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Noah Feldman
For Noah Feldman's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected Colorado's attempt to keep Donald Trump off the ballot with an obscure and almost discarded provision that could have determined the outcome of the presidential election.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 5, 2024
Supreme Court buries the fantasy of keeping Trump off the ballot
An obscure, almost discarded provision of the U.S. Constitution shouldn’t have the potential to determine the outcome of a presidential election.
The Supreme Court decision on whether Donald Trump should be immune from prosecution for crimes committed while in office will likely come in late June, and his trial will start even later.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 3, 2024
The Supreme Court isn’t slow-walking Trump’s immunity case
The delay in the trial of former president Trump on his role in the Jan. 6 attack isn't the Supreme Court's fault, but rather the prosecution's.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a campaign event in Waterloo, Iowa, on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 22, 2023
U.S. Supreme Court unlikely to uphold Colorado ruling disqualifying Trump
The U.S. Supreme Court could overturn the Colorado courts decision, including challenging the state court's authority to keep Trump off the ballot.
Harvard University President Claudine Gay testifies before a United States House of Representatives hearing on antisemitism in American campuses on Dec. 5.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 18, 2023
U.S. campus antisemitism debate muddles nuances of free speech
The debate on antisemitism in U.S. campuses doesn’t lend itself to easy answers. What is free speech and what harmful conduct is down to context.
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy delivers remarks Tuesday during a press briefing outside his office on Capitol Hill in which he announces an impeachment inquiry into U.S. President Joe Biden with regard to his role in the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden.
COMMENTARY
Sep 15, 2023
Republican impeachment inquiry marks low point in U.S. history
If any president can be impeached without reason, it is likely that every president will be impeached so long as the opposing party controls the House.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 30, 2023
Affirmative action is radical U.S. Supreme Court's latest casualty
With U.S. Supreme Court"s affirmative action ruling, another long-held legal precedent has been overturned and another long-standing conservative goal achieved.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 13, 2023
With Trump's federal prosecution, timing is everything
Much hinges on whether former U.S. President Trump, and the current Republican front-runner, is tried and convicted before or after his election.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 20, 2022
Jan. 6 committee is right to defend the rule of law
It would have been a dereliction of the U.S. Congressu2019s duty to ignore an attempted insurrection.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 10, 2022
Three major takeaways from the FBI raid on Trump’s home
Donu2019t assume that executing a search warrant means the federal government will prosecute Donald Trump. Getting a conviction would seem to be very tricky.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 1, 2022
U.S. Supreme Court has taken control of climate policy
The top court's EPA decision upends precedent and, in effect, embraces a new doctrine of law.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 26, 2022
Ending Roe is institutional suicide for U.S. Supreme Court
Dobbs will go down as one of the worst decisions in the courtu2019s history after reversing rights on which the whole country has relied for half a century.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 2, 2021
Roe v. Wade in jeopardy if current arguments before top court are anything to go by
The court could hold that, properly interpreted, Roe allows states to restrict abortion at some point u2014 so long as they allow women "enough timeu201d to end their pregnancies.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 29, 2021
Florida’s new social media law violates the first amendment
The key provision of the Florida law states that "a social media platform may not willfully deplatform a candidate for officeu201d u2014 and imposes a $250,000 per day fine for violations.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 22, 2021
Psychedelic drugs will follow pot’s path to legalization
What distinguishes the movement to legalize psychedelics is that it is substantially more elite than the movement surrounding pot, a drug that crosses economic and cultural lines.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 26, 2021
The myth of America’s Anglo-Saxon political traditions
Americau2019s founding fathers were well aware of the Saxon theory u2014 Thomas Jefferson studied the subject u2014 but they didnu2019t emphasize it publicly.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 22, 2021
It's too soon to call the Derek Chauvin verdict a turning point
The jury was not asked to determine whether racism was behind the incident. It was asked to only to determine whether Chauvin knowingly caused Floydu2019s death.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 8, 2021
Who is a Jew? Israel’s Supreme Court expands the answer
The case before the Supreme Court involved the vexed question of the meaning of the word "converted:u201d Which conversions count as qualifying a person for citizenship under the law?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 20, 2020
Did Trump’s impeachment matter in the end?
Itu2019s easy to conclude that, without the pandemic, Trump would have won. And if thatu2019s correct, it would seem that the impeachment would not have made any difference.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 24, 2020
A new justice wouldn't guarantee a pro-Trump election verdict
For liberal court watchers, the situation is dire. But it is not yet time to write off the Supreme Court.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 22, 2020
Sedition laws are the last resort of weak governments
It's highly unlikely anyone will be prosecuted for sedition by the DOJ, but the harm to the independence of the U.S. criminal justice system has already been done.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world