Digital Commons Network^™

Separate But Equal In The Bold New City Of The South: A Shadow Of What Remains, Charity Dera

University of Miami Race & Social Justice Law Review

This project undertakes the task of analyzing the historical and contemporary landscape of Jacksonville, Florida, the “Bold New City of the South,”1 from a multidisciplinary vantage point. It argues that the spirit of the overturned “separate but equal” holding of Plessy v. Ferguson2 and its bold segregationist ideologies reverberate today in both subtle and overt ways. Yet, that reality has not come without the resilience and perseverance of pioneering natives who have resisted such ideals in bold ways. While segregation is deeply rooted in U.S. history and scholars have readily addressed the contemporary effects of landmark cases such as Plessy …

Applications Of Suas Thermal Imaging And Lidar At Letort Spring Garden Preserve: An Independent Study, Kelsey Wardell

Harrisburg University Other Works

No abstract provided.

V.63-1, 2026 Masthead

San Diego Law Review

No abstract provided.

Regulating Retirement Savings Roulette: A Framework For Evaluating Prudence Of Cryptocurrency Investments In 401(K)S, Lauren K. Valastro

San Diego Law Review

Foolhardy or farsighted, Americans are investing their retirement savings in volatile cryptocurrencies.  These investments, conducted largely through brokerage windows enabling plan participants to invest in options not on their employer-sponsored retirement plan menu, are increasing.  Clarity on whether and to what extent fiduciary duties apply to self-directed brokerage windows in 401(k)s is needed to protect Americans’ retirement outlooks and to equip fiduciaries with enough information to fulfil their obligations.  No agency or court has confirmed the existence of fiduciary duties relating to brokerage windows, let alone defined the contours of any such duty.  The Department of Labor (DOL) recently withdrew …

“Tolling For The Outcast”: A Therapeutic Jurisprudence Consideration Of The Relationship Between The Americans With Disabilities Act, Death Row Conditions, And Capital Punishment, Michael L. Perlin, Esq., Talia Roitberg Harmon, Maren Geiger, Chelsea Henning

San Diego Law Review

The press has regularly reported on the level of abysmal conditions on death rows in those states that have retained capital punishment. Death-row prisoners are often incarcerated in solitary confinement, and are subject to much more deprivation and harsher conditions than other prisoners. As a result, many experience declining mental health, and it has become clear that persons with mental illness are disproportionately put to death. Some litigants have turned to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a potential source of relief; the Supreme Court’s decision in Pennsylvania Department of Corrections v. Yeskey underscored that the act’s language “unmistakably …

Thou Shall Not Compel Speech: Public Educators’ Free Speech Rights In The Face Of Louisiana’S “Ten Commandments” Law And Other Rules Compelling Private Expression From Public School Teachers, Kailey A. Olsson

San Diego Law Review

First Amendment jurisprudence has significantly evolved within the past decade as the Supreme Court has expanded religious protections, further developed the Compelled-Speech Doctrine, and narrowed what public school activities are considered violations of the Establishment Clause.  There is no other U.S. Supreme Court case that illustrates these monumental shifts in First Amendment interpretation quite like Kennedy v. Bremerton School District.  Writing for the majority, Justice Gorsuch found that a public school district could not suppress the personal religious expression of a football coach, even when that coach led a prayer activity with other football players and within view of other …

Long Overdue: Modernizing Virtual Currency Taxation, Matthew Tarasen

San Diego Law Review

In March of 2014, the IRS issued guidance classifying cryptocurrency as property for most tax purposes, at a time when the total cryptocurrency market capitalization was roughly 6.5 billion dollars.  Over ten years later, that figure has grown to four trillion dollars.  While taxpayers can now purchase coffee at Starbucks with certain cryptocurrencies, such purchases trigger capital gains reporting, treating the transaction effectively as a taxable disposition of property, despite its economic function as a medium of exchange.  Although cryptocurrencies have gained prevalence in commerce and have even been briefly recognized as legal tender in some foreign jurisdictions, the IRS’s …

