Kat Macfarlane
@katmacfarlane.bsky.social
Law prof interested in civil rights, disability, and procedure. At war with my immune system. I have the best dog. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=2115906
Pinned
Higher Education's Accommodations Mistake
<p><span>A university may deny a disabled student’s reasonable accommodation request if it decides that the accommodation would fundamentally alter its academic
papers.ssrn.com
Higher Education’s Accommodations Mistake is forthcoming in the Georgetown LJ. It argues that the fundamental alteration defense is misapplied in higher ed and that Guckenberger & Wynne were wrongly decided, resulting in decades of unjustified accommodation denials. papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....
Today @brooklynlawschool.bsky.social’s Anna Roberts gave a fantastic presentation about the fed criminal rulemaking and amendment process. I was inspired. Rules!
November 10, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Today @brooklynlawschool.bsky.social’s Anna Roberts gave a fantastic presentation about the fed criminal rulemaking and amendment process. I was inspired. Rules!
Ten years ago, one of my students had an ‘I ❤️ Civil Rights’ mug made up for everyone in the class, including me. It was my first time teaching the class, I was but a wee teaching fellow, and I loved those LSU students so much.
November 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Ten years ago, one of my students had an ‘I ❤️ Civil Rights’ mug made up for everyone in the class, including me. It was my first time teaching the class, I was but a wee teaching fellow, and I loved those LSU students so much.
Great explainer from @stevevladeck.bsky.social about Justice Jackson’s recent strategy (a write-up that will help when my students ask what is going on). 28 U.S.C. 42 in action.
190. SNAP WTF?
A very quick explainer on why Justice Jackson issued an "administrative stay" in the SNAP case late on Friday night, and on what's likely to happen next
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Great explainer from @stevevladeck.bsky.social about Justice Jackson’s recent strategy (a write-up that will help when my students ask what is going on). 28 U.S.C. 42 in action.
So far, am enjoying ‘Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View’ by Edward McPherson. A book for dreamers.
Look Out by Edward McPherson: 9781662602955 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
"A charming, idiosyncratic meditation on the human urge to see further, and more, in this cultural history of the 'aerial view' . . . McPherson makes an elliptical and enchanting case for reinserting ...
www.penguinrandomhouse.com
November 9, 2025 at 10:50 PM
So far, am enjoying ‘Look Out: The Delight and Danger of Taking the Long View’ by Edward McPherson. A book for dreamers.
Excuse you, Cooper.
November 7, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Excuse you, Cooper.
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who she said was “drunk” and harassed her, calling the incident “an assault on all women.”
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum takes legal action after groping incident | CNN
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who she said was “drunk” and harassed her on Tuesday, calling the incident “an assault on all women.”
www.cnn.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is pressing charges against a man who she said was “drunk” and harassed her, calling the incident “an assault on all women.”
I loved this book! Highly recommend, feels like vintage McEwan mixed with Station Eleven world-building.
Ian McEwan’s Latest Is the Best Novel He’s Written in Ages
www.nytimes.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
I loved this book! Highly recommend, feels like vintage McEwan mixed with Station Eleven world-building.
Congratulations @dtraficonte.bsky.social!!!
Excited that my new article is now out in the @yalelawjournal.bsky.social! The article takes a look at intramural research (R&D funded and performed by the government) from an innovation law perspective: yalelawjournal.org/article/gove...
Government Research | Yale Law Journal
Previous scholarship has analyzed a host of innovation institutions––including patents, prizes, and grants––but has overlooked government-conducted...
yalelawjournal.org
November 6, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Congratulations @dtraficonte.bsky.social!!!
The Law School Survey of Student Engagement released its 2025 report, Disability in Law School. Among many helpful findings: 1/5 students report having a disability. This serves as an important counter to what NALP has found (1-2% in offices/firms). Well done, @meeradeo.bsky.social!
lssse.indiana.edu
November 6, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The Law School Survey of Student Engagement released its 2025 report, Disability in Law School. Among many helpful findings: 1/5 students report having a disability. This serves as an important counter to what NALP has found (1-2% in offices/firms). Well done, @meeradeo.bsky.social!
Such a privilege to meet and learn from Cornell’s Professor Jessica Eaglin today @syracuselaw.bsky.social.
November 5, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Such a privilege to meet and learn from Cornell’s Professor Jessica Eaglin today @syracuselaw.bsky.social.
Self-Accommodation, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers...., is now published! It's part of a wonderful University of California Health Humanities Press collection, “Legal Determinants of Health: From Incarceration to Accessibility,” edited by Brian Dolan and Juliet McMullin.
Self-Accommodation
The reasonable accommodation mandate was intended to ensure access for people with disabilities. Yet some people with disabilities who are eligible for and in n
papers.ssrn.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Self-Accommodation, papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers...., is now published! It's part of a wonderful University of California Health Humanities Press collection, “Legal Determinants of Health: From Incarceration to Accessibility,” edited by Brian Dolan and Juliet McMullin.
Access aisles (the diagonally-striped spaces) are a key aspect of accessible, safe parking for disabled drivers and passengers. Please not block them, especially at polling locations. More here:
Accessible Parking Spaces
The ADA requires businesses, non-profits, and state/local governments to provide parking spaces accessible to people with disabilities.
www.ada.gov
November 4, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Access aisles (the diagonally-striped spaces) are a key aspect of accessible, safe parking for disabled drivers and passengers. Please not block them, especially at polling locations. More here:
Very proud of our @syracuselaw.bsky.social 2L Sean Carr who ran the NYC marathon in 2:38 (!!!) this weekend.
