Digital Commons Network^™

Insanity And Incompetency: Courts, Communities, And The Intersections Of Mental Illness And Criminal Justice In The Wake Of Kahler And Trueblood, Gwendolyn West

Golden Gate University Law Review

Today, people with mental illnesses in the United States are ten times more likely to be incarcerated than hospitalized. About 20 percent of the United States population experiences some kind of mental illness each year, and about 3 to 5 percent of the population experiences a severe and persistent mental illness. By contrast, more than 60 percent of jail inmates and at least 45 percent of prison inmates in the United States have a diagnosed mental illness. Studies have found that anywhere from 25 percent to 71 percent of people with serious mental illness in a given community have a …

A Vicious Cycle: United States’ Failure To Protect Immigrant Women’S Reproductive Rights At The Irwin County Detention Center, Lizet Palomera Torres

Golden Gate University Law Review

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) detained Jane Doe #15, an immigrant woman, at the Irwin County Detention Center (ICDC) in Georgia. During Jane’s time at ICDC, Doctor Mahendra Amin hastily examined her because she was experiencing severe pain in her pelvic area. Abandoning established professional and legal protocols for diagnosis and treatment, the medical staff scheduled Jane for surgery. Jane did not know what to expect from the surgery or what the medical personnel would do. After the surgery, the staff at ICDC neglected Jane’s care. She could not get out of bed on her own; …

Modernizing Language In The California Government Claims Act To Enable Consistent Enforcement Of Statutory Sovereign Immunity, Thomas Langtry

Golden Gate University Law Review

Ideally, sovereign immunity provisions should (1) protect public officials from undue interference with discharge of their duties and (2) hold accountable public officials who act unlawfully. Analytical frameworks and statutes at both the federal and state levels often fail to fulfill these objectives. Federal courts are guided by statutes and objectives that are indirectly relevant to state courts. As a result, states are left to address independently how to address clams of sovereign immunity when plaintiffs file suits alleging torts by public entities and employees. In California, when plaintiffs sue public employees or entities in civil court, the California Government …

Locked Away For Life: The Case Against Juvenile Life Without Parole For Felony Murder, Jennifer Gomez

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment argues that life without the possibility of parole is not an appropriate sentence for juveniles who commit felony murder because of the inherent characteristics of juveniles, such as their immaturity and inability to foresee consequences. At the age of seventeen, Riley Briones was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for his involvement in a robbery that resulted in a murder. Abused by his father throughout his childhood, Briones’ use of alcohol and drugs began early at the age of eleven. While he had aspired to attend college, Briones became a teen parent which required him to …

Retaining A Constitutional Right To Terminate A Pregnancy By Reinterpreting Pregnancy As An Implied Contract, Esra Coskun-Crabtree

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment considers the question of abortion as a fundamental right by reframing pregnancy as a ground for implied contract. The recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, 142 S. Ct. 2228 (2022) rejected the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause as a basis for asserting a fundamental right to abortion. However, other constitutional limits on state power may provide different avenues to such an assertion. Specifically, the Contracts Clause of Article I, Section 10 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits the states from impairing the freedom to contract. This Comment argues that the key issue in the abortion …

Volume 53, Issue 2, Front Matter

Golden Gate University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Sackett V. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: "Waters Of The United States" Defined By 0.63 Acres, Brian Gillis

Golden Gate University Law Review

This case note analyzes Sackett v. U.S. Env’t Prot. Agency, 8 F.4th 1075, 1080 (9th Cir. 2021), a case wherein the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit set forth the proper test for determining whether wetlands are “waters of the United States” within the meaning of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972)). In 2007, the Sacketts had purchased a 0.63 acre lot in Idaho, obtained building permits, and began constructing a house, which resulted in the deposit of sand and gravel in areas of standing water on the property. Soon thereafter, the Environmental …

Comment: Sb 145: Defending And Applying Discretion To California’S Sex Offender Registry, Elias Hernandez

Golden Gate University Law Review

SB 145 equalizes sentencing treatment for members of the LGBTQ community, and seeks to improve the California Sex Offender Registry , by expanding a trial judge’s discretion to impose sex offender registration.

Since 1944, “[a] loophole in the law”. . . force[d] anyone convicted of consensual sex [with a minor], such as gay men or lesbians, to register as a sex offender.” Judges had no choice but to impose sex offender registration in those circumstances.

SB 145 gives trial judges discretion to place a person on the Registry if the offender- a legal adult at the time of the offense- …

Comment: Injury-In-Fact: Solving The Federal Circuit Court Split Regarding Constitutional Standing In Data Theft Litigation, Simone Cadoppi

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment explores the circuit split with regard to standing in data theft cases and proposes a solution for the Supreme Court to adopt. The federal circuits are divided between a more permissive “substantial risk” standard and a more prohibitive “certainly impending” standard. To resolve this split, the Supreme Court should adopt the more permissive substantial risk standard that only requires plaintiffs to show that there exists a substantial risk of future harm stemming from an actual data breach. When establishing constitutional standing, the Supreme Court should only require that plaintiffs establish the occurrence of an actual data breach that …

Comment: Is Out-Of-State Tuition Unconstitutional And Could Removing It Ease The United States’ Student Debt Crisis?, Ryan Griffith

Golden Gate University Law Review

This article argues that for the good of the nation the discriminatory practice of charging out-of-state tuition should be ceased and that under the Privileges and Immunities Clause, as well as the Fourteenth Amendment, this practice has violated the law for decades.