Artificial Meaning?, Thomas R. Lee, Jesse Egbert

Florida Law Review

The textualist turn is increasingly an empirical one—an inquiry into ordinary meaning in the sense of what is commonly or typically ascribed to a given word or phrase. Such an inquiry is inherently empirical. And empirical questions call for replicable evidence produced by transparent methods—not bare human intuition or an arbitrary preference for one dictionary definition over another. Both scholars and judges have begun to make this turn. They have started to adopt the tools used in the field of corpus linguistics—a field that studies language usage by examining large databases (corpora) of naturally occurring language.

This turn is now …

Indigenous Māori Defend Digital Sovereignty Over Big Tech’S Free Trade Rules, Jane Kelsey

Indian Journal of Law and Technology

In 2016, Indigenous Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand challenged the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (‘TPPA’) for breaching the colonial government (Crown) obligations to them under the 1840 Tiriti o Waitangi. This was lodged before a Tribunal particularly established to inquire into such breaches. In 2021, the Tribunal upheld that claim, finding that the TPPA e-commerce provisions failed to protect Māori identity and Indigenous knowledge. Since then, the Crown and Māori have sought means to reconcile these competing paradigms within the unequal power relations of a colonial government and Indigenous Peoples – denied the sovereignty affirmed to them in 1840. This case …

The Role Of Ai In Judicial Translation: Ensuring Access To Justice In Vernacular Languages, With Special Reference To Marathi, Bhushan Raut

Indian Journal of Law and Technology

This paper examines the role of artificial intelligence in judicial translation to enhance access to justice in India’s multilingual legal system, with a specific focus on Marathi. It situates judicial translation within the constitutional framework and Rule of Law theory, arguing that linguistic accessibility is essential to legal agency and fairness. Through doctrinal, empirical, and comparative analysis, the paper evaluates initiatives such as SUVAS, highlights gaps in vernacular availability of landmark judgements, and identifies challenges relating to accuracy, accountability, and legal semantics. It proposes a hybrid AI–human model and policy reforms to ensure reliable, scalable, and inclusive translation practices in …

The Illusory Normativity Of Rights-Based Ai Regulation, Yiyang Mei, Matthew Sag

Indian Journal of Law and Technology

Whether and how to regulate AI is now a central question of governance. Across academic, policy, and international legal circles, the European Union is widely treated as the normative leader in this space. Its regulatory framework, anchored in the General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Services and Markets Acts, and the AI Act, is often portrayed as a principled model grounded in fundamental rights. This Article challenges that assumption. We argue that the rights-based narrative surrounding EU AI regulation mischaracterises the logic of its institutional design. While rights language pervades EU legal instruments, its function is managerial, not foundational. These …

بعد سنتين من إقرار قانون "تعديل بعض أحكام قانون الضمان الاجتماعي وإنشاء نظام التقاعد والحماية الاجتماعية": دروس في فنّ إجهاض الإصلاح قبل نشوئه, يمنى مخلوف

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

On December 22, 2023, the Law “Amending Some Provisions of the Social Security Law and Establishing the Retirement and Social Protection System” was enacted. This law introduces the pension system to replace the end-of-service indemnity. Despite the advantages of adopting indexed periodic payments over lump sum compensation, it is clear that the transition to the new system is threatened by the on-going end-of-service compensation crisis. What stands out is the contradiction between the approach adopted to address the end-of-service compensation crisis and the mechanisms stipulated in the 2023 Law. While the pension system relies on periodic indexation in order to …

تقييم قانون التنظيم القضائي في ضوء المعايير الدوليّة, رينا قسطنطين

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

This study examines Lebanon’s Law on the Organization of the Judicial Court System, adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on July 31, 2025, and returned to the Chamber by the President of the Republic for further discussion, on September 5, 2025. It represents one of the most significant judicial reform initiatives since the Taif Agreement of 1989. The study traces the evolution of the Law’s provisions in successive drafts in light of the recommendations of the Venice Commission – the advisory body to the Council of Europe – and international standards regarding both institutional and individual judicial independence. The article …

