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On The Border Patrol And Its Use Of Illegal Roving Patrol Stops., David Anton Armendariz Dec 2012

On The Border Patrol And Its Use Of Illegal Roving Patrol Stops., David Anton Armendariz

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


The Client Who Lost Despite Winning And The Client Who Won Despite Losing: Reflections On Starting A New Immigration Clinic., Aaron S. Haas Dec 2012

The Client Who Lost Despite Winning And The Client Who Won Despite Losing: Reflections On Starting A New Immigration Clinic., Aaron S. Haas

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


Offense, Defense, Or Just A Big Fence - Why Border Security Is A Valid National Security Issue: St. Mary;S University School Of Law Center For Terrorism Law., William A. Fix Dec 2012

Offense, Defense, Or Just A Big Fence - Why Border Security Is A Valid National Security Issue: St. Mary;S University School Of Law Center For Terrorism Law., William A. Fix

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

A significant threat to United States national security stems from Mexican drug cartels. Mexican drug cartels are centered on the transit of illegal drugs into the United States. The flow of illegal drugs across the 1,933-mile U.S.-Mexico border now results in a host of crimes and violence that furthers the overall operation of the cartels. With the escalating violence from cartels, there is an increased possibility for spill over into the United States. Furthermore, because of the violence of drug cartels in Mexico, Mexican citizens have a greater incentive to move across the border. Mexicans are crossing illegally to escape …


The U.S. Supreme Court's Disability In Statutory Construction: The Debate Over The Interpretation Of The Definition Of Disability Under The Americans With Disabilities Act (Ada) & The Ada Amendments Act Of 2008., Laura C. Hoffman Dec 2012

The U.S. Supreme Court's Disability In Statutory Construction: The Debate Over The Interpretation Of The Definition Of Disability Under The Americans With Disabilities Act (Ada) & The Ada Amendments Act Of 2008., Laura C. Hoffman

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


Service Animals In Training And The Law: An Imperfect System., Darcie Magnuson Dec 2012

Service Animals In Training And The Law: An Imperfect System., Darcie Magnuson

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not provide protection for service animals in training anywhere in public places, including workplaces and government buildings. Individual state statutes may or may not grant service animals in training access to places of public accommodations, public buildings, or places of employment. Similarly, neither the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) nor the Fair Housing Act (FHA) Amendments afford rights and privileges in air transportation and housing, respectively, to service animals in training. Without service animals, individuals with disabilities would not be able to equally access society or fully participate in many activities. However, without …


Public Or Private University - New Legislation Caps Veterans' Educational Choices That Could Cost Less., Whitney Howe Dec 2012

Public Or Private University - New Legislation Caps Veterans' Educational Choices That Could Cost Less., Whitney Howe

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


The Thirteenth Amendment Won't Help Free Willy., Sheri Flannery Dec 2012

The Thirteenth Amendment Won't Help Free Willy., Sheri Flannery

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Orcas are not afforded any relief under the Thirteenth Amendment. Animal rights advocates, namely People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), alleged animals have the right to be free from slavery and involuntary servitude as guaranteed by the Thirteenth Amendment. Although the Thirteenth Amendment has been extended beyond African slavery, its protections have never been granted to anything other than human beings. The United States Supreme Court’s examination and interpretation of the Thirteenth Amendment concluded that animals are not afforded such protections under this amendment. The Court reasoned that the Thirteenth Amendment only applied to humans and not animals. …


Payday Peonage: Thirteenth Amendment Implications In Payday Lending., Zoe Elizabeth Lees Dec 2012

Payday Peonage: Thirteenth Amendment Implications In Payday Lending., Zoe Elizabeth Lees

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


The Supremacy Clause Preemption Rationale Reasonably Restrains An Individual State Pursuing Its Own Separate But Unequal Immigration Policy., L. Darnell Weeden Dec 2012

The Supremacy Clause Preemption Rationale Reasonably Restrains An Individual State Pursuing Its Own Separate But Unequal Immigration Policy., L. Darnell Weeden

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


When It Rains, It Pours: The Violence Against Women Act's Failure To Provide Shelter From The Storm Of Domestic Violence., Alyse Faye Haugen Dec 2012

When It Rains, It Pours: The Violence Against Women Act's Failure To Provide Shelter From The Storm Of Domestic Violence., Alyse Faye Haugen

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The threat of abuse affects women of all socioeconomic levels, educations, and zip codes. For centuries, women were second-class citizens in the eyes of society and the government. Women could not access resources to prevent violence and subsequently were denied essential victim services. The passage of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994 expressed the government’s commitment to ending domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and other gender-based violent crimes. Although VAWA exists, violence against women continues to be pervasive, devastating women’s lives daily. Victims of domestic violence face several issues. These include protecting children from abuse, finding and securing …


