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....
Just read Leigha’s current WIP and it is SO good. She’s a beautiful writer (and person).
I will miss her here in Syracuse but my wonderful mentee Leigha Crout is off to @depaullaw.bsky.social this fall and has a wonderful career ahead of her. Good luck Leigha!
January 3, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Just read Leigha’s current WIP and it is SO good. She’s a beautiful writer (and person).
Barkety bark barking during my work call and now that the call is over completely silent and innocent-looking
January 2, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Barkety bark barking during my work call and now that the call is over completely silent and innocent-looking
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Imagining the day that Andrew Cuomo had. The glaring. The scowling. The awkward silences. Blessings to us all.
January 2, 2026 at 1:27 AM
Imagining the day that Andrew Cuomo had. The glaring. The scowling. The awkward silences. Blessings to us all.
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Start 2026 off right by checking out some of our favorite posts from the year that was.
To close out the year, our editorial staff shares some of their favorite posts from 2025.
2025 Yearly Roundup: Editors’ Picks
Edie, James, Eve, and Liz highlight some of their favorite posts from 2025.
lpeproject.org
January 1, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Start 2026 off right by checking out some of our favorite posts from the year that was.
Keeping us safe from the monsters hiding underneath the picnic table
January 1, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Keeping us safe from the monsters hiding underneath the picnic table
Heading into the new year confused but well-rested (well at least one of us).
December 31, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Heading into the new year confused but well-rested (well at least one of us).
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
As @richardre.bsky.social points out at "Divided Argument," #SCOTUS's ruling in Trump v. Illinois is ... hard to find on the Court's webpage:
blog.dividedargument.com/p/finding-tr...
Indeed, this is more than just a small inconvenience; as I've argued, it reflects deeper shadow docket pathologies:
blog.dividedargument.com/p/finding-tr...
Indeed, this is more than just a small inconvenience; as I've argued, it reflects deeper shadow docket pathologies:
2. Opinions and Orders
This week's issue offers an introduction to the two very different ways in which the Supreme Court resolves disputes, and why our attention tends to focus too much on one at the expense of the other
www.stevevladeck.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
As @richardre.bsky.social points out at "Divided Argument," #SCOTUS's ruling in Trump v. Illinois is ... hard to find on the Court's webpage:
blog.dividedargument.com/p/finding-tr...
Indeed, this is more than just a small inconvenience; as I've argued, it reflects deeper shadow docket pathologies:
blog.dividedargument.com/p/finding-tr...
Indeed, this is more than just a small inconvenience; as I've argued, it reflects deeper shadow docket pathologies:
Deer Prudence
Love me doe
Band on the run
December 27, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Deer Prudence
Band on the run
December 27, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Band on the run
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Over public dissents from Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch, #SCOTUS refuses to allow President Trump to deploy federalized National Guard troops into and around Chicago.
This is a major loss for President Trump, even if, per Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence, it’s temporary and on narrow legal Q:
This is a major loss for President Trump, even if, per Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence, it’s temporary and on narrow legal Q:
www.supremecourt.gov
December 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Over public dissents from Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch, #SCOTUS refuses to allow President Trump to deploy federalized National Guard troops into and around Chicago.
This is a major loss for President Trump, even if, per Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence, it’s temporary and on narrow legal Q:
This is a major loss for President Trump, even if, per Justice Kavanaugh’s concurrence, it’s temporary and on narrow legal Q:
Cooper-themed gifts keep coming and we are delighted
December 23, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Cooper-themed gifts keep coming and we are delighted
What an amazing gift to come home to 😂😂😂
December 19, 2025 at 6:12 AM
What an amazing gift to come home to 😂😂😂
Humbled by the knowledge and interest in the US whenever I’m in Italy. One of many reasons I’m so grateful to go back each time. Got to celebrate my Dad’s bday with him too :)
December 18, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Humbled by the knowledge and interest in the US whenever I’m in Italy. One of many reasons I’m so grateful to go back each time. Got to celebrate my Dad’s bday with him too :)
Christmastime in Rome con papà
December 12, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Christmastime in Rome con papà
Have had the pleasure of reading some really exciting new work by jr scholars in connection with @theaals.bsky.social WIP programs. Looking forward to the conference and NOLA. And Pizza Delicious.