Judges Of The United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit

Golden Gate University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Note: City Of Oakland V. Wells Fargo Co.: Examining The Proximate Cause Standard Under The Fair Housing Act, Ava Lau-Silveira

Golden Gate University Law Review

The Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999 partially deregulated the financial industry under the premise of helping “everyone attain the American dream of home ownership.” In 1999, the “Fannie Mae” made subprime mortgage loans readily accessible to those who normally would not qualify. People in Oakland, who “used to find it difficult to obtain mortgages,” were suddenly able to obtain mortgage loans, but with subprime terms, which started with low monthly payments, but would increase based on changes in the market interest rates. By 2008, subprime borrowers began defaulting on their loans at an unprecedented rate.

During the 2008 mortgage …

J.E.F.M. V. Lynch: The Jurisdictional Exclusion Of Legal Representation For Immigrant Children, Kourtney Speer

Golden Gate University Law Review

The border crisis created a perfect storm in immigration courts, as children wind their way from border crossings to immigration proceedings. The storm has battered immigration courtrooms crowded with young defendants but lacking lawyers and judges to handle the sheer volume of cases.

The Pleasure Of The Contract: Legal Role Play From Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch Through Noodles & Beef, Michael Angelo Tata

Golden Gate University Law Review

The recent article Nonbinding Bondage: Exploring the (Extra)legal Complexity of BDSM Contracts encapsulates the aesthetic legacy of the sex contract and its embodiment in what this Comment calls “legal role play,” or how individuals perform contractual play-acting for sexual gratification. In Part I, this Comment challenges Nonbinding Bondage’s historical arc, using this writing as a launchpad for a more extensive discussion of the sex contract’s aesthetic interpretation. Employing a vocabulary of parody, play and performance (all aesthetics terms), Nonbinding Bondage presents the most popular reading of subcultural BDSM contracts: that they mime aspects of traditional contracts to unearth truths about …

Total Makeover: Federal Cosmetics Regulation And Its Need For Legislative Overhaul To Ensure Consumer Protection, Justice Tecson

Golden Gate University Law Review

The cosmetic industry’s lack of federal oversight has given rise to concerns regarding consumer safety. Amy Friedman’s story is one example of how the current lack of FDA cosmetic regulation causes actual harm to consumers.26 The current regulatory scheme allows cosmetic companies to operate with little to no government review, leaving consumers vulnerable to potential bad actors. This Comment discusses the problematic effects of the current regulatory framework on the health and safety of consumers, and explores the SCPCPA and its proposed amendments to the FDA’s regulatory authority over cosmetics.

This Comment argues that the SCPCPA is a necessary legislative …

An Absolute Deprivation Of Liberty: Why Indigents’ Wealth-Based Discrimination Claims Brought Under The Equal Protection Clause Should Be Subject To Intermediate Scrutiny, Athena Hernandez

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment argues that wealth-based discrimination claims concerning pretrial detention of indigents should be analyzed under an Equal Protection framework and subjected to intermediate scrutiny. In order to provide an overview of the Supreme Court precedent established for these types of claims, Part I of this Comment will discuss the relevant and historic Supreme Court cases which have analyzed wealth-based incarceration claims in the United States. To further establish how Federal Courts have treated wealth-based incarceration Equal Protection claims, Part II will discuss the Fifth Circuit’s relevant opinions. Part III outlines the court’s decision in Walker, discussing how the …

Interview: Black Lives Matter—A Discussion With Two Civil Rights Attorneys, Justin C. Trimachi

Golden Gate University Law Review

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable . . . every step towards the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle, the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” The Black Lives Matter (“BLM”) movement has a formal presence in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The founders’ outrage at the acquittal of George Zimmerman, who they believed murdered Trayvon Martin in 2013, fueled BLM’s mission to empower Black communities to intervene in the violence inflicted on those communities by both the State and vigilantes and to eradicate white …

Judges Of The United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit

Golden Gate University Law Review

Listing with short biography of current judges of the Night Circuit Court of Appeals.

That Was Then, This Is Now: The Revival Of The Proposed Equal Rights Amendment And The Co-Optation Of The #Metoo Movement, Kyndal Currie

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment argues that the anticipated effect of an Equal Rights Amendment on the experiences of Black women and girls who have survived sexual violence is incongruent with the original tenets of the #MeToo movement. To provide context, Part I of this Comment recounts historical efforts to enact the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. Part I also details the concept of “intersectionality,” as well as modern campaigns that embrace its meaning to advance the social position of Black women.

