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Full-Text Articles in Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility
A Constitutional Amendment Allowing Broader Campaign-Finance Reform Would Not Criminalize Political Satire., Christopher W. Bell
A Constitutional Amendment Allowing Broader Campaign-Finance Reform Would Not Criminalize Political Satire., Christopher W. Bell
St. Mary's Law Journal
Campaign finance remains a perennial issue, because contributions and expenditures define the political campaigns which shape our democracy. While a majority of the American public supports limiting campaign spending, campaign finance reform remains near the bottom of most voters’ priorities. Reformers have called the lack of the public’s interest “[o]ne of the persistent mysteries of campaign finance reform.” Citizens United v. F.E.C. focused national attention on the role of money in politics. Citizens United evoked such strong reactions, because it represents the two competing versions of the concept of freedom of speech: “free speech as serving liberty” and “free speech …
The South Texas Drought And The Future Of Groundwater Use For Hydraulic Fracturing In The Eagle Ford Shale., Taelor A. Allen
The South Texas Drought And The Future Of Groundwater Use For Hydraulic Fracturing In The Eagle Ford Shale., Taelor A. Allen
St. Mary's Law Journal
Texas has undergone a succession of historic droughts, each one creating unique problems and controversies. The state is also one of the largest national producers of oil and gas with the Eagle Ford Shale fields contributing to the production boom. The technique used to extract the oil is called hydraulic fracturing, which requires large volumes of water to be injected at high pressures to “frac” and release gas from an underground formation. The amount of water required places even greater strain on the regional water supply. This Comment highlights legal issues raised by the high volumes of groundwater used for …
Removal Of Independent Executors: Examining The Standard In Texas After The Addition Of Material Conflict Of Interest To Section 149c Of The Texas Probate Code., Elizabeth R. Kopecki
Removal Of Independent Executors: Examining The Standard In Texas After The Addition Of Material Conflict Of Interest To Section 149c Of The Texas Probate Code., Elizabeth R. Kopecki
St. Mary's Law Journal
The State of Texas permits independent executors to operate with minimal court supervision. This allows executors to administer an estate with as little cost and delay as possible. Sometimes executors abuse this limited supervision and fail to manage estates properly. Fortunately, there are particular circumstances outlined in the Texas Probate Code which allow courts to step in and remove these harmful executors. Since the adoption of section 149C to the Texas Probate Code, grounds for removal have remained relatively specific. Recently, the legislature has added a new ground: “material conflict of interest.” Though no bright-line rule exists, there is precedent …
The Constitutionality Of Collateral Post-Conviction Claims Of Actual Innocence Comment., Craig M. Jacobs
The Constitutionality Of Collateral Post-Conviction Claims Of Actual Innocence Comment., Craig M. Jacobs
St. Mary's Law Journal
The notion that the state can punish innocent people disrupts public confidence in the usefulness of the criminal justice system. If, by legislative design, the criminal justice system is not concerned with or is accepting of situations where innocent people are punished by the state, should courts take immediate action? Once criminal defendants exhaust the appellate process, Supreme Court Justices have stated, federal courts should not hear claims of actual innocence. Such statements are supported by the federal habeas corpus statute as amended by the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA). AEDPA requires federal habeas courts to …
Respecting The Concept And Limited Liability Of A Series Llc In Texas Comment., Bernie R. Kray
Respecting The Concept And Limited Liability Of A Series Llc In Texas Comment., Bernie R. Kray
St. Mary's Law Journal
The primary advantage of a limited liability company (LLC) is to shield owners from personal liability for the contract and tort obligations of their business entities. To further protect business assets, practitioners often advised clients to form multiple LLCs, each containing single assets. Yet, business owners managing multiple assets and LLCs often found this approach ineffective and cost-prohibitive. Allowing for a single “master” LLC to compartmentalize different series of properties without the need for a distinct holding company, the “series” LLC was the next step. The series LLC permits companies to partition assets and liabilities among various cells or “series,” …
Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code Sec. 41.0105: A Time For Clarification Comment., April Y. Quinones
Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code Sec. 41.0105: A Time For Clarification Comment., April Y. Quinones
St. Mary's Law Journal
