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Maddy Buck

Maddy Buck is a comics artist based in Minneapolis who specializes in illustrated explanations of tech, law, and all things complex.

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Legal Content for Teenagers?

The opportunities are endless for teen-oriented legal information. Never thought I’d find myself drawing about sexting and statutory rape, but now it has happened! I’ve been making comics for FindLaw and animating them for @FindLaw on TikTok and it has been quite fun. Who says the law has to be staid and boring?

Full Comic: Is Sexting Legal for Minors?

Illustration of two blobby characters. They are hugging each other and looking at each other lovingly. From the mind of one of them is a thought bubble that says, "I'm 18 and dating someone younger. Is it illegal to have sex?

Full comic: I'm 18 and Dating Someone Younger...

Illustration of blobby character holding a cell phone away from a hand that says "gimme gimme!" From the character is a bubble that says "Can my school take my phone?"

Full Comic: Can Teachers Take My Phone?

Illustration of four blobby characters, three of them picking on one of the others. From the victim, a thought bubble says "Is bullying illegal? What about cyberbullying?"

Full Comic: Is Bullying Legal?

Illustration of a turquoise blob character holding a cell phone. A word bubble is coming from the character, which says "Is it illegal for me to send nude images?"
tags: whimsical, teens, explainer, comics, blobs, Constitution, letsdrawlaw
Friday 10.07.22
Posted by Madeline Buck
 

What is "stare decisis"?

What is stare decisis? And what has the Supreme Court done with it?

 Illustration shows a pendulum, where the spots on the pendulum are listed as “legal, less legal, more legal very legal.”  Text of this page says, : We rely on our laws being fairly consistent, so that we can plan our lives, act accordingly. If laws

Illustration shows a pendulum, where the spots on the pendulum are listed as “legal, less legal, more legal very legal.”

Text of this page says, : We rely on our laws being fairly consistent, so that we can plan our lives, act accordingly. If laws and, crucially, our Constitutional rights, live on a pendulum, they’re not workable.

 Text says: Stare decisive is a legal concept that means “stand by things decided.” Stop sign in illustration says “STARE DECISIS, (you decided this already, stop!” Justices at the bottom of illustration are thinking “Ah yes, that’s right, we decided

Text says: Stare decisive is a legal concept that means “stand by things decided.” Stop sign in illustration says “STARE DECISIS, (you decided this already, stop!” Justices at the bottom of illustration are thinking “Ah yes, that’s right, we decided this years ago.”

 Text of this page shows an equation that says: If legal issue A = legal issue B and A is legal, or a right, or a certain interpretation, THEN, because of stare decisis, B is legal, a right or that certain interpretation (the same as A).

Text of this page shows an equation that says: If legal issue A = legal issue B and A is legal, or a right, or a certain interpretation, THEN, because of stare decisis, B is legal, a right or that certain interpretation (the same as A).

 Text of this page says: When courts answer questions about the law, they are expected to do so within the context of their past decisions. An illustration of the justices saying “In 1950, we sed red dots were legal, so these red dots must be legal t

Text of this page says: When courts answer questions about the law, they are expected to do so within the context of their past decisions. An illustration of the justices saying “In 1950, we sed red dots were legal, so these red dots must be legal too!”

The illustration shows a red dot that says “ok” on it, and underneath it says, “back then.” On the right, is another red dot, that says “today” and also “ok” on it. Because of stare decisis, they are treated the same.

 Text of this page says: Stare decisis means courts aren’t in the business of overruling themselves, except in rare circumstances when the earlier decision or view was “wrong.”   Illustration shows the stare decisis stop sign saying “Only in the RARE

Text of this page says: Stare decisis means courts aren’t in the business of overruling themselves, except in rare circumstances when the earlier decision or view was “wrong.”

Illustration shows the stare decisis stop sign saying “Only in the RAREST of circumstances, you hear me? Only in the rarest of circumstances.” Below is the Supreme Court comparing the two red dots.

 Text of this page says: The court was WRONG to say that racial segregation laws were ok, so it overruled itself.   Illustration shows big red blob that says “Separate but equal, Plessy v. Ferguson” being torn apart by a Supreme Court justice saying

Text of this page says: The court was WRONG to say that racial segregation laws were ok, so it overruled itself.

Illustration shows big red blob that says “Separate but equal, Plessy v. Ferguson” being torn apart by a Supreme Court justice saying “That was wrong.”

 Text of this page says: And the court was wrong to say that laws criminalizing sexual activity between adults of the same sex was ok, so it overruled itself.   Illustration of Supreme Court justice tearing apart a blob that refers to the case in que

Text of this page says: And the court was wrong to say that laws criminalizing sexual activity between adults of the same sex was ok, so it overruled itself.