November 4, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Very proud of our @syracuselaw.bsky.social 2L Sean Carr who ran the NYC marathon in 2:38 (!!!) this weekend.
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
A case I litigated in the Court of Appeals is at SCOTUS today: I think it’s fascinating.
Assume a plaintiff sues a Texas and non-Texas entity. The defendants remove to federal court. The district judge keeps the case on improper joinder grounds: the Texas entity shouldn’t have been sued. /1
Assume a plaintiff sues a Texas and non-Texas entity. The defendants remove to federal court. The district judge keeps the case on improper joinder grounds: the Texas entity shouldn’t have been sued. /1
November 4, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A case I litigated in the Court of Appeals is at SCOTUS today: I think it’s fascinating.
Assume a plaintiff sues a Texas and non-Texas entity. The defendants remove to federal court. The district judge keeps the case on improper joinder grounds: the Texas entity shouldn’t have been sued. /1
Assume a plaintiff sues a Texas and non-Texas entity. The defendants remove to federal court. The district judge keeps the case on improper joinder grounds: the Texas entity shouldn’t have been sued. /1
Every time this happens I worry about disabled voters’ ability to navigate their way to new or limited locations with so little notice.
NEW: 12 Mississippi polling places have moved and 4 have been closed ahead of the Nov. 4 legislative special elections, an MFP investigation finds.
Counties also have incorrect addresses in the state system for 11 polling places, risking sending some voters to the wrong location.
Counties also have incorrect addresses in the state system for 11 polling places, risking sending some voters to the wrong location.
12 Polling Places Move Before Mississippi Special Elections, 4 Close
County election officials in Mississippi have moved 12 polling places and closed four since 2024, an MFP investigation finds.
www.mississippifreepress.org
November 3, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Every time this happens I worry about disabled voters’ ability to navigate their way to new or limited locations with so little notice.
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals— the state's highest court for criminal cases—rules that drug detection dog's unprompted entry of his nose into suspect's car through open window was a Fourth Amendment search.
search.txcourts.gov/SearchMedia....
search.txcourts.gov/SearchMedia....
November 2, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals— the state's highest court for criminal cases—rules that drug detection dog's unprompted entry of his nose into suspect's car through open window was a Fourth Amendment search.
search.txcourts.gov/SearchMedia....
search.txcourts.gov/SearchMedia....
@taxlawprof.bsky.social’s work in this area is fascinating.
The digital resurrection interview that I did with BBC Northern Ireland starts at 42:00:
www.bbc.com/audio/play/p...
www.bbc.com/audio/play/p...
November 2, 2025 at 1:39 PM
@taxlawprof.bsky.social’s work in this area is fascinating.
Amazing Chelsea galleries thank you @dorfmandoron.bsky.social for a beautiful afternoon/evening!
November 1, 2025 at 11:54 PM
Amazing Chelsea galleries thank you @dorfmandoron.bsky.social for a beautiful afternoon/evening!
On behalf of the marathon runners I checked out the last 1/4 mile and it looks good.
November 1, 2025 at 5:14 PM
On behalf of the marathon runners I checked out the last 1/4 mile and it looks good.
Fiorello deserved better than this statue
November 1, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Fiorello deserved better than this statue
The city that never disappoints ❤️
October 31, 2025 at 9:24 PM
The city that never disappoints ❤️
Infusion Thursday. Have gotten into a nice rhythm with a very experienced nurse who doesn’t give up on my kinda crappy veins. Today she told me all about her vacay through Southern Italy—super adventurous. Because life doesn’t stop for RA, I squeezed in a hair appt before this appt.
October 31, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Infusion Thursday. Have gotten into a nice rhythm with a very experienced nurse who doesn’t give up on my kinda crappy veins. Today she told me all about her vacay through Southern Italy—super adventurous. Because life doesn’t stop for RA, I squeezed in a hair appt before this appt.
Jim Obergefell gave a wonderful talk at Syracuse this evening. So important that we hear the story of litigation from the client perspective.
October 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
Jim Obergefell gave a wonderful talk at Syracuse this evening. So important that we hear the story of litigation from the client perspective.
A lot of the damage that happens during the early yrs of RA is irreversible.
Interesting info here about why it may be worth it to start a biologic and skip over the conventional DMARDs during the early days of an RA diagnosis (and how cost so often drives the clinical decision).
Interesting info here about why it may be worth it to start a biologic and skip over the conventional DMARDs during the early days of an RA diagnosis (and how cost so often drives the clinical decision).
Difficult-to-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis: Is Prevention Feasible?
Studies suggest strategies that may help
www.medpagetoday.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:51 PM
A lot of the damage that happens during the early yrs of RA is irreversible.
Interesting info here about why it may be worth it to start a biologic and skip over the conventional DMARDs during the early days of an RA diagnosis (and how cost so often drives the clinical decision).
Interesting info here about why it may be worth it to start a biologic and skip over the conventional DMARDs during the early days of an RA diagnosis (and how cost so often drives the clinical decision).
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
I am thinking of the people of Jamaica, and the many New Yorkers with loved ones there, as Hurricane Melissa — fueled by a warming ocean — grows into the strongest storm ever to bear down upon the island.
As the Atlantic Ocean warms, climate change is fueling Hurricane Melissa's ferocity
Hurricane Melissa has rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm due to warming oceans linked to climate change.
apnews.com
October 27, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I am thinking of the people of Jamaica, and the many New Yorkers with loved ones there, as Hurricane Melissa — fueled by a warming ocean — grows into the strongest storm ever to bear down upon the island.