The language of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 41.0105 is by no means clear. Most Texas practitioners refer to it as the “paid-or-incurred statute.” This is due to the statue stating that recovery of medical or health care expenses are limited to the amount actually paid or incurred by or on behalf of the claimant. Yet, Texas trial lawyers and judges are perplexed by what the statute truly means. Causing further concern, most Texas practitioners do not appear to understand how the statute should be applied. At the center of the debate lies the collateral-source rule and …
Deliberately Defrauding Investors: The Scope Of Liability Comment., Andrew R. Simank
Deliberately Defrauding Investors: The Scope Of Liability Comment., Andrew R. Simank
St. Mary's Law Journal
Since the Enron debacle, shareholders have increasingly filed suit in state and federal courts to recoup financial losses resulting from fraudulent representations made by failing corporations. These shareholders have advanced common law misrepresentation claims against publicly traded companies for alleged fraudulent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. Originally, the scope of liability for common law fraud was very narrow. This scope was later broadened in an attempt to provide protection to individuals commonly victimized by fraudulent behavior. Texas courts have gone to great lengths to ensure the “expectation of influencing conduct” requirement for common law fraud requires more than …
Technical Problem: How City Of Dallas V. Dallas Morning News, Lp Exposed A Major Loophole In The Texas Public Information Act Comment., Alexander J. Yoakum
Technical Problem: How City Of Dallas V. Dallas Morning News, Lp Exposed A Major Loophole In The Texas Public Information Act Comment., Alexander J. Yoakum
St. Mary's Law Journal
The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) grants everyone a statutory right to access records of a governmental body unless disclosure would violate the law. Generally, TPIA is construed broadly to favor disclosure, but the rise of modern technology like email and text messaging reveals how dated TPIA truly is. According to the recent City of Dallas v. Dallas Morning News, LP, a governmental body is not required to release any business-related electronic communications sent via personal devices. This means governmental employees can conduct official business via personal email or cell phone without being subject to disclosure provisions, unless the requester …
Ethical Issues Associated With Multidisciplinary Practices In Texas., Michael Kelly
Ethical Issues Associated With Multidisciplinary Practices In Texas., Michael Kelly
St. Mary's Law Journal
In 2000, the American Bar Association House of Delegates voted to uphold the ban on multidisciplinary practices (MDPs) set out in Rule 5.4 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (Model Rules). In 2009, the ABA announced the creation of the Ethics 20/20 Commission to review the Model Rules in the context of globalization. The Commission announced it was looking into alternative business structures, including MDPs. In an MDP a client can seek the advice of several professionals with experience in different disciplines working in a single business. Under Rule 5.4, a lawyer is prohibited from sharing legal fees with …
Should Texas's Former Ban On Obscene-Device Promotion Pass Constitutional Muster Under A Murky Lawrence Comment., Laura M. Clark
Should Texas's Former Ban On Obscene-Device Promotion Pass Constitutional Muster Under A Murky Lawrence Comment., Laura M. Clark
St. Mary's Law Journal
When the Fifth Circuit freed Texans to promote and distribute sexual devices without criminal penalties, it created a split with the Eleventh Circuit’s decision to uphold Alabama’s ban. Both courts based their rulings on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which invalidated Texas’s statute banning homosexual sodomy. In upholding Alabama’s sex-toy statute in 2007, the Eleventh Circuit found no fundamental right to sexual privacy under Lawrence and held public morality was a sufficiently rational basis for the statute. The court distinguished Lawrence, which dealt with prohibition of private conduct, rather than public commercial activity. The Fifth Circuit …
Patent-Holding Patent Attorneys: Conflicts Of Interests, Confidentiality, And Employment Issues Comment., Ashley R. Presson
Patent-Holding Patent Attorneys: Conflicts Of Interests, Confidentiality, And Employment Issues Comment., Ashley R. Presson
St. Mary's Law Journal
Patents are grants issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) which confer upon the holder, the patentee, patent rights to such intellectual property as inventions, technologies, and processes. Patent rights include the right to exclude others from “making, using, offering for sale, or selling the invention throughout the United States or importing the invention into the United States.” Once the USTPO has granted a patent, the inventor may market the product. Patentees who do not have the funds or time to market the product may profit by conveying the legal rights conferred by the patent to other …
