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State and Local Government Law

Journal

2011

Institution
Keyword
Publication

Articles 1 - 30 of 80

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Reconstituting Land-Use Federalism To Address Transitory And Perpetual Disasters: The Bimodal Federalism Framework, Blake Hudson Dec 2011

Reconstituting Land-Use Federalism To Address Transitory And Perpetual Disasters: The Bimodal Federalism Framework, Blake Hudson

BYU Law Review

Scholars analyzing the intersection of federalism and disaster law and policy have primarily focused on the difficulties federalism poses for interjurisdictional coordination of disaster response. Though scholars have highlighted that rising disaster risks and costs are associated with “land-use planning that exacerbates, rather than mitigates, disaster risk,” a more holistic analysis of land-use-related disaster law and policy is needed. This Article provides a more comprehensive framework within which to analyze prospective mitigation or prevention of disaster risk and costs through a rebalancing—or reconstituting—of the respective roles of the federal and state governments in land-use planning. The federal government does not …


Local Government Law, Ken E. Jarrard Dec 2011

Local Government Law, Ken E. Jarrard

Mercer Law Review

No abstract provided.


Local Government Law, Andrew R. Mcroberts Nov 2011

Local Government Law, Andrew R. Mcroberts

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.


Virginia Should Abolish The Archaic Tort Defense Of Contributory Negligence And Adopt A Comparative Negligence Defense In Its Place, Peter Nash Swisher Nov 2011

Virginia Should Abolish The Archaic Tort Defense Of Contributory Negligence And Adopt A Comparative Negligence Defense In Its Place, Peter Nash Swisher

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.


Bulls, Bears, And Pigs: Revisiting The Legal Minefield Of Virginia Fraudulent Transfer Law, Isaac A. Mcbeth, Landon C. Davis Iii Nov 2011

Bulls, Bears, And Pigs: Revisiting The Legal Minefield Of Virginia Fraudulent Transfer Law, Isaac A. Mcbeth, Landon C. Davis Iii

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.


A Vanishing Virginia Constitution?, Hon. Stephen R. Mccullough Nov 2011

A Vanishing Virginia Constitution?, Hon. Stephen R. Mccullough

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.


Unclaimed Property And Due Process: Justifying 'Revenue-Raising' Modern Escheat, Teagan J. Gregory Nov 2011

Unclaimed Property And Due Process: Justifying 'Revenue-Raising' Modern Escheat, Teagan J. Gregory

Michigan Law Review

States have long claimed the right to take custody of presumably abandoned property and hold it for the benefit of the true owner under the doctrine of escheat. In the face of increasing fiscal challenges, states have worked to increase their collection of unclaimed property via new escheat legislation that appears to bear little or no relation to protecting the interests of owners. Holders of unclaimed property have raised substantive due process challenges in response to these modern escheat statutes. This Note contends that two categories of these disputed laws-those shortening dormancy periods and those allowing states to estimate a …


Scratching The Surface: Does New York's Public Trust Law Prevent Subsurface Access To Natural Gas Below Parkland In The Marcellus Shale?, Susan J. Kraham, Lisa K. Perfetto Oct 2011

Scratching The Surface: Does New York's Public Trust Law Prevent Subsurface Access To Natural Gas Below Parkland In The Marcellus Shale?, Susan J. Kraham, Lisa K. Perfetto

Buffalo Environmental Law Journal

The origins of the public trust doctrine ma} be traced back to Roman laiw. The Institutes qf Justinian state: "By the lav of nature these things are common to all mankind - the air running water the sea, and consequently the shores of the sea. " The traditional scope of the public trust doctrine in the United States affirms the public right to use waters for navigation, fishing, and commerce. The precise expression of the doctrine varies from state to state because each state is responsible for applying the public trust doctrine within its borders. New York applies the doctrine …


Modernizing Marriage, Adam Candeub, Mae Kuykendall Jul 2011

Modernizing Marriage, Adam Candeub, Mae Kuykendall

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

This Article proposes to modernize the archaic procedures states use to authorize marriages so as to provide legal flexibility, promote efficiency, and enhance individual choice. Almost universally, states require couples' presence within their borders, however briefly, for a ceremony. After considering the historical and policy rationales for this requirement and finding them either obsolete or incoherent, we propose that states offer marriages to those outside their borders. Such distance marriages could occur via video-conference, using the internet or even telephone, with readily available safeguards to prevent fraud. This simple reform would allow certain couples who cannot marry under local law …


