Virtually all lawyers and judges admitted to practice anywhere in the USA can obtain CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit after listening to this episode by visiting podcast.njsba.com.  You do not have to be a New Jersey lawyer or resident or admitted to the NJ Bar; essentially every state has reciprocity arrangements with New Jersey.  When you visit the site you fill out a form and provide the code Andy read during the episode, pay a small fee, and within two weeks you will receive the certificate from New Jersey.  It couldn’t be easier.  Thanks to the New Jersey Bar Association for making this possible!  Note, too, that other podcast episodes from our “back catalog” now qualify for this credit as well.

This early law passed by Congress and signed by George Washington illustrates important principles of local control of militias, and the idea that the militia embodies a lesser threat to liberty than a standing army in part because it is required to consist of the closest forces that can be mustered against rebellion or other dangers. It later sunset, and was superseded by later laws.

The statute that superseded the Militia Act of 1792.

The unfortunately named “Dick Act” supersedes certain aspects of the earlier Militia Acts, demonstrating how the founding principles evolve or adapt a bit to later changes in scale and technology.

Landmark Supreme Court case on protective power.