Digital Commons Network^™

Should I Stay Or Should I Go? The National Flood Insurance Program And Where We Go When The Next Storm Hits, Kevin Fitzpatrick

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

In Spring, Texas, there is a house that has flooded twenty times due to heavy rain and flooding, resulting in National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) payouts totaling over $912,000 to cover the repairs. This house’s current value is $42,000, so the payouts have dwarfed its value by over nineteen times. The story of this home is indicative of an ongoing crisis regarding the NFIP, but also a larger crisis of how we manage the risks of flooding in the United States. Flooding causes more damage in the United States than any other severe weather-related event, costing an average of $5 …

High Stakes On The High Seas: Sailing Through Mdlea Jursidictional Waters, Sean Kim

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

This article argues that what makes the difference in success between these two regimes is how strictly the scientific advice underlying catch limits the advice is adhered to, and the influences allowed unto decisionmakers in the catch limit negotiation process. Whereas the United States uses the scientific advice about the MSY as a strict upper limit in determining annual catch limits, the EU does not. This allows stakeholders in the EU’s CFP governance, in particular fishing industry actors, to influence regulators to raise TACs above adequately precautionary levels in the name of “balancing” sustainable fishing with short-term economic interests. The …

"Tac-Ing" On Coherence: Achieving Sustainable Baltic Sea Fisheries Management By Hooking Precautionary Science And Greater Transparency In Eu Total Catch Negotiations, Patrick Seroogy

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

This article argues that what makes the difference in success between these two regimes is how strictly the scientific advice underlying catch limits the advice is adhered to, and the influences allowed unto decisionmakers in the catch limit negotiation process. Whereas the United States uses the scientific advice about the MSY as a strict upper limit in determining annual catch limits, the EU does not. This allows stakeholders in the EU’s CFP governance, in particular fishing industry actors, to influence regulators to raise TACs above adequately precautionary levels in the name of “balancing” sustainable fishing with short-term economic interests. The …

A Response To China'a "Legal Assessment Of U.S. Views On "Freedom Of Navigation", Raul Pete Pedrozo

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

In August 2025, the China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA) conducted a legal assessment of U.S. views on freedom of navigation. CIMA concluded that U.S. views on freedom of navigation lack “a basis in international law,” “seriously distort[] the interpretation and development of international law,” and embody “distinct illegality, unreasonableness, and double standards.” Part 1 of the assessment provides an overview of U.S. views on freedom of navigation. Part 2 “analyzes the gaps between U.S. perceptions of navigational rights and related practices and the rules of international law.” Part 3 “analyzes the legality of U.S. restrictions on the rights of …

Alternative Marine Fuels And Mrv Liability Under Unclos Part Xii, Andrey Chernov

Ocean and Coastal Law Journal

Shipping’s decarbonization depends not only on adopting alternative fuels but also on the reliability of the monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems that underpin compliance. Ammonia, hydrogen, methanol, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) each introduce distinctive risks of error at the stages of certification, custody transfer, onboard measurement, and verification. At the same time, maritime law is increasingly data-driven. The International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) depend on reported fuel-use data, while the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime Regulation impose direct financial penalties for inaccurate reporting. This …

Fifteen Reasons Why Patent Owners Might Prefer Their Patents Be Challenged At The Ptab Rather Than The Cru, Matthew Phillips, Laurence And Phillips Ip Law

Chicago-Kent Journal of Intellectual Property

No abstract provided.

The Institutional Production Of Ethical War Across Modern Conflict, Katerina Udov

Binghamton University Undergraduate Journal

This paper argues that modern warfare operates through an ethical infrastructure that enables, rather than restrains, the use of violence. Contrary to the common assumption that moral frameworks such as Just War Theory function as safeguards against harm, the historical record shows that ethical language, humanitarian rhetoric, and democratic narratives serve as mechanisms to legitimize intervention, manufacture consent, and naturalize civilian suffering. Through case studies including Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, U.S.-backed coups in Latin America, and French intervention in Mali, the paper traces how political leaders, media institutions, and corporate actors frame war as a moral necessity while pursuing strategic and …

Shanghai In The 1930s, The German Civil Code And The Tragic Story Of A Brilliant Legal Mind, Lutz-Christian Wolff

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

From Vulnerability To Justice: Reframing Indigenous Disaster Recovery Through A Human Rights-Based Lens, Portia Ozioma Chigbu

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

Indigenous populations regard their cultural identity as central to their way of life, and their traditional lifestyles often place them in remote areas, isolating them from mainstream society. This isolation creates a unique set of human rights challenges, such as limited access to healthcare, restricted political representation, housing insecurity, and poor living conditions, making them especially vulnerable compared to other groups. In the context of climate change and the rising frequency of natural disasters worldwide, these vulnerabilities become more protracted and intensified. Since Indigenous populations already face structural disadvantages before disasters strike, such events deepen their vulnerabilities, increase their risk …

The Art Of Misuse: Could The European Union Benefit From The U.S. Copyright Doctrine?, Isabella Fazio

Notre Dame Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.

