Democracy & Rule of Law
Just Security’s expert authors provide analysis on threats and challenges to democracy and the rule of law in the United States and globally. Coverage includes analysis of the separation of powers, good governance, democratic backsliding, authoritarianism, judicial independence, freedom of the press and association, and accountability for rule of law violations.
3,333 Articles

Impeachment, Incitement and What (Nearly) Happened on January 6th
The 2018 Impeachment Handbook (Charles Black & Philip Bobbitt) has a section on "incitement." Read how directly it applies to the known facts of Trump's actions.

The Constitutional Case for Impeaching Donald Trump (Again)
We are, it seems, hurtling toward impeaching Donald J. Trump for a second time in thirteen months. It is entirely right that he should be impeached again, but in the whirl of the…

Tragedy at the Capitol: Four Questions that Demand Answers
How can the U.S. Capitol, surrounded by one of the largest concentrations of law enforcement and national security personnel in the world, be so quickly overrun?

Q&A with Steve Vladeck and Rolf Mowatt Larssen on Democracy, Insurrection, and Where We Go From Here
In the aftermath of the certification of Biden’s victory and the insurrection at the Capitol, a discussion about how institutions and norms withstood the assault and what weaknesses…

The Attack on the Capitol: Why It’s Not a Surprise
The Trump-inspired mob who launched an unprecedented siege of the Capitol is a permanent stain on American democracy. What’s worse, it was not unexpected.

Why D.C.’s Mayor Should Have Authority Over the D.C. National Guard
Congress should give the mayor of D.C. control over the D.C. National Guard, absent federalization, to prevent the president both from misusing the DCNG as his own personal army…

The Constitution’s Option for Impeachment After a President Leaves Office
Top impeachment law scholar discusses the options for the 117th Congress.

The Incapacitation of a President and the Twenty-Fifth Amendment: A Reader’s Guide
An authoritative analysis of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment on the incapacitation of a president, and how it was intended to function.

Ugandan Human Rights Lawyer Fights Charges on Eve of Presidential Election
Following a now-predictable pattern in the leadup to the polls, authorities have hastened arrests of political opponents and critics of President Museveni.

Judges Doing What Judges Do: A Unified Theory of the 2020 Election Season
Dozens of judges, from all political persuasions, uniformly rejected the extravagant claims of President Donald Trump to set aside the presidential election results, or to compel…

How New Congress Can Shine Light on Trump Era and Persisting Abuses
Three kinds of information Congress should get from Biden administration.

The Promises of FOIA in 2021: A Ready Pathway to Accountability
It's not just a matter of choice for Biden admin. Here's what the Freedom of Information Act — and pending litigation — requires the executive branch to disclose about Trump…