Law Commons^™

New Certiorari And A National Study Of The Appeals Courts, Carl W. Tobias

Law Faculty Publications

Elitism, Expediency, and the New Certiorari: Requiem for the Learned Hand Tradition is a thought-provoking critique of the United States Courts of Appeals. Professors William Richman and William Reynolds maintain that dramatic increases in appellate filings have transformed the appeals courts during the last quarter-century, prompting systemic constriction of procedural opportunities, particularly for parties with few resources or little power. The authors find these changes profoundly troubling and propose that Congress radically expand the number of appellate judges.

Individuals and institutions, such as expert study committees, which have analyzed the federal courts, agree with much of the authors' descriptive assessment. …

"Brownfields Of Dreams?": Challenges And Limits Of Voluntary Cleanup Programs And Incentives, Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

As one of the most important current topics in environmental law, the redevelopment of abandoned or underutilized urban properties, better known as brownfields, continues to generate much discussion and debate. Because most agree that abandoned sites located in aging areas and the accompanying exodus of industry to the suburbs are undesirable, the federal government and many state governments have created programs to encourage the redevelopment of these industrial properties. But often overlooked by the advocates of such programs are the difficult political, scientific, and moral questions associated with redevelopment. In this insightful article, Professor Eisen provides the most comprehensive discussion …

Filling The Federal Courts In An Election Year, Carl W. Tobias

Law Faculty Publications

President Bill Clinton appointed unprecedented numbers and percentages of highly qualified female and minority lawyers to the federal bench during his initial half-term in office, substantially surpassing the records of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Jimmy Carter. The Clinton administration invoked an efficacious, uncontroversial selection process and filled a significant percentage of the 113 judicial openings that existed when it assumed office.

Some federal court observers questioned whether the Chief Executive could maintain this commendable record during his presidency's third year. More specifically, they wondered if Republican Party control of the United States Senate, which must approve nominees, and …

A Sixth Circuit Story, Carl W. Tobias

Law Faculty Publications

At the May 4, 1994 regular meeting of the Judicial Council of the United States Courts for the Sixth Circuit, the Council voted to "suspend further review of local rules until it receives further guidance from Congress, the Judicial Conference of the United States or by case law on the question of whether provisions of the Civil Justice Reform Act take precedence over the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. " By so doing, the Council was ostensibly discharging responsibilities assigned to it by the Judicial Improvements and Access to Justice Act (JIA) of 1988. The JIA requires that every circuit …

State Of The Art In Montana Products Liability Law, Carl W. Tobias

Law Faculty Publications

The United States District Court for the District of Montana recently certified an important question of products liability law to the Montana Supreme Court. United States Senior District Judge Paul J. Hatfield certified the following question:

In a strict products liability case for injuries caused by an inherently unsafe product, is the manufacturer conclusively presumed to know the dangers inherent in his product, or is stateof- the-art evidence admissible to establish whether the manufacturer knew or through the exercise of reasonable human foresight should have known of the danger?

Because the issue of the admissibility of state-of-the-art evidence in a …

Motions For Sanctions Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, William Hamilton Bryson

Law Faculty Publications

For centuries, the legal profession has had rules of professional conduct. Although they were unwritten, they were well known. The rules covered honesty in pleading and practice and also required the general politeness expected of decent people. These rules were not always followed, nor were they always enforced when not followed. Sadly, in modern times, these rules are being disregarded more frequently and the costs to others, both within and outside the profession, are increasing dramatically. This deplorable situation has caught the attention of the organized bar, and codes of professional civility have been issued in recent times. The Virginia …

Dispute Resolution Under The Americans With Disabilities Act: A Report To The Administrative Conference Of The United States, Ann C. Hodges

Law Faculty Publications

Congress passed the Americans With Disabilities Act ("ADA") in 1990 and it became effective in 1992.The statute prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by employers, state and local governments, and public accommodations. With more than two years experience under the statute, an assessment of the effectiveness of the dispute resolution procedures is appropriate. This Article begins with a brief overview of the statute, including an analysis of the dispute resolution procedure under each title. The report then discusses the effectiveness of existing dispute resolution procedures. Finally the report makes recommendations for improving the dispute resolution procedures, including a specific recommendation …