Associate Dean Amar Comments on U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Juror Sexual Orientation Case

Vikram Amar, Associate Dean and Professor of Law at UC Davis School of Law, commented for media including the San Jose Mercury News and public radio station KQED on a U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit case concerning whether individuals can be excluded from juries on the basis of their sexual orientation. The case, Abbott v. SmithKline, is considered as a potential indicator of the direction courts around the country may take in coming years with regard to legal protections based on sexual orientation.

In an interview with KQED, Amar said that the case is important in part because "being able to serve on a jury in the United States has always been perceived as being a part of full citizenship."  Although the case "is not the most significant constitutional issue percolating in the courts," the case "does have tremendous symbolic significance because of its tie to full and equal citizenship."

Vikram Amar, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law with the UC Davis School of Law, is a national authority in the fields of constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, and remedies. His biweekly column for Justia.com, a leading provider of online legal information, centers on his expertise in constitutional law.

KQED

San Jose Mercury News

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