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Teri Kanefield

Attorney, author, and educator.

About Teri Kanefield

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Teri Kanefield is an attorney, author, and educator. She has written more than a dozen books; published more than 50 articles, essays, and stories in mainstream outlets; and filed hundreds of appellate briefs. Her legal and political analysis has appeared in The Washington Post, CNN.com, NBC, and other mainstream news outlets. A list of publications is here.

She holds a law degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s in English with an emphasis in fiction writing from the University of California at Davis, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

Before law school, Teri taught English and creative writing at the university and college levels. Her legal career began with criminal defense work at the trial level, then she worked exclusively as an appellate defender. For twelve years, she maintained a private appellate law practice limited to representing people who had the right to appeal but could not afford to pay.

Motivated by a desire to make law and civics accessible to America’s future leaders, Teri took breaks from handling appeals to write books for young readers. She believes writing for middle and high school readers is much like writing for appellate justices: Appellate justices want everything broken down and digestible. And although she won't carry the comparison too far, she does believe Ninth graders are usually more open-minded and a lot more fun.

For more of Teri Kanefield's work, visit her website.

Latest
Why Does The U.S. Supreme Court Have So Much Power?
"A conservative Supreme Court is not a new problem. The way to get another Warren court is for Democratic presidents to appoint enough justices," writes Teri Kanefield.
June 27, 2024
Criminal Law And Procedure, Part 2: Why Criminal Law?
In Part 2 of Teri Kanefield's "Criminal Law" series, she picks apart the history of criminal laws, tapping into how they came to be, and how differently criminal law has been applied to different groups of people.
June 20, 2024
Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, Part 1: The Basics
Teri Kanefield looks at the fundamental principles that shape our understanding of crime and punishment, tracing the historical and cultural evolution of these concepts.
June 13, 2024
All About Appeals
From detailing the rights of individuals to appeal adverse rulings to unraveling the complexities of different court systems and levels of appeal, Teri Kanefield offers a thorough exploration that enlightens readers on the pivotal significance of this legal process.
June 6, 2024
Juries and the Zenger Trial
Teri Kanefield explores the significance of juries in the landmark Zenger Trial and their role in the American legal system.
May 30, 2024
Beware The Lawyers (Follow-Up)
Teri Kanefield writes that in the end, "All we’ve got are individual people formed by the norms and institutions they are embedded in making decisions, hopefully coming to the right conclusions and acting in good faith. Or at the very least, bowing to some sense of public pressure or shame not to do the wrong thing."
May 22, 2024
Beware The Lawyers
Teri Kanefield explains, "Media audiences and producers may say they want decoding, but often they don’t. Often they want “scorecard” analysis. They want to know who is winning."
May 16, 2024
The Ninth Amendment and The Law (and Politics) of Reproductive Rights
Teri Kanefield peers into the intersection of privacy rights, equal protection, and women's autonomy.
May 7, 2024
Where’s the Beef? Trump’s Manhattan Criminal Case and some Mind-Bending Legal Puzzles
Teri Kanefield delves into the arguments presented by both the prosecution and the defense, shedding light on the complexities and potential outcomes of this high-profile case.
May 2, 2024
Trump’s First Criminal Trial: Theories of the Case
Teri Kanefield discusses the significance of a well-crafted theory, parallels between litigation and storytelling, and the influence of unreliable witnesses all surrounding the Trump trial.
April 25, 2024
Sex, Lies, and Falsified Documents: Trump’s First Criminal Trial
Teri Kanefield writes, "Much of what we take as 'facts' would not be admissible as evidence in court...A witness can sound persuasive on a podcast or press interview but can wither under cross-examination."
April 17, 2024
The Ronna McDaniel Story Fallout (But What About Fox?) And A Few Words About The Next Election
Teri Kanefield writes about the fallout from the Ronna McDaniel hiring on MSNBC, highlighting the potential clash between McDaniel's persona and the network's audience.
April 11, 2024
The Ronna McDaniel Story
Teri Kanefield; "History doesn’t repeat, it rhymes. In our current media disruption, as in the late nineteenth century, sensationalism is emphasized over facts."
April 4, 2024
The Progressive Presumption and the Right to Vote
Teri Kanefield writes: "While there were always activists and idealists who believed that a country that boasted of rule by people should give all people a voice, the changes were also driven by self-interests." And it's self-interests working today to silence those voices.
March 26, 2024
The Right to Vote
The "right to vote" is constantly evolving...and there is no affirmative Constitutional right to vote (did you know that?). Teri Kanefield walks us through the evolution of democracy and voting rights from a historical perspective.
March 21, 2024
Invented Narratives and the Outrage Industry