Direct Representation And Negotiorum Gestio In Scots Law, Jonathan Brown

Journal of Civil Law Studies

The Scottish Court of Session recognized, in 1887, that “it is a frequent case, if a man is not able to manage his affairs, and has a relative who is willing to take the responsibility, there are many instances in which, without their coming to the court… the management goes on with his assistance.” This being an arguably frequent occurrence has not resulted in it being a commonly litigated occurrence, and the topic of law engaged by this state of affairs—negotiorum gestio—is critically understudied within Scotland (and, arguably, other Civilian and mixed legal systems). Like Louisiana, Scotland is a ‘mixed’ …

Collaboration, Coopération Et Intérêt Commun : La Fluidité De L’Exigence De Bonne Foi En Droit Égyptien Et Français Des Contrats, Rana Mohammad Safi

Journal of Civil Law Studies

Le contrat, étant la source d’obligation primordiale dans la société, a connu une évolution remarquable depuis le XIXe siècle. Créant des obligations réciproques, le contrat peut être perçu sous un prisme antagoniste, chaque contractant veillant à ses propres intérêts avant les intérêts du cocontractant. Cependant, le droit des obligations connut une émergence des devoirs contractuels, notamment avec l’introduction de la bonne foi, renforcée au cours du temps pour inclure, en plus de l’honnêteté, les devoirs d’information, de loyauté et de coopération. Certains ont même considéré que cette évolution a conduit à une « crise du contrat » affaiblissant le fondement …

Civil Code Reforms And Sources Of Law: The French And Quebec Experience Compared, Pascale Deumier, Mathieu Devinat

Journal of Civil Law Studies

Can civil codes be reformed “like any other piece of legislation?” A comparison of the French and Quebec experiences illustrates the methodological challenges that arose from civil code reform projects for the Civil Code of Québec during the last two Centuries. It also reveals the complex relationship that jurists have with “their” own civil code, in a civil law context.

The Civil Law English Terminology (Civlet), A Louisiana Gift To The World, Olivier Moreteau

Journal of Civil Law Studies

In the early 19th century, Louisiana codified its civil law in French and in English. In the 20th century, it translated French civilian doctrine and then produced its own civilian literature in English. Over time, lawmakers and translators have crafted and refined new English legal terminology suited to expressing civilian concepts, thereby setting aside common law terminology. Quebec joined the process once Canada imposed bilingualism, while other English-speaking mixed jurisdictions also contributed. This article shows how, outside the common law English terminology (COMLET), a civil law English terminology (CIVLET) is developing, and is also enriched by a comparative law English …

Digital Surveillance In Remote Work In Ukraine: Privacy And Labor Law, Olena Sereda, Olena Ye. Lutsenko, Dmytro Sirokha, Liubov Kotova, Iliana V. Zinovatna

Journal of Civil Law Studies

This study aims to examine the balance between employers’ rights to monitor employee performance and employees’ rights to privacy in the context of remote work, emphasizing the transformation of labor relations under the influence of digitalization, the COVID-19 pandemic, and martial law in Ukraine.
The research applies comparative legal analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction to explore international experiences, particularly those of the EU and the United States, and their applicability to Ukrainian labor legislation. The methodology integrates doctrinal legal research with an interdisciplinary perspective on digital governance and employment law.
The paper reveals a significant gap in Ukrainian labor law …

Jurisprudential Approach To The Concept Of Intent In Greek Law 3869/2010 (Personal Bankruptcy) With Comparative Perspectives, Andreas-Nikolaos Koukoulis

Journal of Civil Law Studies

Under Law 3869/2010 in Greece, fraud plays a central role in determining eligibility for debt relief. The law aims to protect individuals from banking practices that have led them to over-indebtedness, except for those who know they cannot or do not wish to repay their debts. Fraud is defined as a subjective element that must be proven by the creditor, highlighting behaviors such as willful avoidance of payments despite having the means to do so. The evaluation of the debtor's actions is examined for intent, particularly considering factors such as the debtor's lack of experience or understanding. Greek courts emphasize …

Clark V. Marin, 142 Nev. Adv. Op. 47 (July 2, 2026), Francesca Manz

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Nevada Supreme Court held that contingency fees are incurred as work is performed, requiring NRCP 68 attorney-fee awards to exclude pre-offer work, and that a judgment debtor’s claims against an insurer become assignable when final judgment is entered.

