Law Commons^™

Demystifying The Determination Of Foreign Law In U.S. Courts: Opening The Door To A Greater Global Understanding, Matthew J. Wilson

Akron Law Faculty Publications

With globalization and the proliferation of international commercial interaction, U.S. courts commonly encounter issues governed by the laws of other sovereigns. These encounters arise by virtue of private agreements or choice-of-law rules covering contractual relationships, cross-border conduct, tortuous acts, employment matters, intellectual property rights, and various other legal foundations. Because the substantive law applied in an international lawsuit can be outcome-determinative, it is important to accurately ascertain and determine the relevant law. In fact, the proper functioning of private international law in a domestic system is based on the appropriate application of law.

U.S. federal and state courts are presumed …

Judicial Campaign Financing: An Ever Present Threat To Judicial Independence, Sarah J. Morath

Akron Law Faculty Publications

The different processes by which state judges are selected is an increasingly popular topic for discussion amongst legal scholars and practitioners. While many law review articles and discussions advocate for one method of judicial selection over the other, this article addresses one specific and significant concern with the elective method: campaign financing.2 As this article explains, campaign financing can impair judicial independence and inhibit fair and impartial decisions. Fortunately, the appointive system is insulated from the pressures and problems associated with campaign financing, a benefit which is all the more evident today when everyone, including judges, face difficult economic times. …