Christopher Kutz

Local butcher shop hangs animal-rights sign under duress to stop protests

Christopher Kutz quoted by Berkeleyside, Aug. 2, 2017

“Is it extortion? Morally, of course, if you think this is pressure that shouldn’t be brought to bear,” said Christopher Kutz, who specializes in moral, political and legal philosophy. But “it’s not enforceable as criminal extortion,” he said. Extortion also requires a demand of money or property.

The deadly perils of traffic stops

Christopher Kutz quoted by Chicago Tribune, July 19, 2017

The rare instances when police find evidence of a crime, Kutz told me, “don’t justify the enormous social costs of widespread police interventions.” This is an extremely inefficient way of detecting drug and gun crimes.

Funding the resistance

Christopher Kutz writes for Boston Review, Feb. 3, 2017

Career civil servants, unlike political appointees, are supposed to implement the policies of a new administration, regardless of their personal political values. But the Trump administration is presenting many workers with job conditions they never imagined when they entered government service: doing their jobs may mean subverting the fundamental aims and values that brought them into public service in the first place.

Trump vowed to protect the Constitution–but law scholars say he’s already violating it

Christopher Kutz quoted by Mic, Jan. 20, 2017

They all agreed that the plan is more style than substance, given the fact that Trump will ultimately retain ownership of his company — and even joked that he will fire his sons if they do a bad job. “[The plan] is not meaningful at all,” said University of California at Berkeley School of Law Professor Christopher Kutz.

Democrats voice concerns over Trump’s attorney general selection

Christopher Kutz quoted by Fox 2 KTVU, Nov. 18, 2016

U.C. Berkeley School of Law Professor Christopher Kutz says if Sessions is confirmed, there could be a 180-degree change in the Justice Department’s position on many key issues. “The Attorney General’s views on what the law permits the President to do by way of policy and what the law requires the President to do by way of policy are crucial to policy-making across a whole range of areas,” Kutz said.

Phone makers could cut off drivers. So why don’t they?

Christopher Kutz quoted by The New York Times, Sept. 24, 2016

By not putting the technology in place, Apple has “failed in their social responsibility,” said Christopher Kutz … who specializes in the moral and legal principles of liability. “They should’ve done it, and even done it at a market risk.”

Phone makers could cut off drivers. So why don’t they?

Christopher Kutz quoted by The New York Times, Sept. 24, 2016

By not putting the technology in place, Apple has “failed in their social responsibility,” said Christopher Kutz … who specializes in the moral and legal principles of liability. “They should’ve done it, and even done it at a market risk.”