Assault Upon The Citadel Of Privity: The Coexistence Of Strict, Privity And Belt V. Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & (And) Tate, Inc. Comment., C. John Muller Iv
Assault Upon The Citadel Of Privity: The Coexistence Of Strict, Privity And Belt V. Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & (And) Tate, Inc. Comment., C. John Muller Iv
St. Mary's Law Journal
The practicing attorney must have a complete understanding of legal malpractice liability. Managing this risk can be a precarious responsibility when the law is not clearly defined. This is compounded by the steady erosion of attorney-client privity barriers making it easier for third party non-clients to sue lawyers for legal malpractice. This is the current state of matters in Texas since the Texas Supreme Court decided Belt v. Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison & Tate, Inc. on May 5, 2006. The Belt court determined personal representatives of an estate may bring a malpractice claim against the decedent’s attorneys. The Belt court was …
A Pragmatic Look At Mediation And Collaborative Law As Alternatives To Family Law Litigation Comment., Elizabeth F. Beyer
A Pragmatic Look At Mediation And Collaborative Law As Alternatives To Family Law Litigation Comment., Elizabeth F. Beyer
St. Mary's Law Journal
Since close to half the country’s marriages end in divorce, marriage dissolution is quite a lucrative business for attorneys. Also, fewer people are entering marriage in the first place. Fewer marriages combined with more children born out of wedlock create multitudinous legal problems and family disputes centering around those children. In addition to initial divorce filings and suits affecting the parent-child relationship, dissolution of marriage cases often creates additional litigation down the road. As a solution to the problems caused by the expense and toil of this litigation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) offers several options for family disputants. Two popular …
Liability Insurance And Punitive Damages: Does Texas Public Policy Detest This Union Comment., Anthony H. Castillo
Liability Insurance And Punitive Damages: Does Texas Public Policy Detest This Union Comment., Anthony H. Castillo
St. Mary's Law Journal
There is a nationwide debate on whether punitive damages should be insurable. Insuring punitive damages causes courts concern regarding whether a wrongdoer escapes punishment by having the insurer pay for damages attributable to the wrongdoer’s egregious conduct. The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit noted Texas’ public policy does not justify interference with private insurance contracts. The Court determined Texas allows liability insurance contracts to cover punitive damages and declared the inquiry ended. But, in the years since this determination, many Texas appellate courts have contracted the Fifth Circuit’s holding. The shifting discussion among Texas appellate courts …
The Path Of Least Resistance: The Effects Of Groundwater Law's Failure To Evolve With Changing Times Comment., Bruce E. Toppin Iii
The Path Of Least Resistance: The Effects Of Groundwater Law's Failure To Evolve With Changing Times Comment., Bruce E. Toppin Iii
St. Mary's Law Journal
Groundwater is a type of freshwater stored in the earth’s crust which does not flow through underground channels. In Texas, groundwater is becoming highly sought-after, and development of proper management and conservation models is crucial to preserve the resource for future generations. In Texas, ownership of groundwater is governed by the common law doctrine of absolute ownership, commonly mislabeled as the rule of capture. The absolute ownership doctrine still governs groundwater ownership, but its application has been judicially altered to limit the rights of landowners who wish to pump water from beneath their lands. Texas lawmakers also contributed to the …
What We Owe The World Are Thoughtful War-Crimes Trials That Do Justice Without Unduly Jeopardizing Innocent Lives By Compromising Vital Intelligence Comment., Sherry M. Barnash
What We Owe The World Are Thoughtful War-Crimes Trials That Do Justice Without Unduly Jeopardizing Innocent Lives By Compromising Vital Intelligence Comment., Sherry M. Barnash
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, the United States Supreme Court held the military commission convened to try accused terrorist Salim Ahmen Hamdan was unlawful. The Court concluded the Government could not lawfully proceed using established commission rules because the commission differed from courts-martial and did not follow certain aspects of the Geneva Convention. One procedure the Court found troubling was a provision in the Military Commission Order No. 1 which allowed the exclusion of the defendant and his civilian counsel from certain proceedings. Yet, denial of access was nothing new, as three decades prior Congress enacted the Classified Information Procedures Act …
