Judicial Independence, Political Pressure, and the Rule of Law Presented by the Hon. William Wagner (Ret.), WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Michigan State University College of Law — Federalist Society Debate - October 21, 2026 I. INTRODUCTION: THE QUESTION BEHIND THE QUESTION Good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here at Michigan State University College of Law. I am grateful to the Federalist Society for inviting us to consider a question that reaches the v

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Honorable William Wagner (Ret.), Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law and Distinguished Chair of the Wagner Faith & Freedom Center at Spring Arbor University, participated in a Federalist Society debate at Michigan State University College of Law examining judicial independence, political pressure, and the rule of law. The debate addressed whether America's judiciary remains genuinely independent of political influence and whether p

A Commentary on the Citizenship Clause Few constitutional questions are more fundamental than this: Who does the Constitution recognize as a member of the American political community? That question lies at the heart of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Trump v. Barbara. Although much of the public discussion focused on immigration policy and border security, the Court confronted a far more lasting constitutional question. Beyond whether current immigration laws are wise

The Supreme Court’s decision today in Cisco Systems v. Doe may not generate the public attention given to other high profile cases, but it represents an important reaffirmation of constitutional government. At its core, the case is not primarily about China, persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, or even international human rights litigation. Rather, it concerns a more fundamental question. Who possesses authority to create legal causes of action in our constitutional repu