Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 12 of 12
Full-Text Articles in Law
Practitioners Beware: Under Amended Trap 47, Unpublished Memorandum Opinions In Civil Cases Are Binding And Research On Westlaw And Lexis Is A Necessity., Andrew T. Solomon
Practitioners Beware: Under Amended Trap 47, Unpublished Memorandum Opinions In Civil Cases Are Binding And Research On Westlaw And Lexis Is A Necessity., Andrew T. Solomon
St. Mary's Law Journal
In 2003 and 2008, the Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure (TRAP) 47 was amended. TRAP 47 is the rule which governs the issuance, citation, and precedential value of unpublished and memorandum opinions. The 2003 amendment was designed to make the law more readily available by prohibiting the issuance of unpublished opinions in civil cases and authorizing memorandum opinions in place of unpublished opinions. Despite its intention, the 2003 amendment failed to make civil case law more readily available. This is because such new opinions are only available via electronic repository, such as Westlaw or Lexis. As a result, to completely …
The Texas Supreme Court's Erroneous Doctrine Of Implied Appellate Jurisdiction., Charles R. Flores
The Texas Supreme Court's Erroneous Doctrine Of Implied Appellate Jurisdiction., Charles R. Flores
St. Mary's Law Journal
A Texas statute gave final appellate jurisdiction over cases not to the state supreme court but to the intermediate courts of appeals. After losing at the appellate level, one of the parties in Eichelberger v. Eichelberger appealed to the state supreme court despite the statute. But because the court of appeals decision conflicted with a United States Supreme Court decision, the Texas Supreme Court held its jurisdiction should be implied. Though legal commentators declared the decision an abrupt departure from standards for judicial decisions, they postulated it would be invoked so infrequently to do no lasting harm to Texas jurisprudence. …
Sentence Modification In Texas: The Plenary Power Of A Trial Court To Alter Its Sentence After Pronouncement Comment., Andrew L. Johnson
Sentence Modification In Texas: The Plenary Power Of A Trial Court To Alter Its Sentence After Pronouncement Comment., Andrew L. Johnson
St. Mary's Law Journal
Post-sentence plenary power of a trial court is not statutorily defined in Texas criminal law, and its boundaries are not fully delineated. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals recently added to the definition of plenary power in State v. Aguilera. The definition gives state trial courts the power to modify sentences if the modification is made the same day as the initial sentence before the court adjourns and if it is made in the presence of the defendant, his counsel, and counsel for the State. This holding lessens the sentencing pronouncement’s importance; potentially turning sentencing into a day-long affair. Additionally, …
Unconstitutional Delegation Of Prosecutorial Discretion In Texas: The Pollution Of Environmental Violation Deterrents., Suzanne M. Jost
Unconstitutional Delegation Of Prosecutorial Discretion In Texas: The Pollution Of Environmental Violation Deterrents., Suzanne M. Jost
St. Mary's Law Journal
The split amongst Texas officials regarding how to address the growing problem of enforcing environmental laws can most clearly be seen in the legislation surrounding environmental crimes. The most notable aspect of the 2003 amendment to the Texas Water Code (TWC) requires permission from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) before criminal charges may be brought against permit holders for criminal violations. The purpose of TCEQ’s administrative penalties is to focus primarily on pushing companies into compliance with the code. Yet, the TWC amendment brings the entire spectrum of polluters, from corporate dumpers to individual litterbugs, under its primary …
The U.S. Attorney: Fateful Powers Limited Essay., Tom Rickhoff
The U.S. Attorney: Fateful Powers Limited Essay., Tom Rickhoff
St. Mary's Law Journal
Nothing more separates the United States from some of history’s most ruthless and resourceful enemies, the Mexican drug syndicates, than an intermittent trickle of water. In spite of this crisis, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has languished without a presidentially-appointed leader since the Branch Davidian nightmare. Considering the historical influence of the U.S. Attorney’s office, the current situation in the Western District of Texas is somewhat surprising. At one time, U.S. Attorneys exercised almost total discretion as to how the federal government impacted the lives of the powerful as well as the powerless. One of the primary obstacles in restoring effective …
The Fourteenth Amendment And Title Ix: A Solution To Peer Sexual Harassment Comment., Connie C. Flores
The Fourteenth Amendment And Title Ix: A Solution To Peer Sexual Harassment Comment., Connie C. Flores
St. Mary's Law Journal
Despite the high occurrence of sexual harassment in schools, many school officials, who are aware of the abuse, do nothing to prevent it. Yet, some officials are beginning to recognize peer abuse is not acceptable due to the detrimental effects on students. As a result, many schools have implemented successful programs to prevent peer harassment. Furthermore, when schools have not responded adequately to the problem, student victims have turned to the courts, suing schools for failure to ensure an environment free from discrimination. Although victims have had little success in taking these cases to court, constitutional and statutory provisions exist …
