Environmental Law Commons^™

Biodiversity In And Around Mcelligot's Pool, Sandra B. Zellmer, Scott A. Johnson

Faculty Law Review Articles

No abstract provided.

Controlling Toxic Harms: The Struggle Over Dioxin Contamination In The Pulp And Paper Industry, William Boyd

Publications

This essay addresses the challenges of controlling toxic harms through an intensive case study of efforts to regulate and remedy dioxin contamination in the U.S. pulp and paper industry. By focusing on the struggle to control a specific toxic harm in a specific industrial sector, the essay explores the politicized nature of toxic harms in the United States and, in the process, highlights the considerable shortcomings of existing legal frameworks and institutions for dealing with problems of such scope and complexity. In doing so, the essay raises a host of normative issues regarding current institutional arrangements and the appropriate strategy …

Brownfields Redevelopment, Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

Critiquing how brownfields programs expanded without much attention to developments in the international environmental arena will illustrate some ways to alter them to comport with Agenda 21 and other prerequisites for sustainable development. Another interesting aspect of this analysis for the Rio+ 10 review is its timing. The state and federal programs have mushroomed since 1992; for example, while a small of states had "voluntary cleanup programs" 10 years ago, virtually every state has one now, and there is considerable increasing experience with them. If adjustments to these programs should be developed to comport with the prescriptions of Agenda 21 …

The Precautionary Principle: Development Of An International Standard, Sonia Boutillon

Michigan Journal of International Law

This Note characterizes and evaluates the current status of the precautionary principle in international law and suggests how it could be more effectively incorporated into bodies of law such as trade law. Much of the literature focuses on whether the principle is a legal rule. This Note shows that precaution need not necessarily fit into the traditional categories of international legal sources' but may derive its legal force from being interpreted as a standard. While the theme-and thesis-of this Note will strike some as provocative, it will appear as an understatement to others, thereby reflecting the ongoing controversy about the …

Legal Obstacles To Private Ordering In Marine Fisheries, Jonathan H. Adler

Faculty Publications

Part II of this Article surveys the challenges of marine conservation, the failures of existing regulatory regimes, and the potential for property rights in marine resources. Part III discusses the nature of private ordering, providing examples that arise from the fisheries context. Part IV discusses how legal rules can inhibit private ordering. That section focuses in particular on how antitrust law has impeded cooperative fishery management. Part V then explores possibilities for overcoming antitrust obstacles to private ordering. This Article concludes with some broader thoughts about the implications of this research for resource conservation.

The National Wildlife Refuge System And The Hallmarks Of Modern Organic Legislation, Robert L. Fischman

Articles by Maurer Faculty

This article explores the origins and precise meaning of the term "organic act," which is widely used in public land law. The evolution in the meaning of the term reflects larger shifts in the role of legislation in public resource management. The article illustrates this with an analysis of the 1997 Refuge Improvement Act, a substantial revision of the charter for the Refuge System and the first major statute governing public land management enacted since the 1970s.

The Refuge System's "dominant use" regime is an important model for sustainable resource management. The article describes this regime in the context of …

A Case Study Of Sustainable Development: Brownfields, Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

Critiquing how brownfields programs expanded without much attention to developments in the international environmental arena will illustrate some ways to alter them to comport with Agenda 21 and other prerequisites for sustainable development. Another interesting aspect of this analysis for the Rio + 10 review is its timing. The state and federal programs have mushroomed since 1992; for example, while a small minority of states had "voluntary cleanup programs" 10 years ago, virtually every state has one now, and there is considerable and increasing experience with them. If adjustments to these programs should be developed to comport with the prescriptions …

International Environmental Law And Emotional Rational Choice, Peter H. Huang

Publications

This paper considers how emotions can foster compliance by rational actors with international environmental law. Many environmental issues are highly emotionally charged. Both supporters of and opponents to international environmental law often feel very strongly about their positions and views. A psychological game-theoretic model focuses on the disciplinary role that losing face may play in compliance with international environmental law. This model implies that non-compliance, especially by high-profile international actors, should be highly and swiftly publicized upon detection and verification. The model also explains why actors care so much about soft, that is, non-binding international environmental law, such as international …

Michigan V. United States Environmental Protection Agency: The Power Of Epa In Curing The Difficulty Downwind, Erika Jean Doyle

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Waste Management Holdings V. Gilmore: The Anything But Dormant Problem Of Interstate Waste, Mia Korot

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Adjucating Sustainability: New Zealand's Environment Court, Bret C. Birdsong