December 11, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Have had the pleasure of reading some really exciting new work by jr scholars in connection with @theaals.bsky.social WIP programs. Looking forward to the conference and NOLA. And Pizza Delicious.
Making Calibri the standard was a universal design choice. If people need Calibri on a case-by-case basis, that process now becomes cumbersome and inefficient. Likely creates more bureaucracy (on top of the strange cruelty of it all).
Calibri font becomes the latest DEI target as Rubio orders return to Times New Roman
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomatic correspondence to stop using the Calibri font and return to the more traditional Times New Roman.
apnews.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Making Calibri the standard was a universal design choice. If people need Calibri on a case-by-case basis, that process now becomes cumbersome and inefficient. Likely creates more bureaucracy (on top of the strange cruelty of it all).
Good morning from the ultimate stink eye-giver
December 9, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Good morning from the ultimate stink eye-giver
Really appreciate this thread (and the work underlying it).
I’ll attempt to live-skeet the Trump v. Slaughter oral arguments at 10 am.
I might be considered biased b/c I filed amicus briefs in Slaughter & Cook, with particular historical interpretations.
Or I might be considered well-informed.
You can judge for yourself.
See the summary below & a thread…
I might be considered biased b/c I filed amicus briefs in Slaughter & Cook, with particular historical interpretations.
Or I might be considered well-informed.
You can judge for yourself.
See the summary below & a thread…
Helpful and concise Brennan Center preview for today’s big case on the unitary executive oral arguments (against the historical claim of an unchecked presidential removal power)
Annotated Guide to Historical Amicus Briefs in the Slaughter and Cook Removal Cases
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
Annotated Guide to Historical Amicus Briefs in the Slaughter and Cook Removal Cases
www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
December 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Really appreciate this thread (and the work underlying it).
This is my friend Carrie’s company—great gift options for the holidays.
Shop Gift Trees & Memorial Trees for Meaningful Life Moments | Little Saps
Little Saps are meaningful gift trees for life’s milestones. Our unique gifts are a perfect way to acknowledge big moments.
www.littlesaps.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:59 AM
This is my friend Carrie’s company—great gift options for the holidays.
Recommending Look Out by Edward McPherson to all my friends: ‘A charming, idiosyncratic meditation on the human urge to see further [and a] cultural history of the ‘aerial view.’’ It’s also about maps, the glory of flight, and the tragedy of directing that magic towards war. For lovers & 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
December 8, 2025 at 2:36 AM
Recommending Look Out by Edward McPherson to all my friends: ‘A charming, idiosyncratic meditation on the human urge to see further [and a] cultural history of the ‘aerial view.’’ It’s also about maps, the glory of flight, and the tragedy of directing that magic towards war. For lovers & dreamers.
Great interview with my friend Jamie, an Oakland-based artist (and amazing swimmer). He’s been making beautiful art since we were kids.
boldjourney.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Great interview with my friend Jamie, an Oakland-based artist (and amazing swimmer). He’s been making beautiful art since we were kids.
Reposted by Kat Macfarlane
Frank O. Gehry
We lost an architectural giant yesterday. Known for sculptural icons like the Bilbao Museum, he was shaped early by the art world. I always admired his “decompositionalist” phase: Aerospace Museum, Loyola Law school, Schnabel Residence, simple forms arranged into bold complexity.
We lost an architectural giant yesterday. Known for sculptural icons like the Bilbao Museum, he was shaped early by the art world. I always admired his “decompositionalist” phase: Aerospace Museum, Loyola Law school, Schnabel Residence, simple forms arranged into bold complexity.
December 6, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Frank O. Gehry
We lost an architectural giant yesterday. Known for sculptural icons like the Bilbao Museum, he was shaped early by the art world. I always admired his “decompositionalist” phase: Aerospace Museum, Loyola Law school, Schnabel Residence, simple forms arranged into bold complexity.
We lost an architectural giant yesterday. Known for sculptural icons like the Bilbao Museum, he was shaped early by the art world. I always admired his “decompositionalist” phase: Aerospace Museum, Loyola Law school, Schnabel Residence, simple forms arranged into bold complexity.