Teri Kanefield covers the ongoing cycle of misinformation and outrage, fueled by fragmented media and profit-driven motives. What is the impact of partisan legal pundits and deliberate confusion tactics employed by certain media ecosystems on our public? Teri explains.
March 14, 2024
The Russian Disinformation Attack and the Disappearing Rabbit Trick
What does Russia's disinformation attack on the U.S mean for our nation's future? Teri Kanefield examines the connections between the GOP & Putin's Russia, the strategies employed by the Internet Research Agency to spread societal division, and how successful hacking attempts by the GRU may continue to influence our elections.
March 7, 2024
Why Some Prefer Oligarchy and (🎶 What’s Russia got to do, got to do with it? 🎶)
Grab a warm drink and a comfortable seat because Teri Kanefield breaks down the GOP connections to Russian influence and you don't want to miss a word.
February 29, 2024
The Perennial Problem of Demagogues
"The demagogue gains power by democratic means, claiming to be a champion of ‘the people’ and making wild promises...Anyone who opposes the demagogue is labeled an ‘enemy of the people’ and exiled or killed," writes Teri Kanefield.
February 22, 2024
Are Women And Black People "People" Under The 14th Amendment?
The 14th A states: "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." Seems clear enough - but Teri Kanefield explains that it wasn't enough to provide women and Black people equal protection or equal rights.
February 15, 2024
A Bunch Of Good Books
Teri Kanefield astounds us once again with this incredible list of essential reading for anyone who wants to understand where our democracy is, how we got here, and how we can find our way through.
February 8, 2024
The Anti-Democratic Opposition
Teri Kanefield dives into the nature of the anti-democratic opposition, exploring political psychology and its impact on democracy. She highlights the challenge of eliminating this opposition and emphasizes the importance of neutral rules to protect free speech and criticism.
February 1, 2024
How Democracies Die And How To Save Them (A Journey Through Books)
Teri Kanefield takes us on a journey through books exploring democracy's fragility and the strategies to preserve it. Exploring the work of Ziblatt, Levitsky, and others, she analyzes democratic norms, transitions, and Biden's response to challenges.
January 25, 2024
Making Sense of It All, Part 1: Yes, It Has Happened Before
Teri Kanefield provides insightful commentary on the dangerous trend of fascism, as leading Republicans pile on to endorse Trump, examining the risks to democracy and the need for accountability.
January 18, 2024
Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Spirit of Liberty
Teri Kanefield shines a legal light on spirit of liberty and the Fourteenth Amendment arguments to remove Trump from ballots.
January 11, 2024
No Time to Panic
In "No Time to Panic," Teri Kanefield sheds light on the echoes of autocratic behavior in Trump's presidential run. By dissecting the tactics of panic, spectacle, and the manipulation of enemies, Kanefield highlights the importance of staying informed and unearths the history that can guide us through these turbulent times.
January 4, 2024
Fun With Criminal Procedure, A Bit About Liz Cheney’s Book (and more)
Discover the legal complexities surrounding Trump's absolute immunity argument, its impact on proceedings, and the courts' response from the one and only Teri Kanefield.
December 21, 2023
Misinformation Part 6: How to Hold on to Facts
Teri Kanefield's concluding piece discusses countering misinformation, diversifying representation, and resisting demagogues. Plus, how we can stay informed, engage, and protect democracy through evidence-based decision-making.
November 9, 2023
Misinformation Outrage Part 5: Get the Fighters Fighting and Keep Them Fighting
Teri Kanefield delves into the detrimental cycle of misinformation and outrage that plagues our society. She explores the significant impact of partisan information ecosystems, examining how false narratives and distorted truths spread and perpetuate conflict.
November 9, 2023
Misinformation Outrage Part 4: Social Media Makes it Worse
In this fourth installment of the series, Teri Kanefield explores the influence of social media on combating misinformation and conspiracy theories.
November 9, 2023
Misinformation Outrage Part 3: The Perils Of Legal Punditry
Teri Kanefield delves into the challenges of legal punditry and the negative effects of partisan pundits and conspiracy theories on American democracy, with a focus on maintaining truth and integrity.
November 9, 2023
Misinformation Outrage Part 2: Creating the Conditions for Mainstream (MSNBC / CNN) Conspiracy Theories
In Part 2 of the Misinformation Outrage series by Teri Kanefield, delve into societal and psychological factors behind mainstream conspiracy theories. How did we get here?
November 8, 2023
The Misinformation-Outrage Cycle, Part 1: “There are no Yankees here!”
Democracy requires an educated populace that can analyze policies, whereas authoritarianism is based on lies. One-third of the population is anti-democratic.
November 8, 2023
Listening to the Lawyers: Evaluating Legal Opinions and Distinguishing Legal Opinions from Legal Facts
Teri Kanefield discusses the process of evaluating legal opinions, distinguishing them from legal facts and provides insights on the perjury accusations against Mark Meadows in a recent court case
September 6, 2023
Criminal Law 101: Trump's J6 Indictment
Teri Kanefield breaks down the Trump indictment and shares an outstanding Q&A for all trying to distill what really matters. Hint: Trump's motivations and beliefs are irrelevant.
August 7, 2023
The Trump-January-6th Indictment: Over the Cliff Notes
