Digital Commons Network^™

Beyond The Legal Black Hole: Hyper-Legality, Deferral, And Detention In Northeast Syria, Grace T. Harmon

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the detention of suspected ISIS affiliates and their family members held in facilities administered by the Kurdish-led authorities in North-East Syria. Thousands of foreign nationals remain detained without trial, without repatriation, and in conditions widely criticized as inhumane. Existing scholarship and political discourse often describe these facilities as legal voids, limbo, or black holes where law has broken down or ceased to apply. This thesis challenges that characterization. Rather than existing outside the law, the facilities are governed through overlapping frameworks of international humanitarian law, international human rights law, counterterrorism security resolutions, and domestic laws. I argue …

The Contractual Womb: U.S. Surrogacy Reform Through A Federal Bioethical Framework, Yasmine A. Quinones

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Hearsay In High Definition: Body-Worn Cameras And The Future Of Intimate Partner Violence Prosecutions, Kenechukwu Okocha

Working Papers

Technological advances in documenting police encounters with the public have outpaced evidentiary hearsay rules. Specifically, the rapid adoption of body-worn cameras (BWCs), fueled by racial justice and police reform advocates, has produced previously unavailable, vivid, and timely recordings of IPV victims’ accounts of abuse. Unfortunately, state and federal rules governing hearsay often prevent juries from considering these out-of-court statements. Such restrictions carry particular force in IPV cases, where victims frequently recant or decline to testify at trial due to abuser manipulation or distrust of the criminal justice system.

Courts and legislatures have eased some evidentiary restrictions in IPV cases in …

From Global Governance To Regulatory Retreat: The Csddd, Fashion Supply Chains, And The Limits Of Eu Supply Chain Ambition After Omnibus I, Cienna Alam

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Cyberbullying And Free Speech Considerations Under The New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill Of Rights Act, Jesse R. Place

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Revising The Role Of Minors And Their Participation In Their End-Of-Life Care: An Argument For A Shared Decision-Making Model Rooted In Pediatric Patients’ Decision-Making Capacity, Taylor Talcott

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Originalism’S Impact On The Sovereignty Of Indian Nations, Julian Allber

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Bodily Autonomy And Involuntary Servitude: Applying The Thirteenth Amendment To Restrictions On Abortion In The Case Of Pregnancy Induced By Rape, Joseph Innocente

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Circulation Over Preservation: Reintroducing Temporal Limits To Intergenerational Wealth Retention, Jason Irving Galak

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Multidisciplinary Practices (Mdps) In Elder Law, Bryan Koslow

Student Works

No abstract provided.

The Doctrine Of Christian Discovery: How Medieval Papal Authority Shaped U.S. Property Law And Continues To Deny Justice To Indigenous Nations, Colin Sumner

Student Works

No abstract provided.

The Indirect Taxes, Conor Clarke, Ari Glogower

Scholarship@WashULaw

Article I of the Constitution empowers Congress to “lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises.” It is arguably Congress’s most important power. A government’s first task is to fund itself, and the absence of an enforceable funding mechanism under the Articles of Confederation was a primary reason for the Constitution in the first place. Yet scholarly and judicial attention has focused mostly on the term “taxes” (and specifically what constitutes a “direct tax” that must be apportioned) while largely overlooking the three terms that follow—the duties, imposts, and excises that are collectively known as the “indirect taxes.” 

While poorly …

How Traditional And Social Media Shapes Public Perception Of United States Surpeme Court Decisions On Civil Liberties, Leila P. Martin

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study examines how traditional and social medai shape public perception of U.S. Supreme Court decisions on Civil liberties, focusing on four landmark cases: Dobbs v. Jackson, District of Columbia v. Heller, Materpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, and Obergfell v. Hodges. Using Entmans framing theory, the research analyzes how tone, language, emphasis, and ideological slant differ across media platofrms and how these frames infleunce public attitudes, insitutional trust, and civic understanding. A mixed-methods design combines archival media analysis, national polling data from Pew Rsearch Center and gallup, and an independent survery to asses how media narratives, rather than …

From State To Nation: A Federal Framework For Breast Cancer Primary Prevention Informed By California's Paths To Prevention, Serena Padda

Master's Projects and Capstones

The United States’ federal government should adopt a primary prevention framework for breast cancer modeled after Breast Cancer Prevention Partners’ (BCPP) Paths to Prevention: the California Breast Cancer Primary Prevention Plan. The plan focuses on systemic actions to reduce breast cancer risk through a social and racial justice lens. Breast cancer is the leading diagnosed cancer among women in the United States, with incidence rates increasing annually by 1% since 2012. Disparities persist in communities disproportionately burdened by chemical and environmental exposures, contributing to unequal and preventable risk. Current federal policy focuses primarily on secondary prevention through screenings, which does …

Reasserting Congressional Authority In National Security In The Post-Chadha Era, Jacob Shaffer

Hofstra Law Review

No abstract provided.

J Mich Dent Assoc Nov. 2026

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The November 2026 issue of the Journal of the Michigan Dental Association provides comprehensive coverage of professional, legal, and operational developments impacting Michigan dentists. Key topics include an analysis of dental emergency visits at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), leadership principles within organized dentistry, advocacy efforts surrounding Senate Bill 105 regarding virtual credit card reimbursement fees, practice transition, embezzlement prevention, employee documentation compliance, and member services. This issue highlights community, equity, and legislative engagement aimed at supporting dental practices and improving statewide public oral health.

