Resolute Square

Teri Kanefield

Attorney, author, and educator.

About Teri Kanefield

Subscribe to Teri's always-free once-weekly blog post
Teri on post.news

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
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