في معنى استقلالية السلطة القضائية وتجلياتها, رزق زغيب

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The independence of the judiciary in Lebanon, as constitutionally guaranteed, carries a particular meaning that is embodied exclusively in the judicial function performed by any sitting judge issuing rulings in the name of the Lebanese people. The Constitution that elevates the judiciary to the level of a power does not provide itself for guarantees akin to the legislative and executive branches. Rather, it entrusts the determination of judicial safeguards to the legislature, under the oversight of the Constitutional Council. The Council has consistently interpreted these safeguards as measures that protect judges in the exercise of their functions by removing any …

La Qualification Du Génocide À Gaza : Portée Juridique Et Enjeux Internationaux, Farah Safi

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

Genocide embodies the ultimate transgression of international law and exposes the limits of its effectiveness. Based on the 1948 Convention, its legal framework rests on two constitutive elements, – material and mental – whose interaction determines the recognition of the crime. Recent jurisprudence and contemporary cases in Gaza highlight the tension between legal clarity and political failure. Beyond punishment, prevention and the duty to ensure respect for international humanitarian law emerge as the core challenges of a system in crisis, where the survival of law now depends on its capacity to restrain power. This confrontation raises a fundamental question about …

Les Outils Numériques : Instruments D’Inclusion Ou D’Exclusion Fiscale ?, Karim Daher

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

Over the past few decades, with the rapid technological advancements, multinational enterprises (MNEs) and notably the internet giants have acquired a global dimension and such power which allowed them free and dominant penetration in developing countries’ markets such as Lebanon. This unrestricted penetration was facilitated by the absence of any specific local or international legal framework as well as smart tailored tax optimization enabling them to compete with local businesses and deprive national economies of significant resources. This situation has contributed at the same time to the development of the parallel or informal economy and led to a proliferation of …

Du Statut Juridique De L’Embryon Humain En Droit Libanais, Roula El-Husseini Begdache

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The legal status of the human embryo has not been specifically studied in Lebanon and is the subject of an uncertain regime resulting from scattered texts and very few court decisions. As the moment marking the beginning of human life remains debated, the recent issues relating to bioethics accompanying scientific advances, particularly in relation to reproductive medicine techniques and their corollaries, including surplus embryos, do not find clear-cut answers in Lebanese law. As scientific progress is at the heart of concerns relating to human life before birth, an abdication of legal experts in favour of doctors and ethics committees can …

La Réforme De La Justice Administrative Au Liban, Nadi Abi Rached

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The Lebanese administrative judiciary is undergoing a profound crisis, exacerbated by the broader institutional disintegration affecting the country. This crisis appears rooted in deeper and more specific causes: an alleged original illegitimacy of the institution and the recurrent instabilities that have marked its development. Today, this branch of justice operates at a minimal level, remains dependent of the executive, and struggles to fully guarantee the right to a fair trial. Two reform proposals aim to address this situation. This article first seeks to reaffirm the historical legitimacy and institutional continuity of the administrative judiciary, thereby providing a sound basis for …

Le Rôle Du Conseil D’État Dans L’Élaboration Du Droit, Joseph Chaoul

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The centenary of the Lebanese Conseil d’Etat, established in 1924 on the French model, offers an opportunity to reflect on its role in the development of law. This institution, which embodies the dual jurisdictional system characteristic of legal systems inspired by French law, has a dual mission – advisory and judicial – making it a central actor in the creation of law. In its advisory function, it provides the government with guidance on the legality and administrative advisability of draft texts. Through its judicial function, the Conseil d’Etat contributes to the formation of administrative law through its case law. …