Nurturing The Seeds Of Food Justice: Unearthing The Impact Of Institutionalized Racism On Access To Healthy Food In Urban African-American Communities., Kate Meals Dec 2012

Nurturing The Seeds Of Food Justice: Unearthing The Impact Of Institutionalized Racism On Access To Healthy Food In Urban African-American Communities., Kate Meals

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Comprehensive change to our food systems must include a combination of community-based solutions and the elimination of racism from all structural levels. An anti-racist analysis of hunger is necessary to contextualize the power dynamics and structures responsible for food inequality. In recent decades, globalization and exponential population growth have pushed the boundaries of economic, social, and ecological sustainability, threatening global food security. Despite the fact that it is fundamental to human survival, adequate access to food is often viewed as a privilege, rather than a basic human right. These practices work to maintain a food system crisis that disproportionally impacts …


Economic Effects Of Immigration:A Voiding Past Mistakes And Preparing For The Future., Natalya Shatniy Dec 2012

Economic Effects Of Immigration:A Voiding Past Mistakes And Preparing For The Future., Natalya Shatniy

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


Religious Treatment Exemption Statutes: Betrayest Thou Me With A Statute., Shirley Darby Howell Dec 2012

Religious Treatment Exemption Statutes: Betrayest Thou Me With A Statute., Shirley Darby Howell

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


Mexican Children Of U.S. Citizens: Viges Prin And Other Tales Of Challenges To Asserting Acquired U.S. Citizenship., Lee J. Teran Dec 2012

Mexican Children Of U.S. Citizens: Viges Prin And Other Tales Of Challenges To Asserting Acquired U.S. Citizenship., Lee J. Teran

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Mexican children with a U.S. parent face both historic and current challenges in acquiring U.S. citizenship. Following changes in U.S. immigration law, the number of individuals removed from the United States has swelled dramatically. This campaign against non-citizens has led to the removal of United States citizens, particularly individuals who were born abroad but claim citizenship through a U.S. citizen parent. Citizens are caught in the middle of conflicting goals between government efforts to adjudicate claims to acquired U.S. citizenship and the focus on crime and national security interests. Even though many U.S. parents and their children born abroad are …


What About The Children: How Children Of Same-Sex Couples Are Left Without State-Run Support, Ann Kathryn Watson Dec 2012

What About The Children: How Children Of Same-Sex Couples Are Left Without State-Run Support, Ann Kathryn Watson

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

States should enact legislation affording same-sex partners the same rights and responsibilities to their children as opposite-sex partners. Although federal law mandates specific duties owed to the child, the language is silent about whether it applies to same-sex partners. Moreover, Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman. Some states—namely Texas—have passed their own version of DOMA. These states have subsequently denied same-sex partners the same rights granted to opposite-sex partners—such as conservatorship, visitation, and child support. Same-sex partners have used DOMA as a legal strategy to either avoid …


Singing Songs In A Strange Land: The Plight Of Haitian Children In The Space Of International Adoption., Glenys P. Spence Dec 2012

Singing Songs In A Strange Land: The Plight Of Haitian Children In The Space Of International Adoption., Glenys P. Spence

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

The best interests of children are not served by severing the familial bonds contemplated by international adoption law. Nonetheless, because of the high costs of the international adoption process, efforts to adopt their Haitian orphan relatives are ignored. In attempts to guarantee the “best interests of the child” are met, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children Co-Operative Respect of Intercountry Adoptions (Adoption Convention) were created as the two governing bodies of international adoption law. Global South countries, including Haiti, however, have not ratified the Adoption Convention. …


The Deportation Of Lawful Permanent Presidents For Old And Minor Crimes: Restoring Judicial Review, Ending Retroactivity, And Recognizing Deportation As Punishment., Adriane Meneses Dec 2012

The Deportation Of Lawful Permanent Presidents For Old And Minor Crimes: Restoring Judicial Review, Ending Retroactivity, And Recognizing Deportation As Punishment., Adriane Meneses

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

Abstract Forthcoming.


