Mission & Vision
The State Democracy Research Initiative seeks to advance research and dialogue on state-level democracy, government institutions, and public law across the nation. By focusing on the states, which traditionally receive less attention than the federal government in legal circles, the Initiative serves as a much-needed resource for academics, courts, policymakers, advocates, and the public.
Featured Updates
Pennsylvania Supreme Court – BPEP v. Schmidt Amicus Brief Filed
BPEP v. Schmidt – Amicus Brief, Pennsylvania Supreme Court On September 4, the State Democracy Research Initiative submitted an amicus brief in BPEP v. Schmidt, a case pending before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. The …
September 5, 2024Call for Papers: Federalism Scholarship Roundtable
August 23, 2024 The University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative (SDRI) is pleased to announce a Federalism Scholarship Roundtable, to be held on April 25, 2025. The Roundtable will be co-hosted by …
August 23, 2024Work With Us! SDRI is Seeking 2025 Fellowship Applicants.
About SDRI The State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School (SDRI) is a leading source of cutting-edge research and expertise on state-level democracy, state constitutions, and state government institutions—subjects too often …
August 22, 2024Spotlight on Democracy: The Michigan Supreme Court’s 2023-2024 Term
By Derek Clinger, Senior Staff Attorney* PDF Available Here The Michigan Supreme Court finished its 2023-2024 term in July, wrapping up a year in which the court decided several cases that will likely leave lasting …
August 13, 2024
Events
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Sep20
Book Talk: Sedition: How America's Constitutional Order Emerged From Violent Crisis, By Marcus Gadson @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Lubar Commons, UW Law School
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Sep27
Panel Discussion: Housing Rights and State Constitutions @ 3:00 pm - 4:15 pm
Recent Events
Meet the Faculty Directors
Miriam Seifter, Faculty Co‑Director
Miriam Seifter is a Professor of Law and Rowe Faculty Fellow in Regulatory Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Her recent work examines state constitutional and administrative law, with a focus on challenges facing democracy at the state level. She teaches state and local government law, administrative law, and property law and is a co-founder of the State and Local Government Law Blog.
For more, see Miriam’s full bio and her publications, or follow Miriam on Twitter: @MiriamSeifter.
Robert Yablon, Faculty Co‑Director
Robert Yablon is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin Law School. His recent work explores questions in political and election law, with attention to redistricting and campaign finance. He teaches civil procedure, federal jurisdiction, and the law of democracy and is an affiliate of the Elections Research Center.
For more, see Robert’s full bio and his publications, or follow Robert on Twitter: @RobYablon.