Scholarly Works

New Zealand's Resource Management Act of 1991 (“RMA”) placed the island nation on the world's cutting edge of environmental management by making sustainability the law of the land. The RMA also presents an opportunity to examine a less heralded New Zealand innovation in environmental governance: a specialized, expert court that is focused exclusively on resolving environmental disputes. The Environment Court is a critical institution in New Zealand's effort to move toward sustainable management of the environment. Exercising broad powers to review most of the fundamental issues arising under the RMA, the Court is the primary arbiter of whether activities and …

Environmental Law—Clean Water Act—The Supreme Court Scales Back The Army Corps Of Engineers' Jurisdiction Over "Navigable Waters" Under The Clean Water Act. Solid Waste Agency V. United States Army Corps Of Engineers, 531 U.S. 159 (2001)., Margaret A. Johnston

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Arizona V. California: Riding The Wave Of Federal Riparianism, Heather R. Brinton

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Seeing Red: Gibbs V. Babbitt, Edward A. Fitzgerald

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Bragg V. West Virginia Mining Association: The Eleventh Amendment Challenge To Mountaintop Coal Mining, Michael G. Crotty

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Environmental Protection Information Center V. The Simpson Timber Company: Who Is The Ninth Circuit Really Protecting With Section 10 Of The Endangered Species Act, Dina Cortese

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Environmental Justice In An Era Of Devolved Collaboration , Sheila R. Foster

Faculty Scholarship

Environmental decision-making is undergoing a profound shift. Traditional forums and processes are being displaced by mechanisms emphasizing local, "place-based" decision-making. These emerging decision-making mechanisms are orchestrated through collaborative processes featuring stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. This transformation is evident in a number of recent governmental initiatives, including those by the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA"), most notably its Community-Based Environmental Protection ("CBEP") initiative. Other federal agencies, particularly those with land or species management responsibilities, have similarly advocated a greater role for local decision-makers and collaborative problem-solving. This Article examines the points of convergence and divergence between devolved collaboration …

Defeating Environmental Law: The Geology Of Legal Advantage, William H. Rodgers, Jr.

Articles

My talk today will: (1) introduce the metaphor of geology, (2) suggest to you that complexity has "gainers" as well as "losers," and (3) show you how environmental laws can be defeated by these twin engines of complexity and clever human adversaries.

[Third Annual Lloyd K. Garrison Lecture on Environmental Law, Pace University School of Law.]

Problem Of Unraveling: Biodiversity And Private Property In Land, Dale Goble

Articles

No abstract provided.

Protecting Intrastate Threatened Species: Does The Endangered Species Act Encroach On Traditional State Authority And Exceed The Outer Limits Of The Commerce Clause, Bradford Mank

Faculty Articles and Other Publications

After the Supreme Court decided Lopez, a number of commentators speculated about its impact on the Endangered Species Act. This Article reexamines the issue in light of Morrison and SWANCC. Part V demonstrates that, even after Lopez, Morrison, and SWANCC, the Commerce Clause reaches federal regulation of intrastate endangered or threatened species because conservation of such species has traditionally been a shared federal and state function that recognizes the legitimacy of federal regulation whenever the need for preservation is great and states have failed to address important conservation issues. Additionally, Part V shows federal regulation of endangered or threatened species …

Federalism In Environmental Protection, Peter A. Appel

Scholarly Works

In the last seven years, the Supreme Court has decided several cases that potentially alter the balance between the states and the federal government. Although these decisions have generated much controversy, in some ways they only address some important federalism questions at the periphery. Professor Appel examines four areas of environmental law that the recent decisions either only inform or do not address at all: cleanup of hazardous waste sites; the effect of state enforcement actions on citizen enforcement brought under federal environmental laws; the effect of state enforcement actions on federal enforcement actions; and the management of federal lands …

An Essay On The Tort Of Negligent Infliction Of Emotion Distress In Texas: Stop Saying It Does Not Exist., Charles E. Cantu

St. Mary's Law Journal

The injury of emotional distress is an interesting tort, which has long perplexed the Anglo-American system of jurisprudence. While, originally, allegations of this kind did not constitute a cause of action, today, there is no question that an injured plaintiff may recover for the infliction of emotional distress. The majority and minority positions differ now only on what must be alleged and proved. Texas was the first jurisdiction in the United States to allow recovery for mental anguish. However, in 1993 in the case of Boyles v. Kerr, the Texas Supreme Court appeared to depart from the majority view when …

Appeals From Pleas Of Guilty And Nolo Contendere: History And Procedural Considerations., Kevin Yeary

St. Mary's Law Journal

The changing history of appeal rights—made through decisional interpretation by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals—highlights the importance of staying current on interpretations of procedural and substantive rules. Lawyers owe their clients a duty to understand the history of the right to appeal from a conviction following a guilty plea. Additionally, they owe their clients a duty to understand substantive and procedural requirements for maintaining such appeals, as well as to stay abreast of changes affecting these appeals. Recently, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals handed down several opinions drastically reshaping the landscape for appeals following pleas of guilty and …

