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Human Dignity

Essays by J.R. Howell on human dignity, autonomy and the responsibilities of legal institutions in a technological society.

The Ninth Circuit Revives a White Employee’s Harassment Claims in Diemert v. City of Seattle

The article examines the Ninth Circuit’s treatment of Diemert’s workplace harassment claims and the history of individual protection under civil rights law. It distinguishes the surviving claims from findings of liability.

In Nolen v. PeopleConnect, the Ninth Circuit Lets a Classmates.com Class Sue Over Searchable Names Without Proving Anyone Searched Them

J.R. Howell examines Classmates.com class certification and the unresolved merits of the searchable-name theory. The essay considers the right of publicity and the consequences of proceeding as a class.

Call for Amicus Support

Counsel for the appellant invites amicus participation in an appeal concerning the use of cryopreserved embryos. The page sets out the appellant’s constitutional arguments and provides background, case documents and contact information.

The Interference Fallacy

J.R. Howell argues that antitrust, privacy and administrative law overlook standing power. The essay proposes a shared legal test for domination grounded in republican liberty.

The Legal Imperative to Protect Human Dignity from the Dehumanization of Electronic Surveillance

The essay reads Pope Leo XIV’s Magnifica Humanitas alongside American privacy law and scholarship on dignity. It argues for limits on surveillance, profiling and data extraction that protect people’s autonomy and legal status.