Staring Down The Sights At Mcdonald V. City Of Chicago: Why The Second Amendment Deserves The Kevlar Protection Of Strict Scrutiny, James J. Williamson Ii Jun 2011

Staring Down The Sights At Mcdonald V. City Of Chicago: Why The Second Amendment Deserves The Kevlar Protection Of Strict Scrutiny, James J. Williamson Ii

Legislation and Policy Brief

In June of 2008, the Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, declaring that a District of Columbia law prohibiting the possession of handguns in a private home for personal protection violated the Second Amendment of the Constitution. Justice Scalia, writing for a 5-4 majority, recognized that the protections provided by the Second Amendment apply to individuals—not just “militias”—and emphatically declared that “the enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table. These include the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home.” After four years of …


Referenda And The District Of Columbia's Human Rights Act: Voting On Same-Sex Marriage In The Nation's Capital, Jacob Stewart Jun 2011

Referenda And The District Of Columbia's Human Rights Act: Voting On Same-Sex Marriage In The Nation's Capital, Jacob Stewart

Legislation and Policy Brief

Beginning with Massachusetts in 2003, the courts and legislatures of many states have had to decide whether same-sex marriage is or should be a fundamental right under their respective constitutions. Although only five states and the District of Columbia legally perform same-sex marriages, a few other jurisdictions are in the process of proposing laws moving in that direction. However, the vast majority of states are holding fast to the traditional heterosexual definition of marriage. Thirty-eight states have adopted some sort of Defense of Marriage Act, constitutional amendment, or similar measure that defines marriage as the union between one man and …


"Going Green" The Wrong Way: How Governments Are Unconstitutionally Delegating Their Legislative Powers In Pursuit Of Environmental Sustainability, Brandon L. Boxler Jun 2011

"Going Green" The Wrong Way: How Governments Are Unconstitutionally Delegating Their Legislative Powers In Pursuit Of Environmental Sustainability, Brandon L. Boxler

Legislation and Policy Brief

Through either executive or legislative power, state and local governments are rapidly effecting policies that encourage environmental sustainability. Many of these policies have logically targeted buildings and infrastructure, both of which have a significant adverse impact on the environment. In the United States, 38 percent of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions and 67 percent of its electricity usage come from buildings. New laws and policies are attempting to decrease these figures by requiring construction projects to “go green” and implement sustainable building practices. These legal initiatives have the potential to create substantial environmental benefits by reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas …


Domestic Violence And The Budget Crisis: The Use Of A Risk Assessment Tool To Manage Cases In Prosecutors’ Offices, Carrie M. Hobbs Apr 2011

Domestic Violence And The Budget Crisis: The Use Of A Risk Assessment Tool To Manage Cases In Prosecutors’ Offices, Carrie M. Hobbs

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment addresses the growing concern that the incompatible forces of shrinking budgets and increased caseloads are leading to ineffective domestic violence case management, particularly in prosecutors’ offices. With so many cases and so few resources, prosecutors need tools to discern which cases should have priority. Recognizing that risk assessment tools have many drawbacks, this Comment advocates for development of a risk assessment tool that can help prosecutors determine which cases to pursue and assist them in making other pretrial determinations. Part II of this Comment provides a background on domestic violence research and isolates the issues that arise in …


Protect Me From Myself: Determining Competency To Waive The Right To Counsel During Civil-Commitment Proceedings In Washington State, Jacob J. Stender Apr 2011

Protect Me From Myself: Determining Competency To Waive The Right To Counsel During Civil-Commitment Proceedings In Washington State, Jacob J. Stender

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment argues that an unarticulated, heightened standard of competency to waive counsel, under which Washington currently operates, is the ideal standard to address the unique concerns that exist in civil- commitment proceedings. This Comment clarifies the existing law governing the determination of a party’s right to waive counsel, as well as the determination of the validity of such a waiver. This Comment also articulates a comprehensive inquiry standard for trial courts, both within and outside of Washington, to apply when determining the competency of a party and the validity of a waiver. The goal of this express determination standard …


Dead Wrong: Why Washington’S Deadly Weapon Criminal Sentencing Enhancement Needs “Enhancement”, James Harlan Corning Apr 2011

Dead Wrong: Why Washington’S Deadly Weapon Criminal Sentencing Enhancement Needs “Enhancement”, James Harlan Corning