Nov. 2026 From The Editor - Wicked Problems, Shared Solutions, Romesh Nalliah

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial reflects on systemic issues in public oral health through the historical tragedy of Deamonte Driver and broader national statistics on emergency department fatalities from dental conditions. It emphasizes the complex, 'wicked' nature of oral healthcare access and highlights research in this issue examining how Michigan's Federally Qualified Health Centers handle emergency care. The editor urges member dentists to actively participate in organized dentistry and legislative advocacy to achieve meaningful, long-term health policy reform.

Nov. 2026 Government And Insurance Update - Sen. Jeff Irwin On Sb 105 And Advocacy, James Budd Mpp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article features an interview with Michigan State Senator Jeff Irwin discussing Senate Bill 105, the Virtual Credit Card Payments bill. SB 105 mandates that dental providers have access to at least one fee-free method of receiving insurance reimbursements, preventing double processing fee deductions by insurers. Senator Irwin explains the bipartisan effort behind the bill's success, the importance of protecting local dental practices from unfair financial burdens, and actionable advice for dentists to engage with lawmakers.

Nov. 2026 Dentistry And The Law - Practice Break-Ups/Ownership Of Patient Records, Daniel Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This legal column addresses complex issues surrounding dental practice break-ups and the ownership of patient records. Author Daniel J. Schulte, JD, provides guidance on establishing clear employment, shareholder, and buy-sell agreements from the inception of a practice partnership. Proactive legal structuring ensures continuity of patient care, clarifies record ownership rights, and mitigates the risk of costly litigation during practice transitions.

Nov. 2026 Staff Matters - What Documents Should Every Dental Practice Collect And Maintain For Its Employees?, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This human resources column addresses onboarding compliance for dental practices. Author Jodi Schafer outlines essential employment documentation that practices must collect and maintain for new hires beyond Form I-9, including tax forms, payroll records, licensure verification, emergency contacts, and signed handbook acknowledgments, ensuring legal compliance and organized practice administration.

Nov. 2026 Mda Insurance - Could Your Practice Be Vulnerable To Embezzlement?, Reva Darling

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This feature highlights internal financial risks facing dental practices, noting that up to 70% of dentists may experience embezzlement during their careers. Citing high-profile Michigan fraud cases, author Reva Darling outlines critical behavioral warning signs of internal theft, such as resistance to duty cross-training or reluctance to take vacations. It introduces Prosperident’s free Embezzlement Risk Assessment Questionnaire for MDA members to evaluate vulnerabilities and establish robust internal controls.

Ai And Government Disinformation: Vaccine Disinformation, Caroline Mala Corbin

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

Nonhuman Speakers And The Constitution, Helen Norton

Fordham Law Review

Long-standing free speech law sometimes does—and sometimes does not—turn on speakers’ human character. This Essay explores how these doctrinal threads might shape the constitutional doctrine applied to generative artificial intelligence’s (AI) speech outputs if we assume that a human speaker cannot be identified as the creator of those words and images—and that those words and images are nevertheless considered “speech” for First Amendment purposes.

For example, First Amendment doctrine sometimes requires proof of a speaker’s culpable mental state before that speaker can be held liable for what would otherwise be unprotected speech. These requirements seek to prevent the chilling of …

From The “Wild West” To Fair Play: How Conferences Can Bring Stability And Equal Opportunity To Nil In Collegiate Athletics, Sofia M. Giamartino

Fordham Law Review

The past twenty years have witnessed a steady dismantling of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) restrictions on college athletes’ labor rights. As athletes celebrated small victories, both in the courtroom and in state legislatures, the NCAA continued its attempts to restrict benefits granted to its athletes in the name of “amateurism.” Certain restrictions ended on June 30, 2021, with the NCAA continuing to prohibit direct pay and pay from collectives.

With its hand forced, the NCAA abandoned its Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) restrictions, opening the door to long unavailable opportunities for college athletes. These opportunities particularly benefited underrepresented …

Unlocking Affixes In The Esl Community College Classroom: The Language Of Law, Science, And Technology, Patricia George-Hunter Edd

Journal of English Learner Education

Since vocabulary plays a significant role in second language acquisition, expansive vocabulary targets should be set and pursued. This paper explores the results of introducing affixes to develop vocabulary and increase motivation for beginner to intermediate-level English language learners (ELLs) pursuing academic disciplines in law, science, and technology at a New York City community college. Participants included 23 ELLs with diverse linguistic, educational, and sociocultural backgrounds enrolled in an online synchronous Integrative Language Seminar (ILS) designed to develop all areas of English language proficiency. Pre‑, post‑, delayed tests, questionnaires, and post‑intervention interviews were conducted and analyzed to establish the language …

How Ai’S Data Centers Thirst For Water Will Leave The Rest Of Us Dry If Left Unregulated, Emma Sawko

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

The Flexibility Of The Rule Against Perpetuities As Applied To Mineral Top Leases, John W. Ponder

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

From Pore Space To Policy Space: The Costs, Benefits, And Constitutionality Of North Dakota’S Ccs Long-Term Liability Transfer Standard, Lainey Morrow

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Opening The Door: Copyrightability Of Interpreted Seismic Models After Gsi V. Tgs, David Logan

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.

Beyond Produced Water: Extending Cactus Water To Lithium And Other Oilfield Waste, Louis W. Krivanek Iv

Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Energy Journal

No abstract provided.