Teri Kanefield: "As you’ve no doubt heard, Trump was indicted Tuesday for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election and remain in power. This is the Big One."
August 3, 2023
Trump Announces 2024 Presidential Campaign
Trump’s 2024 Trial Schedule: It’s Time To Learn To Love Procedure And The Nuance Of Law
"Why is Trump the only top honcho with a target letter? Answering that question requires some speculation, and it can be hard to separate speculation from wishful thinking," writes Teri Kanefied, but with that disclaimer, she gives it a try.
July 24, 2023
The Struggle For Control Of American Media: Missouri V. Biden
Teri Kanefield writes, "Right wingers don’t merely want their own platforms. If they did, they would all congregate on Truth Social or Parler. What they want is to dominate all platforms, which is why the Plaintiffs in Biden v. Missouri want to remove any possibility of legitimate criticism from official sources."
July 17, 2023
What a Former Republican Calls “The Conspiracy to End America”
Teri Kanefield discusses what our own Stuart Stevens calls "The Conspiracy To End America." The truth is that the truth is under attack.
July 6, 2023
Trump Yelling
Trump’s Second Indictment, Part III: Trump confessed to the crime. Now let’s bust a few myths.
After Trump’s arraignment, he gave a speech in which he essentially confessed to the crime. Here Teri discusses what that means, going forward.
June 22, 2023
Mob Lawyers and Trump’s Lawyers
“Where’s my Roy Cohn?” Trump reportedly asked in early 2018. Why would Donald Trump want and need a Roy Cohn? Among other things, Cohn was a mob lawyer.
June 8, 2023
Contemplation of Justice
There Is A Method To The Madness (Along With Actual Madness)
As Trump finds himself adjusting to the reality of being a criminal defendant, he will try to bait his critics into helping him attack the 'system' that he wants to dismantle.
April 3, 2023
Trump With Supreme Court
It’s Not About Delay. It’s About Obstruction And Destruction.
Trump isn't attempting to delay criminal investigations into his conduct, writes Teri Kanefield; he's working to derail and destroy them. People praising his successful "delay tactics" are missing that in Court, as in the 2020 election, he is a loser.
March 27, 2023
Trump ugly
Trump Said He Will Be Arrested On Tuesday (And A Free Novel)
Is today the day? Maybe. Regardless, you shouldn't waste energy fretting. It's time to let go of the idea that delays mean dead investigations writes Teri Kanefield in her latest.
March 20, 2023
The Rogue Prosecutors
Teri Kanefield has two messages for us this week: Don't freak out, and be careful what you wish for. Take a deep breath and settle in as Teri explains what proposed legislation around removing DAs really means for any potential Trump indictments and prosecutions.
March 14, 2023
Fox News Lies
Why Fox Lies (And Why Their Viewers Demand Lies)
Fox News and lying have become synonymous over the past few weeks, thanks, in large part, to the revelations in the Dominion v Fox case. Teri Kanefield breaks down the how, why, and at what cost of Fox's lies.
March 6, 2023
Thurgood Marshall_Brown v Board of Education
He Changed The Face Of America
Every day, we see examples around the country of why teaching and studying Black History in our schools is essential and efforts to prevent that from happening. Teri Kanefield shares some of what she learned while researching the biography of Thurgood Marshall, reminding all of us that our need to learn and better understand doesn't end.
February 27, 2023
Tucker Carlson Laughing
Dominion Voting Machines V. Fox News
As Fox was spewing lies, reliable third parties and government agencies (and courts) were debunking the lies in real-time. Fox knew but continued.
February 19, 2023
Handcuffed
The Manhattan Trump Criminal Investigation: The Saga Of Mark Pomerantz & Alvin Bragg
Speculation and leaked information in criminal proceedings are just that, so don't be surprised when speculation turns out to be wrong and the motive for leaking information comes back as less than idealism or a compulsion to reveal the truth.
February 12, 2023
The Power Of Disinformation
Wannabe "Strongmen" have been using disinformation to create legends about themselves and deceive the masses for as long as there have been unscrupulous, power-mad people - in other words, forever. That makes the current ones no less dangerous.
February 5, 2023
John Eastman Witch Hunt
John Eastman’s “It’s A Political Witch Hunt” Defense
Facing disbarment, Eastman seems poised to plead to "stupidity" and claim "witch hunt." But the California State Bar is unlikely to view stupidity as a valid reason to allow him to continue practicing law.
January 29, 2023
Trump ugly
Trump Gets Hit With Big Sanctions (and more)
Trump and his attorney are under court order to pay Hillary Clinton, and 30 others, nearly $1 million for the idiotic RICO lawsuit that got tossed. Teri Kanefield breaks it down as only she can.
January 22, 2023
Select Committee To Investigate Jan. 6
Over the Cliff Notes: The Criminal Referrals
The J6 Select Committee has made criminal referrals to the DOJ for Trump and others. What happens next? NOBODY goes deep and lays it all out like Teri Kanefield!
December 23, 2022
First They Came For The Journalists
Elon Musk, Fox News, and Free Speech Absolutism
When the "free speech absolutist" has no interest in free speech.
December 19, 2022
Cracked Capitol
Disillusioned With Democracy
Why do Trump's voters stick with him? Teri Kanefield writes: They are mostly in agreement with Trump’s goals and they don’t care if he breaks laws. They don’t think democracy is working any longer, so they reject the laws and norms that underlie our democracy.
December 12, 2022