Standefer V. State: The Creation Of The Criminal Defendant's Diminished Right To A Trial By A Fair And Impartial Jury., Esperanza Guzman
Standefer V. State: The Creation Of The Criminal Defendant's Diminished Right To A Trial By A Fair And Impartial Jury., Esperanza Guzman
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Texas, the right of an accused to have an impartial jury is firmly grounded in the voir dire process, the definitive goal of which is to empanel a fair and impartial jury. The right to a fair and impartial jury is bolstered by the voir dire examination. There have been large discrepancies over the types of questions which can be asked during the voir dire process. The court’s attempt to simplify the process of differentiating between proper and improper voir dire questions has “muddied the issue” for court participants and has resulted in the deprivation of a criminal defendant’s …
Restricting Kelo: Will Redefining Blight In Senate Bill 7 Be The Light At The End Of The Tunnel., Adrianne Archer
Restricting Kelo: Will Redefining Blight In Senate Bill 7 Be The Light At The End Of The Tunnel., Adrianne Archer
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Kelo v. City of New London, the United States Supreme Court extended the public use limitation to its most expansive definition yet. The Kelo decision enhanced the Fifth Amendment takings power by allowing the city of New London, Connecticut, to exercise eminent domain power in furtherance of an economic development plan. Notably, the city’s revitalization plan did not include a claim that the area subject to eminent domain was “blighted.” The Fifth Amendment provides that governments may wield the power of eminent domain and take private property for public use but only with just compensation. Generally, private property can …
Hurricane Katrina: The Duties And Responsibilities Of An Attorney In The Wake Of A Natural Disaster The Fifth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Comment., Brenna G. Nava
St. Mary's Law Journal
Hurricane Katrina ravaged the legal system as well as the corporate world by leaving courtrooms and law firms filled with water. In the storm’s aftermath the luckiest law firms were those large enough to have offices in cities other than those directly affected by the hurricane. Many recent disasters have heavily affected the legal system, including flooded basements, office fires, hard drive crashes, terrorist attacks, tornados or earthquakes. And each new disaster brings different consequences. Those who create disaster plans are better equipped to handle and recover from each new series of setbacks. While various firms and courts made plans …
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, …
Unlicensed To Drill: Proposed Renovations To The Texas Residential Construction Commission Act., Justin M. Jackson
Unlicensed To Drill: Proposed Renovations To The Texas Residential Construction Commission Act., Justin M. Jackson
St. Mary's Law Journal
Construction is the largest industry in the United States, and some regard the industry as the engine of the nation’s economy. Only the unavailability of unskilled labor can slow the growth of the construction industry in Texas. As such, Texas has welcomed the construction boom and has enacted statutes to accommodate further industry growth. Texas’ first legislative response came in the form of the Residential Construction Liability Act (RCLA). The RCLA alleviated liability for builders incurred under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). In 2003, the Texas Legislature continued to legislate in favor of builders by passing the Texas Residential …
Qui Tam: Survival Of The Action And Fate Of The Proceeds Following The Death Of The Relator For The King And For Himself ... And His Heirs., Joseph E. Hoffer
Qui Tam: Survival Of The Action And Fate Of The Proceeds Following The Death Of The Relator For The King And For Himself ... And His Heirs., Joseph E. Hoffer
St. Mary's Law Journal
In the market economy of the United States, a large segment of industry is focused on providing goods and services to the government or to the public on behalf of the government. Often, small businesses are preferred to multinational corporations. But, when the actions of a business toward the government involve the myriad methods of deceit and inflating costs and billing, the business’s legitimate actions have turned into fraud against the government. For those employees who witness this fraudulent behavior and wish to act, one option is to file a qui tam action. The action may be brought either by …
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 …
Revised Texas Rule Of Civil Procedure 173: The True Scope Of A Guardian Ad Litem's Representation., Allison P. Mingle
Revised Texas Rule Of Civil Procedure 173: The True Scope Of A Guardian Ad Litem's Representation., Allison P. Mingle
St. Mary's Law Journal
