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.
3,431 Articles
The Government’s Unexplained Reversal on Social Media Disclosure Requirements
Social media disclosure requirements implicate fundamental First Amendment rights, and the public has a right to know why they were implemented.
The Trump Administration’s Use of State Power Against Media: Keeping Track of the Big Picture
Tracking the use of State power requires systematically identifying linkages between individual developments and broader trends. This interactive graphic offers one method.
The Court That Removed Its Own Prosecutor
After the vote to remove Karim Khan, it is urgent that the ICC appoint a new Chief Prosecutor whose ethical compass is beyond reproach.
No Warrant, No Problem: Administrative Subpoena Powers and an Outdated Fourth Amendment Doctrine
Numerous federal agencies possess statutory authority to obtain a wide range of sensitive information without advance judicial approval or probable cause of illegal activity.
Test, Standardize, Restrict: A U.S. Policy for Chinese AI Models
Neither banning Chinese advanced AI models nor ignoring their risks to national security will serve American interests.
Four Things State and Local Prosecutors Can Do to Combat Federal Corruption
State attorneys general and local district attorneys can take action to uphold the rule of law in the face of unlawful federal actions.
Iran’s Conditions for Reopening Hormuz: What International Law Requires, Permits, and Forbids
Expert analysis of how Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz fit within the strictures of international law.
Congress Needs a Select Committee That Focuses on Trump Family Corruption
Trump's family is profiting spectacularly from proximity to power, providing an opening for a select committee to investigate, modeled after the 1975 Church Committee.
“In Focus” Syllabus Supplements: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, and Operation Absolute Resolve (2025–2026)
This syllabus supplement offers curated articles intended to be combined with traditional casebooks in a law school or other higher education classroom.
“In Focus” Syllabus Supplements: ICE and CBP Operations in Minnesota and Other States (2025–2026)
This syllabus supplement offers curated articles intended to be combined with traditional casebooks in a law or higher ed classroom.
“When the Guardrails Erode” Series
Bringing together expert analysis that traces this erosion, assesses the risks for democratic governance, and outlines pathways to rebuild or even reinvent these safeguards.
Free Speech, Immigration Law, and Truth Telling at UCLA Law’s Recent Federalist Society Event
An immigration expert considers questions that might have been asked at DHS General Counsel Percival's UCLA Law Federalist Society event.