The Decision In United States V. Brown: The Fifth Circuit Interprets Justice Is Blind Literally., Robert M. Anselmo

St. Mary's Law Journal

In United States v. Brown, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the district courts use of anonymous jury orders. The use of anonymous juries, however, is either a necessary protection for jury members or an unfair procedural practice. The Fifth Circuit’s support for anonymous juries included concerns over threats, intimidation, and possible attempts to influence juror members in order to secure a favorable verdict. The promise of a jury of one's peers is a cornerstone of the United States judicial system. Implicit in this guarantee is the assurance of an impartial jury. Nonetheless, a jury that sits in fear may not fulfill …

Doctrine Of Equivalents: Is Festo The Right Decision For The Biomedical Industry., Faith S. Fillman

St. Mary's Law Journal

The doctrine of equivalents, which Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co. threatens to overturn, is an equitable doctrine and should therefore provide patentees and competitors equal and fair protection. Prior to Festo, the Federal Circuit used two approaches: the complete bar rule and the flexible bar rule. Under the complete bar rule, the author must completely copy the patented art for infringement to occur, this is otherwise known as literal infringement. In contrast, under the flexible bar rule, infringement can occur if the product is closely related to the prior art. Federal Circuits have officially adopted the complete …

Summary Of Recent Developments In Texas Legal Malpractice Law Symposium: Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Steve Mcconnico, Robyn Bigelow

St. Mary's Law Journal

Although the number of malpractice suits may not be increasing, the way plaintiffs are pleading these suits is changing dramatically and resulting in increased potential for attorney liability. Recent changes in the nature of liability led to increased potential for damages and a trend of high dollar settlements in malpractice cases. These changes may significantly impact the ability of lawyers in Texas to avoid liability while representing clients and preserving client confidences. Texas law generally limits malpractice claims to clients against their attorneys; but non-clients are increasingly succeeding in creatively pleading causes of action by alleging fraud, conspiracy, and negligent …

Ethics: Lawyering And Professionalism., Broadus A. Spivey

St. Mary's Law Journal

Because public perception is a major issue that confronts the legal community, Texas encourages lawyers to maintain a civil, professional, and courteous environment. The work of lawyers may be divided into three parts: first, a lawyer must consider several factors when communicating with a potential client; second, a lawyer must attend to the creation of the lawyer-client relationship; and third, a lawyer must effectively manage the lawyer-client relationship. The rules of ethical deportment for attorneys are contained in the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, which specifically address barratry and similar offenses related to the improper solicitation of potential clients. …

Fortifying A Law Firm's Ethical Infrastructure: Avoiding Legal Malpractice Claims Based On Conflicts Of Interest Symposium: Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Susan Saab Fortney, Jett Hanna

St. Mary's Law Journal

This article addresses the prevailing problem of malpractice claims based on conflicts of interest. Part I of this article introduces the topic by underscoring the seriousness of all conflicts of interest and recommending preventative action. Part II describes measures that law firms can take to detect and manage conflicts and analyzes the effect of the firm’s ability to avoid conflicts claims on a firm’s ethical infrastructure. Part III focuses on some of the most common conflicts situations that result in malpractice claims and sanctions. The discussion includes selected conflicts cases that illustrate problems and patterns. Part IV concludes by urging …

Shoot Out At The Not-O.K. Corral Or Privileged Client Communications - Lost And Found In Texas., Walter W. Steele Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

Texas’s solutions to inadvertently disclosed privileged material are unworkable. Confidentiality of client information is a bedrock of the legal profession. Nonetheless, some confidential information invariably leaks out. The most common leak occurs when a lawyer inadvertently includes privileged material in boxes of documents produced in response to a legitimate discovery request. After the opposing lawyer finds the “hot documents” in the box, the problems begin. The Texas Supreme Court adopted what amounts to the reasonable precautions test in Granada Corp. v. First Court of Appeals. The cornerstone of the Granada holding is the involuntary nature of the production of the …

Toward A More Effective Standard Of Review: The Potential Effect Of Burdine V. Johnson On Legal Malpractice In Texas., Rebecca A. Copeland

St. Mary's Law Journal

If the presence of a sleeping attorney is so egregious as to result in a reversal of a criminal conviction, it is surely enough to warrant the imposition of civil damages upon the same attorney. A recent trend of cases in which criminal defendants alleged ineffective assistance of counsel—due to sleeping attorneys—resulted in courts being unable to create a uniform analysis for ineffective assistance of counsel. The Sixth Amendment protects a criminal defendant’s right to effective assistance of counsel, and the Supreme Court has devised a two-prong analysis by which claims of ineffective assistance must be reviewed. Burdine v. Johnson …