In evaluating the efficacy of an Equal Rights Amendment, Part II of this Comment defines the contours of Black women’s experiences in …

Patel V. Facebook, Inc.: The Collection, Storage, And Use Of Biometric Data As A Concrete Injury Under Bipa, Jessica Robles

Golden Gate University Law Review

Facebook, Inc. (“Facebook”) amassed one of the most extensive facial- template databases in the world through the use of facial-recognition technology. However, Facebook is not alone; both private and public sector entities are heavily investing in improving their facial-identification technology. Facial geometry data are unique to each person and can be used to identify an individual. Once a facial image has been captured and stored in a facial-template database, “the individual has no recourse” because one cannot change facial geometry as quickly as a password or a social security number.

Although companies may use facial-recognition technology for valid purposes, uses …

Perez V. City Of Roseville: Constitutional Protection For The Public Employee In Matters Pertaining To Sex, Allyson M. Mccain

Golden Gate University Law Review

Section I of this Note summarizes both of the Ninth Circuit’s opinions in the Perez matter. Section II analyzes the need to prevent the government employer from intruding on its employees’ personal autonomy rights. Section III discusses why the court’s second opinion is problematic. Section IV demonstrates why the Ninth Circuit’s first opinion is an appropriate application of the law considering the facts of the case. Section V argues that the test furthered by the first Perez decision should be used as a standard going forward. Finally, Section VI illustrates how competing decisions in other circuits would have been decided …

Judges Of The United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit

Golden Gate University Law Review

No abstract provided.

California’S Capital Crisis Continues: Voter-Initiated Time Limit On Capital Appellate Review Upheld Under Improper Directive Interpretation, Stephanie Nathaniel

Golden Gate University Law Review

Part I begins with an overview of the separation of powers doctrine. Part II provides an overview of Proposition 66 and the California Supreme Court case that challenged its constitutionality. This section discusses Proposition 66’s statutory objective, the petitioners’ claim of unconstitutionality, the respondents’ claim about the initiative’s purpose, and the court’s separation of powers analysis. Part III discusses the state of California’s capital crisis by (1) examining the Briggs ruling’s effect on death-row inmates; (2) providing a brief background of California’s death-penalty system; and (3) evaluating the Briggs ruling in connection with the court’s duty to provide meaningful appellate …

Gagged By Big Ag: Whistleblower Silencing Bill Threatens The Employee’S Right To Uncover Workplace Wrongdoing, Tara Cooley

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment analyzes the court’s application of the standing doctrine in PETA v. Stein to demonstrate that the dismissal of a challenge to a whistleblower silencing statute because the plaintiff lacked standing is detrimental to First Amendment rights. This Comment argues that a relaxed standing requirement must be applied to future pre-enforcement challenges of legislation that aims to silence whistleblowers, and therefore chills First Amendment rights.

Part I examines the court’s relaxed application of the standing requirement to criminal statutes that chill First Amendment rights. Part II argues for a relaxed application of the standing requirement to whistleblower silencing statutes, …

The Kavanaugh Hearings And The Search For A Just Justice, Caroline Fredrickson

Golden Gate University Law Review

The evaluation of judicial nominees.

United States V. Arpaio: The Judicial Limit On The President’S Pardon Power, Alicia Villanueva

Golden Gate University Law Review

Article II of the United States Constitution grants the President unlimited authority to pardon. Specifically, the President “shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offences against the United States (“U.S.”), except in cases of impeachment.” Once a pardon is issued, it must be accepted by the pardoned individual for the pardon to take effect. On August 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump pardoned Sheriff Arpaio of a conviction for contempt of court. The prior month, the District Court for the District of Arizona (“district court”) had convicted Sheriff Arpaio of criminal contempt of court for intentionally failing to …

Cassirer V. Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Foundation: The Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act Was Unveiled But Congress Still Has Work To Do, Nicholas Joy

Golden Gate University Law Review

Section I of this Note discusses the case’s procedural history. Section II discusses the Cassirer family story and looks at the history of America’s legislative efforts aimed at impacting Holocaust-era art restitution litigation since the end of WWII. Section III discusses the Ninth Circuit’s application of HEAR and compares it to subsequent interpretations of the Act. Lastly, section IV discusses changes that Congress could make to HEAR that would help ensure that the Act has the impact that the legislature intended.

Introduction, The Hon. Michelle T. Friedland

Golden Gate University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Judges Of The United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit

Golden Gate University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Integrating Evidence-Based Practices Into Judicial Sentencing In The Wake Of Realignment’S Split Sentencing, Camille Frausto

Golden Gate University Law Review

Part I of this comment discusses the Supreme Court cases that led to the passage of the Realignment Act, along with a review of some of the major reform changes. Part I also highlights the gaps in creating a fair and consistent process across counties for managing the effects of Realignment. Part II discusses split sentencing and some of the issues it was designed to address as well as investigating how judges have reacted to and used split sentencing. Part III introduces the RNR (Risk Needs Responsivity) model of risk assessments and argues why it should be a mandatory aspect …