Taking Limited Representation To The Limits: The Efficacy Of Using Unbundled Legal Services In Domestic-Relations Matters Involving Litigation., Michele N. Struffolino Jan 2012

Taking Limited Representation To The Limits: The Efficacy Of Using Unbundled Legal Services In Domestic-Relations Matters Involving Litigation., Michele N. Struffolino

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

The use of unbundled legal services is nothing new in this country, and it is often preferable to no representation at all. The Model Rules of Professional Conduct expressly permit attorneys to provide limited representation to their clients. Domestic-relations attorneys, in particular, have tried to ease the burden on litigants by offering unbundled legal services. However, the use of unbundled services in domestic[1]relations matters has caused difficulties for litigants, attorneys, and the courts. For these domestic-relations cases in particular, full service representation is crucial. To provide full satisfaction for their clients and to fulfill their ethical duty, domestic-relations attorneys must …


Social Networking And Judicial Ethics., Craig Estlinbaum Jan 2012

Social Networking And Judicial Ethics., Craig Estlinbaum

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Social network sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Linkedln, and Twitter have become an increasingly ever-present feature in American life since first appearing in the late 1990s. SNSs now impact virtually all parts of daily life, and the judiciary is not immune to this effect. Recent statistics show that approximately 40% of judges nationwide utilize SNSs for personal, professional, and electoral purposes. Social media, like any public communication form, presents special ethical challenges for judges. In recent years, judicial ethics committees in various states have weighed in on these questions and have not shown any clear consensus. However, it is generally …


Reinventing The Wheel: Constructing Ethical Approaches To State Indigent Legal Defense Systems., Bill Piatt Jan 2012

Reinventing The Wheel: Constructing Ethical Approaches To State Indigent Legal Defense Systems., Bill Piatt

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

Indigent defense remains in a state of crisis. Almost fifty years after the Supreme Court's landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, lack of funding, favoritism, inefficiency, and poorly-designed indigent[1]defense plans plague the system, which can best be characterized as being in a state of disrepair. As a result, accused indigent individuals, a vulnerable population, suffer from a lack of adequate representation. This Article reviews the history and implementation of various indigent-defense systems and examines the ethical issues arising from their operation. It offers a guide to reconstructing a model system, including the suggestion that attorneys first recommit the profession to …


Civility And Collegiality—Unreasonable Judicial Expectations For Lawyers As Officers Of The Court?, Lonnie T. Brown Jr. Jan 2012

Civility And Collegiality—Unreasonable Judicial Expectations For Lawyers As Officers Of The Court?, Lonnie T. Brown Jr.

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

It is a well-settled and often-recited fact that lawyers are "officers of the court." That title, however, is notoriously hortatory and devoid of meaning. Nevertheless, the Eleventh Circuit recently took the somewhat unprecedented step of utilizing the officer-of-the-court label to, in effect, sanction an attorney for the purportedly uncivil act of failing to provide defendant attorneys with pre-suit notice. While the author applauds the court's desire to place greater emphasis on lawyer-to-lawyer collegiality as a component of officer-of-the-court status, the uncertainty the decision creates in terms of a lawyer's role will potentially force litigators to compromise important client-centered duties. This …


Malpractice Liability Related To Foreign Outsourcing Of Legal Services., Vincent R. Johnson, Stephen C. Loomis Jan 2012

Malpractice Liability Related To Foreign Outsourcing Of Legal Services., Vincent R. Johnson, Stephen C. Loomis

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

The outsourcing of client-related tasks to service providers in other countries is likely to generate malpractice claims against American law firms. This Article discusses the wide range of theories under which an outsourcing American law firm may be liable for its own negligence or for the actions of outsourcing providers. These theories include negligence by the outsourcing law firm, vicarious liability for the conduct of firm principals and employees, vicarious liability for the conduct of independent contractors, and vicarious liability for the conduct of business partners.


Why Your Secretary Is Really Worth A Million Dollars: Exploring The Harsh Penalty For Not Proofreading Your Fee Agreements In Anglo-Dutch Petroleum V. Greenberg Peden., James M. Parker Jr., J.K. Leonard Jan 2012

Why Your Secretary Is Really Worth A Million Dollars: Exploring The Harsh Penalty For Not Proofreading Your Fee Agreements In Anglo-Dutch Petroleum V. Greenberg Peden., James M. Parker Jr., J.K. Leonard

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

This Article examines the Texas Supreme Court's decision in Anglo-Dutch Petroleum International, Inc. v. Greenberg Peden, P.C. Next, this Article discusses the decision in light of other cases dealing with attorney-client contract issues. Then, an explanation of why the court's decision is inconsistent with other opinions is provided. This Article next analyzes the long-term effects of the Anglo-Dutch decision and the lessons to be learned from the case about drafting contracts and lawyers' obligations to inform clients of material terms. Finally, this Article suggests that the court's decision decreases the legal protection extended to lawyers and holds them closer to …


Order In The Court!: Ethical Conduct In A Criminal Trial Under The Texas Disciplinary Rules., Edward L. Wilkinson Jan 2012

Order In The Court!: Ethical Conduct In A Criminal Trial Under The Texas Disciplinary Rules., Edward L. Wilkinson