An Evaluation Of The “Police Response To Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Operations” Online Training Program, Anthony Galante, Leila Halawi

Publications

This study evaluates the impact of the “Police Response to Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Operations” online training program of officers from the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD). By measuring the effectiveness of the training through pretest and posttest assessments and considering variables such as educational background, length of service, and rank, this research underscores the training’s potential to enhance UAS response capabilities. Employing a self-selection sampling method, the study engaged 82 voluntary participants from the DBPD, revealing significant improvement across all groups in UAS knowledge and confidence levels. Despite limitations, these findings offer compelling evidence of the training’s efficacy and advocate …

Courts, Science, And The Problem Of Accountable Knowledge: A Review Of Judicial Policy Making, Empirical Data And Scientific Evidence: Can Courts Manage The Twenty-First Century?, Rishabh Kachroo

Indian Journal of Law and Technology

This review reads Rob van Gestel, Jurgen de Poorter, and Edward L. Rubin’s edited volume titled Judicial Policy Making, Empirical Data and Scientific Evidence: Can Courts Manage the Twenty-First Century? as a timely intervention into the evidentiary and institutional demands placed on contemporary courts. It argues that the volume’s key contribution lies in treating courts as knowledge institutions and its strongest suit lies in showing the limits of judicial intuition, anecdote, and inherited legal categories in dealing with such disputes. While the volume is left wanting in its account of knowledge accountability, it would nonetheless be important for scholars of …

The Effect Of Environmental Frugal Innovation On Consumers’ Eco-Responsible Behaviour In Togo, Preabalo Essokobré N’Danida, Doman Gnoufougou

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This research examines the effect of environmental frugal innovation on consumers' eco-responsible behaviour. A mixed approach was adopted, using a questionnaire and a non-probability convenience sampling technique. Structural equation modelling results show that three dimensions—cost efficiency, functional simplicity and local embeddedness—have a positive and significant effect on consumers' eco-responsible behaviour, validating the corresponding hypotheses. By contrast, environmental impact and social impact do not show significant effects. The study concludes by identifying limitations and suggesting future research directions, particularly on how accessible and locally adapted innovations can encourage more responsible consumption in developing countries.

Microfinance And Financial Inclusion: A Multilevel Analysis Of Barriers Related To Repayment Delays According To Individual And Regional Profiles – The Case Of Al Amana Microfinance, Meryem Massine, Hajar El-Mahdad, Youssef Bouazizi

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

This article examines the determinants of repayment delays in Moroccan microfinance using an original administrative database of 476,145 borrowers financed by Al Amana between 2010 and 2022. Combining count models and a multilevel approach, the analysis shows that repayment discipline results from a combination of individual, contractual and territorial factors. The findings indicate that women, older borrowers, more educated clients and borrowers with accumulated credit experience have significantly fewer arrears, while larger loan amounts, some marital profiles and agricultural activities increase the risk of delay. The multilevel model shows that 6.49% of the variance in arrears is explained by regional …

Reconfiguring Civil Society Organization Governance Models For Social Inclusion And Sustainable Innovation: Practical Contributions Of The Tamuri Programme, Oussama El Hadfi, Mostafa Kharbachi

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

Today, civil society organizations (CSOs) play a decisive role in promoting social innovation and reducing inequalities, particularly in disadvantaged territories. Aware of their potential, several support and guidance schemes have emerged to strengthen their impact. The Tamuri programme, led by the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (MCISE) and co-funded by the European Union, is part of this dynamic through structured and personalized support for CSOs from diverse territorial contexts. Despite these efforts, many organizations still face difficulties related to governance, financial structuring and the sustainability of their actions. This article aims to analyze, through an empirical approach and …

Comparative Approach To Inclusion Models In Social Policies In Mena Countries, Taoufik El Idrissi, Omar Raji, Zouhir Tassi, Anas Ouachani

Revue Marocaine de Droit, d'Economie et de Gestion (Moroccan Journal of Law, Economics and Management)

Social inclusion policies in Global South countries vary widely according to political choices, historical contexts and development models. This paper provides a comparative analysis of inclusion models in social policies in the MENA region, drawing on human development theories and comparative institutionalism. It discusses three main paradigms: universalist inclusion, targeted inclusion and capacity-based inclusion. The analysis shows how inclusion logics are shaped by international agendas, internal political configurations and interactions between civil society and public actors. It also highlights the strengths and limits of each model in reducing social inequalities and opens a discussion on hybrid, locally grounded inclusive policies.