Immigration Reform: Seeking The Right Reasons., Lamar Smith, Edward R. Grant
Immigration Reform: Seeking The Right Reasons., Lamar Smith, Edward R. Grant
St. Mary's Law Journal
The legacy of immigration to the United States permeates the debate over current immigration policy. Because our self-definition as a nation is at stake in this debate, the issue of immigration arouses our deepest sentiments regarding the communities in which we live. We do not need to search far back in our history to find examples of imprudent law-making. Both the 1924 and 1925 immigration laws were motivated in large part by purposes which eventually undermined the principles on which they rested. These acts serve as prime examples of how employing erroneous reasons to enact even well-intentioned laws can be …
Title Iii Of The Violence Against Women Act: The Answer To Domestic Violence Or A Constitutional Time-Bomb Comment., Yvette J. Mabbun
Title Iii Of The Violence Against Women Act: The Answer To Domestic Violence Or A Constitutional Time-Bomb Comment., Yvette J. Mabbun
St. Mary's Law Journal
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was enacted in 1994 to combat the growing and widespread epidemic of domestic violence. Congressional committees assigned to study this epidemic found that violent attacks by men topped the list of dangers to an American woman’s health. In an attempt to raise society’s awareness of the problem of violence against women and to ameliorate the victimization of women, Congress enacted VAWA. Specifically, Title III of VAWA establishes a federal civil right for victims of violent, gender-motivated crimes. These provide victims with either injunctive or monetary compensation. Consequently, there have been questions about the constitutionality …
The Presumption Of Innocence: Patching The Tattered Cloak After Maryland V. Craig., Ralph H. Kohlmann
The Presumption Of Innocence: Patching The Tattered Cloak After Maryland V. Craig., Ralph H. Kohlmann
St. Mary's Law Journal
Over one hundred years ago, the United States Supreme Court recognized the importance of the presumption of innocence in a criminal justice system which is based on due process. The Court declared the presumption of innocence is “the undoubted law, axiomatic, and elementary, and its enforcements lies at the foundation … of our criminal law.” The Court’s changing view of the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause is the most recent contribution to the reduction in the practical value of the presumption of innocence. In Maryland v. Craig, the Court decided that while face-to-face confrontation forms the core of values furthered in …
Foreigners On Texas's Death Row And The Right Of Access To A Consul Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., S. Adele Shank, John Quigley
Foreigners On Texas's Death Row And The Right Of Access To A Consul Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., S. Adele Shank, John Quigley
St. Mary's Law Journal
Foreign nationals arrested in the United States confront the disadvantage of mounting a criminal defense in several ways. In most cases, they are unfamiliar with U.S. customs, police policies, and criminal proceedings. Although U.S. courts strive to prevent bias against accused based on alienage, discrimination does occur. To minimize the disadvantages experienced by accused foreigners, international law guarantees the right of consular access. Under internationally accepted norms applicable in the United States, an accused foreigner is entitled to contact his home-state consult office for assistance. Furthermore, mere involvement of a consul may encourage local government to follow procedural norms and …
Enhanced Punishment Under The Texas Hate Crimes Act: Politics, Panacea, Or Pathway To Hell., David Todd Smith
Enhanced Punishment Under The Texas Hate Crimes Act: Politics, Panacea, Or Pathway To Hell., David Todd Smith
St. Mary's Law Journal
Nearly without exception, modern legislatures have responded to the reprehensible nature and detrimental social effects of hate crime by enacting laws specifically designed to punish the offender’s discriminatory animus. The term “hate crime” describes criminal conduct which is motivated by the offender’s bias or prejudice against another cognizable group. Although the reprehensible nature of a hate crime is often apparent from the facts of any given case, the repercussions of these offenses exceed the ignoble character of any one specific act. Texas has now joined the ranks of these jurisdictions by adopting legal provisions which authorize heightened penalties upon a …
Private Property And Russia's Leap Of Faith., Douglas R. Haddock
Private Property And Russia's Leap Of Faith., Douglas R. Haddock
St. Mary's Law Journal
Popular notions of property are enshrined in constitutional protections which seem to make quite clear society’s emphasis on the individual’s preeminence in matters of property. Americans have never been able to accept the “socialist ownership” notions of the Soviet Union and other socialist countries as a viable scheme of property. It is probably irrefutable that the application of socialist ownership principles in the Soviet Union has been less efficient than the American model of private ownership. Yet, it is reactionary to entirely condemn the idea of socialist ownership and conclude the downfall of the Soviet Union proved the “rightness” of …