Seattle University Law Review

This Comment confronts the difficult question of how to reformulate the deadly weapon sentencing enhancement to better align it with the policy goals of deterring and punishing armed crime. Part II explores the constitutional and practical defects in each of the three formulations of the sentencing enhancement’s armed requirement by delving into the enhancement’s legislative history and the judicial struggle to interpret it. Part III analyzes the need for a more nuanced approach to the weapon enhancement by exploring key criticisms about the enhancement’s scope and application. Part IV argues that the Washington legislature must provide courts with more rigid …


Adverse Possession, Private-Zoning Waiver & Desuetude: Abandonment & Recapture Of Property And Liberty Interests, Scott Andrew Shepard Apr 2011

Adverse Possession, Private-Zoning Waiver & Desuetude: Abandonment & Recapture Of Property And Liberty Interests, Scott Andrew Shepard

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Adverse-possession doctrine labors under a pair of disabilities: a hesitancy by theorists to embrace the abandonment-and-recapture principle that informs the doctrine, and a substantial unwillingness of governments to abandon an antiquated and outmoded maxim shielding them from the doctrine's important work. Removing these disabilities will allow a series of positive outcomes. First, it will demonstrate that all would-be adverse possessors, not just those acting "in good faith" or with possessory intent, should enjoy the fruits of the doctrine. Second, it will provide valuable additional means by which the public may monitor the performance of government employees, and additional discipline to …


To Incorporate Or Not To Incorporate - That Is The Question: How State V. Custard Clarified Corporate Governance In North Carolina, Lauren J. Allen Apr 2011

To Incorporate Or Not To Incorporate - That Is The Question: How State V. Custard Clarified Corporate Governance In North Carolina, Lauren J. Allen

North Carolina Central Law Review

No abstract provided.


Just A Little Bit Of History Repeating: The California Model Of Marijuana Legalization And How It Might Affect Racial And Ethnic Minorities, Thomas J. Moran Apr 2011

Just A Little Bit Of History Repeating: The California Model Of Marijuana Legalization And How It Might Affect Racial And Ethnic Minorities, Thomas J. Moran

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

No abstract provided.


Assessing The State Of The State Constitutionalism, Jim Rossi Apr 2011

Assessing The State Of The State Constitutionalism, Jim Rossi

Michigan Law Review

Robert Williams's The Law of American State Constitutions is an impressive career accomplishment for one of the leading academic lawyers writing on state constitutions. Given the need for a comprehensive, treatise-like treatment of state constitutions that transcends individual jurisdictions, Williams's book will almost certainly become the go-to treatise for the next generation of state constitutional law practitioners and scholars. The U.S. Constitution has a grip on how the American legal mind approaches issues in American constitutionalism, but an important recurring theme in Williams's work (as well as that of others) is how state constitutions present unique interpretive challenges. More than …


Courthouses Vs. Statehouses?, William S. Koski Apr 2011

Courthouses Vs. Statehouses?, William S. Koski

Michigan Law Review

Just over twenty years ago, the Kentucky Supreme Court declared the commonwealth's primary and secondary public-education finance system-indeed, the entire system of primary and secondary public education in Kentucky-unconstitutional under the "common schools" clause of the education article in Kentucky's constitution. That case has been widely cited as having ushered in the "adequacy" movement in school-finance litigation and reform, in which those challenging state school-funding schemes argue that the state has failed to ensure that students are provided an adequate education guaranteed by their state constitutions. Since the Rose decision in Kentucky, some thirty-three school-finance lawsuits have reached final decisions …


A Discussion On The District Of Columbia's Procurement Law And The Spark That Led To Renewed Reform Efforts, Megan S. Vahey Mar 2011

A Discussion On The District Of Columbia's Procurement Law And The Spark That Led To Renewed Reform Efforts, Megan S. Vahey

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

This note explores the premise that the Council contract review process applies to all non-exempt agency contracts which meet the $1 million or multiyear thresholds. The first section explores the history of procurement law in the District of Columbia. The second section discusses procurement reform efforts. The third section provides an overview of the parks and recreation contracts controversy. Finally, the fourth section analyzes the procurement authority of exempt and non-exempt District agencies with respect to the legislative powers granted to the Council of the District of Columbia.


The District Of Columbia V. The 50 States: A 21st Century Lawsuit To Remedy An 18th Century Injustice, Timothy Cooper Mar 2011

The District Of Columbia V. The 50 States: A 21st Century Lawsuit To Remedy An 18th Century Injustice, Timothy Cooper

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

No abstract provided.


