. Democrats and Republicans alike frequently accuse one another of fiscal irresponsibility, while voters struggle to determine which party has actually contributed more to the nation’s long-term debt burden.

Two recent sources help illuminate this debate from different perspectives: an article distributed by The Epoch Times and an analytical report published by Investopedia titled “Democrats vs. Republicans: Who Had More National Debt?” Together, these sources underscore both the political complexity and the historical nuance surrounding America’s growing fiscal challenges.

According to Investopedia, the United States national debt exceeded $38 trillion in 2025–2026, continuing a decades-long pattern of expansion under administrations of both political parties. The article notes that, when adjusted for inflation and measured per presidential term since 1913, Republican presidents have added slightly more debt on average than Democratic presidents: approximately $1.4 trillion per term versus $1.2 trillion for Democrats. However, Democratic presidents collectively added more total debt overall because Democrats occupied the White House for more years during the period studied.