The former statute governing the appointment of a guardian ad litem was ineffective and did not serve as adequate guidance for trial courts or appointees. It failed to outline the specific role a guardian ad litem was to play during a suit and was also unsuccessful at outlining what aspects of litigation a guardian ad litem could and could not participate in during trial or settlement. The former version of the rule allowed for a reasonable fee to compensate the guardian ad litem for services but failed to state specific parameters for judges to determine what “reasonable” means. On the …
Utter Excitement About Nothing: Why Domestic Violence Evidence-Based Prosecution Will Survive Crawford V. Washington., Donna D. Bloom
Utter Excitement About Nothing: Why Domestic Violence Evidence-Based Prosecution Will Survive Crawford V. Washington., Donna D. Bloom
St. Mary's Law Journal
In response to domestic violence involving victims who do not wish to cooperate in the prosecution of their abuser, prosecutors endeavor to frame cases around other evidence establishing a defendant’s guilt regardless of the victim’s testimony. Domestic violence cases set for trial are being thrown out of Texas courts because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reasserts a defendant’s right to confront his accuser in court. Prosecutors believe that strong legal arguments exist to continue successfully prosecuting abusers without the cooperation of the victim at trial. This is through the continued admission of certain hearsay statements, despite Crawford …
Texas Groundwater: Reconciling The Rule Of Capture With Environmental And Community Demands Comment., Stephanie E. Hayes Lusk
Texas Groundwater: Reconciling The Rule Of Capture With Environmental And Community Demands Comment., Stephanie E. Hayes Lusk
St. Mary's Law Journal
In order to avert the depletion of water resources, many states have attempted to enact legislation aimed at promoting water conservation. Such legislation has been known to conflict with outdated principles of property ownership, namely the rule of capture. The rule of capture vests landowners with property rights in water located directly beneath their land. Texas categorizes water based on whether the water flows above or below the surface. Surface water is typically the property of the state, with property owners having no possessory interest in the surface water. Yet, the opposite is true for groundwater, where all rights to …
The Food And Drug Administration's Final Rule On Tobacco Advertising Is All Butt Final: Commercial Speech Doctrine Will Be Tested Once More Under A Stricter Central Hudson Analysis In The Aftermath Of 44 Liquormart, Inc. V. Rhode Island Comment., Joe R. Hinojosa
St. Mary's Law Journal
In 1996 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) promulgated regulations affecting the advertising, sale, and promotion of tobacco. President Clinton supported the FDA’s claim it has the power to regulate tobacco products not as drugs, but as medical delivery devices of nicotine. Meaning tobacco sellers, retailer, distributors, and manufacturers would be subject to strict rules concerning how and where tobacco products may be advertised, distributed, and promoted. Despite the FDA’s claims, these measures were oriented toward discouraging children from smoking. Opponents of the regulations claim the restrictions constitute blatant infringement of commercial speech. The FDA argues that while advertising is …
Distinguishing Fong Yue Ting: Why The Inclusion Of Perjury As An Aggravated Felony Subjecting Legal Aliens To Deportation Under The Antiterrorism And Effective Death Penalty Act Violates The Eighth Amendment Comment., Gregory L. Ryan
St. Mary's Law Journal
Responding to the terrorist bombing in Oklahoma City, Congress spent several months researching and discussing the best ways to strengthen the United States’ ability to deter and punish terrorism. In 1996, Congress sent a bill to the President designed to make the country safer, and President Clinton signed the bill into law: The Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (AEDPA). The AEDPA mandates a foreign national convicted of perjury be deported. Tucked away in the middle of the AEDPA, strict sanctions are imposed on noncitizens who commit perjury or subordination of perjury. In an attempt to strengthen the …
A Tortured Construction: The Illegal Immigration Reform And Immigrant Responsibility Act's Express Bar Denying Criminal Aliens Withholding Of Deportation Defies The Principles Of International Law Comment., Bobbie Marie Guerra
St. Mary's Law Journal
The United States has never fully complied with international agreements concerning refugee’s rights to not be returned to a country where he or she faces certain threats of torture. This lack of compliance by the United States is exacerbated by two conflicting interests: the growing insistence on keeping aliens outside the nation’s borders and protecting international refugees who endure gross violations of their human rights. The recent amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provide a contemporary example of the volatility and inconsistency of the United States’ immigration policy. In April 1996, Congress enacted the Antiterrorism and Effective Death …
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 …