Articles tagged as Law | Smithsonian Magazine

See the Marriage License From the Historic Loving Decision

Visitors can see the document that led to the Supreme Court case that overturned laws barring interracial marriage in the U.S. on display

September 2, 2016

If your book has a stamp like this, it's probably way overdue.

You could face a fine or even spend a night in jail for keeping books too long

September 2, 2016

Under New York law, parental rights have now become more inclusive

August 31, 2016

This marker denotes both the highest point in Finland and the border with Norway.

Norway Wants to Give Finland a Mountain

If the country succeeds, it will be the world’s best 100th-birthday gift

August 26, 2016

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine protects over 87,000 acres of land.

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument could one day become a national park

August 24, 2016

The Torrance County Prison in Estancia, New Mexico is operated by CCA, a private prison company. It will not be affected by the DOJ's new phaseout of private federal prisons.

Private facilities for federal inmates will be phased out—but state use of the practice remains

August 19, 2016

Soon, saying that Nazi death camps were Polish could earn you three years in prison

August 18, 2016

100 Years Later, the First International Treaty to Protect Birds Has Grown Wings

The U.S. and Canada celebrate the centennial of an agreement recognizing that birds see no borders

August 18, 2016

Children salute the American flag in 1915.

Cool Finds

The Rules About How to Address the U.S. Flag Came About Because No One Wanted to Look Like a Nazi

During the National Anthem, Americans are asked to put their right hands over their hearts. But why?

August 12, 2016

Under a new rule, attorneys could be fined or suspended for using derogatory language while they practice law

August 10, 2016

Irom Sharmila ended her 16-year-long fast with a lick of honey.

Irom Chanu Sharmila resisted a draconian law with her own body

August 9, 2016

The enigmatic Double Eagles are anything but trinkets

August 3, 2016

No more guessing passwords

July 22, 2016

Congress just passed a bill requiring GMO labeling, but it’s not as straightforward as you might think

July 15, 2016

The Fight for the “Right to Repair”

Manufacturers have made it increasingly difficult for individuals or independent repair people to fix electronics. A growing movement is fighting back

July 13, 2016

An astrophysicist makes the case that it might be worthwhile to revisit the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 to safeguard the practice of science on the lunar surface.

Can There Be Real Estate on the Moon?

A Harvard-Smithsonian astrophysicist thinks a legal crisis is waiting for us on the surface of the moon.

July 13, 2016

After William McDuff was killed, it took Dallas 50 years to replace him

July 12, 2016

The Department of Justice and State of Mississippi close the investigation of three civil rights workers killed by KKK members in 1964

June 23, 2016

Finally...an excuse to buy more cookie butter.

The retailer just agreed to a pricey settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency

June 21, 2016

It’s a victory for open internet activists—but will it stick?

June 14, 2016