Same Sex Marriage: Does The Constitution Or State Constitution Support Same-Sex Marriages?, Sonja Seehusen Mar 2011

Same Sex Marriage: Does The Constitution Or State Constitution Support Same-Sex Marriages?, Sonja Seehusen

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

No abstract provided.


Preserving Access To Tattoos: First Amendment Trumps Municipal Ban In Anderson V. City Of Hermosa Beach, Richard Hyde Mar 2011

Preserving Access To Tattoos: First Amendment Trumps Municipal Ban In Anderson V. City Of Hermosa Beach, Richard Hyde

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.


Issue 3: Table Of Contents Mar 2011

Issue 3: Table Of Contents

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.


The Texas Wind Estate: Wind As A Natural Resource And A Severable Property Interest, Alan J. Alexander Feb 2011

The Texas Wind Estate: Wind As A Natural Resource And A Severable Property Interest, Alan J. Alexander

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

In 2011, Texas is again at the forefront of an energy boom: the wind energy boom. In 2006, Texas surpassed California and became the US. state with the most installed capacity to produce wind energy, and Texas' level of installed capacity has continued to grow. But the law has not kept pace with this growth. Similar to the initial growth of the oil and gas industry in Texas, the wind energy industry was also born, and continues to grow, in the absence of clear legal and regulatory standards. Lack of regulation in the early development of the oil industry contributed …


Ethically Handling The Receipt Of Possibly Privileged Information., James M. Fischer Jan 2011

Ethically Handling The Receipt Of Possibly Privileged Information., James M. Fischer

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Inadvertently sent e-mails that contain privileged information, material negligently included in a discovery response, or employer's documents taken by a whistle-blower all share a common theme-the materials were not intended to be disclosed to the opposing party. This Article makes two contentions. First, all unintended disclosures should be treated under a single standard that asks whether the privilege holder exercised reasonable care in maintaining the confidentiality of the materials. Second, with respect to the receiving lawyer's professional obligations, a lawyer who receives materials that may be privileged should be allowed to read the materials: (1) to determine whether the materials …


Toward Legitimacy Through Collaborative Governance: An Analysis Of The Effect Of South Carolina's Office Of Regulatory Staff On Public Utility Regulation, William H. Ellerbe Jan 2011

Toward Legitimacy Through Collaborative Governance: An Analysis Of The Effect Of South Carolina's Office Of Regulatory Staff On Public Utility Regulation, William H. Ellerbe

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

In 2004 the South Carolina General Assembly instituted a major reform to its system of public utility regulation. Previously, the Public Service Commission, the administrative agency in charge of regulating public utilities, both adjudicated utility proceedings and, through its staff,a advocated for the public interest. A scandal concerning revelations of extensive ex parte communications between regulated utilities and members of the Public Service Commission led to the 2004 reform, which created the Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) as a separate agency to perform the Commission's advocative functions. In my research, I use data on fuel factor proceedings before and after …


The People's Trade Secrets, David S. Levine Jan 2011

The People's Trade Secrets, David S. Levine

Michigan Telecommunications & Technology Law Review

The content of administered public school exams, modifications made by a government to its voting machines, and the business strategies of government corporations should be of interest to the public. At a minimum, they are the kinds of information that a government should allow its citizens to see and examine. After all, the public might have some legitimate questions for its government: Is that public school examination fair and accurate? Is that voting machine working so that my vote gets counted? To whom or what is that government agency marketing and are kickbacks involved? One would think that the government …


Ineffective-Assistance-Of-Counsel Blues: Navigating The Muddy Waters Of Georgia Law After 2010 State Supreme Court Decisions, Ryan C. Tuck Jan 2011

Ineffective-Assistance-Of-Counsel Blues: Navigating The Muddy Waters Of Georgia Law After 2010 State Supreme Court Decisions, Ryan C. Tuck

Georgia Law Review

The constitutional right to counsel is a guarantee of
effective counsel, but vindicating this right through an
ineffective assistance of counsel challenge (IC) is difficult
for most defendants, especially indigent ones. In Georgia,
the difficulty of arguing a successful IAC claim is
heightened by strange rules for when such claims can be
raised. Georgia long has adhered to an IAC timing
approach that few other jurisdictions still follow and the
Supreme Court has rejected, threatening waiver if
defendants do not argue IAC as early as practicable.
When appellate counsel is new, this opportunity is the
direct appeal. In contrast, most …