Illustration of Supreme Court justice tearing apart a blob that refers to the case in question. Justice is saying “WRONG.”

 This page is only text and says: In the past, overruling moved us FORWARD, correcting interpretations that prolonged the inequality our country was founded on* and conflicted with the spirit of equality in our founding text and subsequent amendments

This page is only text and says: In the past, overruling moved us FORWARD, correcting interpretations that prolonged the inequality our country was founded on* and conflicted with the spirit of equality in our founding text and subsequent amendments. Is what’s “wrong” in the eye of the beholder? Sure, but…

 Text of this page says: Now, by overruling Roe v. Wade (and the case that affirmed it in 1991) and taking away a fundamental right, the court has moved us BACKWARDS, to a time where the state can interfere heavily into personal decisions about our b

Text of this page says: Now, by overruling Roe v. Wade (and the case that affirmed it in 1991) and taking away a fundamental right, the court has moved us BACKWARDS, to a time where the state can interfere heavily into personal decisions about our bodies, families, and futures.

Illustration shows Supreme Court saying, “we’ll take that back. Not yours anymore” and grabbing at a red blob, signifying a right. Woman looking angry is saying “Hey, we’ve relied on this for decades!”

 Text of this page says: Not only do we have fewer rights than we did a few months ago, but we have a court that has made it clear that stare decisis- the respect for precedent - DOES NOT MATTER - if the issue is one that at least five of the justice

Text of this page says: Not only do we have fewer rights than we did a few months ago, but we have a court that has made it clear that stare decisis- the respect for precedent - DOES NOT MATTER - if the issue is one that at least five of the justices don’t like.

Illustration shows a split Supreme Court, one of them saying “Precedent? Who cares!” And another one saying, “We are the law now!”

 Illustration shows a pendulum, where the spots on the pendulum are listed as “legal, less legal, more legal very legal.”  Text of this page says, : We rely on our laws being fairly consistent, so that we can plan our lives, act accordingly. If laws  Text says: Stare decisive is a legal concept that means “stand by things decided.” Stop sign in illustration says “STARE DECISIS, (you decided this already, stop!” Justices at the bottom of illustration are thinking “Ah yes, that’s right, we decided  Text of this page shows an equation that says: If legal issue A = legal issue B and A is legal, or a right, or a certain interpretation, THEN, because of stare decisis, B is legal, a right or that certain interpretation (the same as A).  Text of this page says: When courts answer questions about the law, they are expected to do so within the context of their past decisions. An illustration of the justices saying “In 1950, we sed red dots were legal, so these red dots must be legal t  Text of this page says: Stare decisis means courts aren’t in the business of overruling themselves, except in rare circumstances when the earlier decision or view was “wrong.”   Illustration shows the stare decisis stop sign saying “Only in the RARE  Text of this page says: The court was WRONG to say that racial segregation laws were ok, so it overruled itself.   Illustration shows big red blob that says “Separate but equal, Plessy v. Ferguson” being torn apart by a Supreme Court justice saying  Text of this page says: And the court was wrong to say that laws criminalizing sexual activity between adults of the same sex was ok, so it overruled itself.   Illustration of Supreme Court justice tearing apart a blob that refers to the case in que  This page is only text and says: In the past, overruling moved us FORWARD, correcting interpretations that prolonged the inequality our country was founded on* and conflicted with the spirit of equality in our founding text and subsequent amendments  Text of this page says: Now, by overruling Roe v. Wade (and the case that affirmed it in 1991) and taking away a fundamental right, the court has moved us BACKWARDS, to a time where the state can interfere heavily into personal decisions about our b  Text of this page says: Not only do we have fewer rights than we did a few months ago, but we have a court that has made it clear that stare decisis- the respect for precedent - DOES NOT MATTER - if the issue is one that at least five of the justice
tags: letsdraw, explainer, ReproductiveRights, SCOTUS
Friday 07.22.22
Posted by Madeline Buck
 

Quarantine Powers Comic on Graphic Medicine Site

The graphic medicine site is a collection of all things related to comics and medicine. Dr. Ian Williams coined the term, which he defines as “use of comics in medical education and patient care.” Needless to say, I’m a fan.

The site is full of information and comics or visuals related to the world of medicine. Lately, they’ve added a new section, “Covid-19 Comics,” which links to all kinds of comics that people have made in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Check it out!

Although the site is most focused on the world of medicine, they now have a teensy bit of law-related content because they’ve included my Quarantine Powers explainer comic in their list of educational Covid-19 comics!

Federal Quarantine Powers on Graphic Medicine.png

Thanks, Graphic Medicine!

tags: #letsdrawlaw, comics, explainer, Covid-19, show&tell
Saturday 05.16.20
Posted by Madeline Buck
 
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