Animal Law Podcast #44: The Cases That Saved the Sales Bans

On this episode of the Animal Law Podcast I speak to Jonathan Lovvorn, Chief Counsel and Senior VP for Animal Protection at the Humane Society of the United States. He tells us about some recent cases that attempted to invalidate statutory bans on the sale of particularly cruel products, including caged eggs, foie gras, and other products produced in extreme confinement, in California and Massachusetts. These cases, which involve, among other subjects, Constitutional issues of federal preemption and the dormant commerce clause, were recently denied an appeal to the Supreme Court, which is very good news for animals.

Jonathan Lovvorn is Chief Counsel & Senior Vice President for Animal Protection Litigation at The Humane Society of the United States. He also holds academic appointments at Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, and New York University School of Law. He teaches courses on animal law, wildlife law, and climate policy, and has published a number of articles concerning the intersection of animal law, environmental law, and food policy. He has litigated extensively on behalf of animals and the environment, written hundreds of state and federal animal protection laws, and served as the primary legal strategist for major animal protection ballot measures. He received an LL.M. in Environmental Law from Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College, and a J.D. from University of California Hastings College of the Law.

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