From Chainsaws To Courtrooms: Corporate Climate Litigation And Deforestation In Brazil, Maria Antonia Tigre, Mariana Barbosa Cirne

Sabin Center for Climate Change Law

Corporate climate litigation has emerged as one of the most dynamic and high profile tools for addressing the private sector’s role in the climate crisis. While much of the scholarship and public debate has centered on cases in the United States and Europe, litigation targeting corporations in the Global South — particularly Brazil — has grown rapidly, both in volume and significance. Brazil now ranks among the world’s top jurisdictions for corporate climate damage claims. These suits have pioneered methods for quantifying climate damages, often from illegal deforestation, and have tested the reach of the civil liability regime in novel …

Made In America, Hidden By Ai: Ai Shopping Chatbots Reveal How Amazon And Walmart Hurt American Manufacturers And Deceive Shoppers, Erie Meyer, Zachary Harris

Center for Law and the Economy

This article investigates the capabilities of two AI shopping agents — Alexa for Shopping and Sparky, operated by Amazon and Walmart respectively — to identify country of origin for products on their respective platforms and flag potential “Made in USA” misrepresentations — where products with “Made in USA” in their title or listing have another country or “imported” listed as their country of origin. This article finds that (1) Amazon and Walmart have the technical capability to detect and flag “Made in USA” fraud; (2) “Made in USA” fraud appears to be common on both Amazon and Walmart; (3) Amazon …

Insurgent Until Proven Innocent: Land, Power, And The Right To Defend Rights, Kelsey Jost-Creegan

Michigan Journal of International Law

As the climate crisis intensifies, advocates worldwide have stood up to defend their communities, territories, and environment. In response, they have faced violent retaliation. This repression persists despite evolving international, regional, and national-level legal frameworks around the “right to defend rights” and the “right to protection.” This article begins by providing a comprehensive overview of this evolving legal landscape. Against this backdrop, the article examines the tactics and architectures of violence used to repress land and environmental defenders through the lens of counterinsurgency theory.

The article proposes a typology of counterinsurgent violence including: surveillance; stigmatization; criminalization; arbitrary detention; infiltration; cooptation; …

Institutionalizing The Trade-Labor Nexus, Yueming Yan

Michigan Journal of International Law

While scholars have extensively explored the evolution of labor provisions in trade agreements, less attention has been paid to the institutional mechanisms that operationalize these provisions. This article addresses this gap by offering a comparative analysis of labor compliance models that are emerging across jurisdictions.

Recognizing that no institutional design is without trade-offs, this article applies the theory of comparative institutional analysis to evaluate existing models—not by asking whether they are (in)effective in the abstract, but: (in)effective compared to what? Specifically, it examines the strengths and limitations of various institutional mechanisms using benchmarks that matter to policymakers, including procedural efficiency, …

Aboriginal Title In Former French Colonies: Reaching Back Before The Assertion Of French Sovereignty, Ghislain Otis

Dalhousie Law Journal

A substantial part of Canada was colonized by France well before the British arrival in the mid-eighteenth century. This article examines the effect of the assertion of French sovereignty on the Aboriginal title regime recognized under British-Canadian law.

In Part I, the author identifies a trend in the jurisprudence whereby courts assess the Indigenous territorial situation existing at the time of the British assertion of sovereignty, rather than at the time of French sovereignty, for the purpose of applying the exclusive control criterion underlying the recognition of Aboriginal title. The author then demonstrates that this approach creates significant difficulties for …

Can Laws Be Flexible? Rethinking Legislation For Innovation, Nicholson W. Price Ii, Nick K. Schneider, Ariel Dora Stem, Jochen K. Lennerz

Articles

Agile legislation adapts principles from agile software development to lawmaking, emphasizing iteration, multi-stakeholder feedback, and embedded revision. We outline this learning-oriented governance model using three case studies: Germany’s stepwise digital health legislation, the EU AI Act, and U.S. FDA user-fee reauthorization. These examples highlight legislative designs that enable structured generation of real-world data and evidence during implementation, informing regulatory interpretation and iterative refinement in rapidly evolving technological domains.

Procedural Drift: How Judicial Restraint Enables Legalized Backsliding, Dessie Otachliska

Washington and Lee Law Review

This Article introduces Procedural Drift, a new theory of constitutional erosion in which legality itself enables democratic decline. Legal forms remain intact, but their constraining force quietly recedes as procedural doctrines withdraw courts from sites of contestation. Executive power expands not by defying law, but by strategically complying with it—exploiting judicial restraint to evade review.

Building on Bruce Ackerman’s theory of constitutional moments and Kim Lane Scheppele’s concept of autocratic legalism, this Article develops a U.S.-specific account of democratic backsliding that is lawful, gradual, and institutionally embedded. It traces how judicial restraint—operating amid partisan alignment and epistemic fragmentation—erodes legal checks …