"The right to work for a living in the common occupations of the community is of the very essence of the personal freedom and opportunity that the Constitution was designed to protect."

Wrote the federal judge who struck down Utah's requirement that you need a cosmetology license to work as a hair braider. This is a shar...

A lawsuit challenging Utah's anti-polygamy law, premised on Lawrence v. Texas.

To be filed by Kody Brown, the husband of 4 wives (who starred in the reality show "Sister Wives"): The lawsuit is not demanding t...

"I would like the firing squad, please."

In Utah, one has a choice of execution method. If you faced unavoidable execution and had a choice of lethal injection or firing squad, what...

Another religious monument case for the Supreme Court — this time it's the Seven Aphorisms of Summum.

SCOTUSblog reports: The newly granted case on monuments on public property — Pleasant Grove City v. Summum (06-665) — will return the Court ...

"When you say Wisconsin, people most often think of the Green Bay Packers, cheeseheads, beer and cold weather."

Does Wisconsin need rebranding? Apparently, the Wisconsin "brand" ranks 37th among states. States that rank higher: Kansas, Rhode...

What does Mickey Kaus have against "This American Life"?

When I was driving home from Austin two Saturdays ago, I listened to a lot of talk radio. I especially enjoyed the hours when "This Ame...

A warrantless search based on the smell of marijuana?

Well, it ≈ imminent destruction of evidence. The Utah Supreme Court said no. IN THE COMMENTS: Sippican sez "Dave's not here." ...

"If people shine light on our religion, they will find some strange things, they will find some unsavory things..."

"... and they will find some wonderful things." Mormons contemplate the scrutiny and criticism they will face if Mitt Romney runs...

"Consciously taking tactics from the gay-rights movement, polygamists have reframed their struggle..."

They speak in terms of freedom and individual choice -- not religion. Good move, considering the audience they are most likely to persuade...

Don't call them "conspiracy theorists." Call them "truth activists."

The SF Chronicle has a long article on the 9/11 conspiracy theorists that goes into some general discussion of the conspiracy mentality. Wh...

Arches.

I was just having coffee with a friend yesterday, talking about my recently completed road trip, and she said, "I thought there would b...

Reaching Utah.

I drove what seemed like all day. But it was only half as much as yesterday. Big mushroom-shaped thunderstorms loomed in the expanse of des...

1000 miles.

I drove today, getting the boring part of the drive behind me. I'm really too fried to write a blog post, but what is this blogging ente...

Some hipness and squareness about John Roberts.

Hey! I spot my name in today's NYT in an article by Linda Greenhouse called "His Hipness, John G. Roberts." Let's see: WR...

"An officer is not like a boxing (or hockey) referee, poised to stop a bout only if it becomes too one-sided."

Wrote Chief Justice John Roberts , in an opinion just handed down today: Justices said four Brigham City, Utah, police officers were justifi...

The Utah Supreme Court applies the state bigamy statute to "spiritual marriages."

The Utah Supreme Court upheld a bigamy conviction under the state statute that defines bigamy as occuring when a person "knowing he ha...

Alito answers.

Let's take a look at the NYT coverage of Day 2 of the Alito hearings. The two Adams -- Liptak and Nagourney -- have this to say: If Sena...

Post-Miers, a long, unpredictable political game.

The post-Miers battle brews : As he picks another nominee - Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Ci...

Traveling through western landscapes.

Tonya has pictures from her rafting trip on the San Juan River in Utah -- including petroglyphs and Anasazi ruins. And I quote this though ...

What really sets us apart from the apes.

"Have you ever looked at an ape?" Dr. Bramble said. "They have no buns." Dr. Dennis M. Bramble of the University of Utah...