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

In a criminal trial, the most common ethical duties implicated are the duty of candor to the tribunal, maintaining the impartiality and integrity of the tribunal, and the fairness of the proceeding as a whole. Under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, these duties are broken down in Rules 3.03, 3.04, 3.05, and 3.06. Attorneys are charged with the responsibility of fully understanding each of these duties in order to interact accordingly with the tribunal. This Article will examine, in detail, each of these rules individually. Additionally, the Article will analyze how each of the rules overlap and coincide …


First, Do No Harm: The Consequences Of Advising Clients About Litigation Alternatives In Medical Malpractice Cases., Katerina P. Lewinbuk Jan 2012

First, Do No Harm: The Consequences Of Advising Clients About Litigation Alternatives In Medical Malpractice Cases., Katerina P. Lewinbuk

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

This Article addresses whether a lawyer's possible duty to inform and advise his client of potential alternative dispute resolution (ADR) options actually leads to better results for doctors in medical malpractice cases. This Article first explains different theories supporting a potential duty and then argues that all such theories praising ADR rely on the assumption that "valuable" alternatives to litigation always exist and are available to all litigants. That notion is arguably not always true for a physician defending against malpractice complaints; thus, the duty becomes almost meaningless in such cases. With the adoption of the National Practitioner Data Bank …


The Roles Of Attorneys As Courtroom Experts: Revisiting The Conventional Limitations And Their Exceptions., David S. Caudill Jan 2012

The Roles Of Attorneys As Courtroom Experts: Revisiting The Conventional Limitations And Their Exceptions., David S. Caudill

St. Mary's Journal on Legal Malpractice & Ethics

This Article examines whether attorneys should be allowed to testify as legal experts, especially in the legal malpractice context. This Article starts by addressing the unclear distinction between questions of law and fact and reviews several recent cases that prohibited expert legal testimony. Next, this Article addresses some general exceptions to the prohibition against expert legal testimony, such as questions of complex and uncertain law. Finally, this Article examines the use of legal experts in legal malpractice cases.


Can Immune Parties Really Be Responsible: An Analysis Of The Current Interpretation Of The Texas Responsible Third Party Statute And Its Vulnerability To Constitutional Challenge., Justin C. Roberts, Randell Roberts Jan 2012

Can Immune Parties Really Be Responsible: An Analysis Of The Current Interpretation Of The Texas Responsible Third Party Statute And Its Vulnerability To Constitutional Challenge., Justin C. Roberts, Randell Roberts

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas Responsible Third Party (RTP) statute was amended in 2003 to give defendants the opportunity to have the jury apportion responsibility for the plaintiff’s damages to persons who were not joined in the lawsuit. A defendant could achieve this result by designating a “responsible third party.” Plaintiffs may often join responsible third parties as additional defendants. Under such situations, all culpable parties are before the court, defending themselves, and accountable to the plaintiff for their percentage of responsibility. When the statute worked in this fashion it achieved “a carefully constructed scheme balancing the interests of both defendants and claimants.” …


Expanding Protective Order Coverage., Kellie K. Player Jan 2012

Expanding Protective Order Coverage., Kellie K. Player

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas legislature should eliminate the relationship requirement for a protective order. Although the Texas legislature passed the Kristy Appleby Act, which expanded the definition of dating violence, some victims of domestic violence may still be unable to qualify for a protective order. Specifically, some third-party individuals in a love triangle may not be eligible to receive a protective order. In Texas, a potential or current victim of domestic abuse needs to demonstrate a relationship with the perpetrator. Despite the broadened definition of relationship, some potential victims may still be unable to meet this burden. If the person cannot, they …


Administrative Procedure For The Twenty-First Century: An Introduction To The 2010 Model State Administrative Procedure Act., John Gedid Jan 2012

Administrative Procedure For The Twenty-First Century: An Introduction To The 2010 Model State Administrative Procedure Act., John Gedid

St. Mary's Law Journal

The National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (ULC) approved the Revised Model State Administrative Procedure Act (2010 MSAPA) in 2010. The model state administrative procedure acts (APA) have been one of the most successful endeavors of the ULC. They have played a major role in encouraging states to incorporate concepts of fairness into state agency procedure statutes and to make express provisions for judicial review of administrative action. Those states that adopted the model acts accomplished fairness goals while bringing efficiency and accuracy into the state administrative process. By providing an overview of the Act’s new features, this …


In-House But Out In The Cold: A Comparison Of The Attorney-Client Privilege In The United States And European Union Comment., Andrew R. Nash Jan 2012

In-House But Out In The Cold: A Comparison Of The Attorney-Client Privilege In The United States And European Union Comment., Andrew R. Nash

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.