Editorial, Marie Claude Najm

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

Issue 77 of Proche Orient, Études Juridiques, which was scheduled to appear at the end of 2024, endured the turmoil of war. It is now being published following a restructuring of the team responsible for the journal, at a moment still marked by difficulties and uncertainties, yet also carrying hope. The contributions it contains reflect, in many cases, the legal issues raised by the tragedies that have devastated the region as well as the numerous challenges confronting our legal system: from the reform of justice, both administrative and judicial, to the reform of social security and the pension system, …

عملة إيفاء الديون مع ملاحظات حول تحديد سعر صرف العملة: دراسة مقارنة, أنطوان طعمة

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

This study tries to clear up the ambiguity that deals with the interpretation of legal articles related to repayment. It includes an attempt to interpret the text of article 301 of the Law of Obligations and Contracts. It also deals with the text of the second paragraph of that article, which mentions the phrase “normal time” during which the parties have the right to stipulate the payment in a foreign currency or metal. The study also deals with an explanation of the concepts of compulsory circulation and legal circulation of currency, and the impact of these concepts on the interpretation …

إيفاء الديون المحررة بالعملة الأجنبية في العقود الداخلية, نجيب الحاج شاهين

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The issue of the payment of debts denominated in a foreign currency arises in two types of contracts: international contracts and domestic contracts. In international contracts, this issue is easily resolved by Lebanese Courts who have consistently ruled that the debtor must repay the debt arising from an international contract in the foreign currency that is stipulated in that contract. On the other hand, this raises three problems that have led to conflicting court decisions in domestic contracts. These issues are the following: the validity of contractual provisions requiring that payment be made in a foreign currency; whether the debtor …

ثوابت وتساؤلات فإمكانية حلول فيما خص إيفاء الديون المحررة بالعملة الأجنبية في ظل الأزمة المالية, ݒول الحاج شاهين

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The seminar entitled “Repayment of Debts Denominated in Foreign Currency Amid the Financial Crisis” addresses the severe financial turmoil Lebanon has been experiencing since the end of 2019, marked above all by the sharp depreciation of the Lebanese pound. This collapse created profound difficulties in repaying debts denominated in foreign currency, and in some cases made repayment impossible. The issue is closely tied to Lebanon’s reliance on foreign currencies, particularly the U.S. dollar. Anticipating such risks, many Lebanese citizens had safeguarded their savings by depositing them in banks in foreign currency, as protection against the recurring devaluation of the national …

L’Indépendance Et L’Impartialité Du Ministère Public, Samer Younes

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

Which public prosecutor? For which mission and towards what future? Is he really the defender of public interest? Who is he and what does he do? These questions can only be answered through the historical lens of the French public prosecution which inspired the Lebanese model based on a rigid hierarchical organization coupled with individual instructions, often oral and hidden. To be faithful both to his name and mission, the public prosecution judge must be independent from any unjustified interference in his work. This requires a status or regime guaranteeing his independence, as is the case for his colleagues in …

L’Indépendance De La Justice : Une Question De Moralité Des Juges ?, Myriam Mehanna

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

Defining and measuring the concept of judicial independence, often a source of contradictions, is crucial to ensure that the reform of the judicial system genuinely leads to the protection of the independence of judges and justice. This article puts forward three essential points: 1. Judicial independence is a measurable concept based on a set of specific guarantees; 2. It is also a complex concept, encompassing multiple facets that must be protected simultaneously; 3. Ultimately, it stems from legislative (and possibly constitutional) recognition of these complementary guarantees rather than from a moralizing discourse imposed on judges.

Les Banques Libanaises Sont-Elles En État De Cessation De Payement ?, Antoine Fares Eid

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

To the question : “Are the Lebanese banks in cessation of payment ?”, the answer is obviously yes according to both the special definition of the cessation of payment of banks in the Intra law no. 2/1967, and the general definition of the “cessation of payment” in the Code of commerce (article 489). The legal scrutiny so confirms the common “feeling” of obvious bankruptcy of the banks for almost three years. In parallel, are refuted the exceptions opposed by the banks, such as the alleged payment by cheques which are actually “cheques sans provision”, or “ …

Les Responsables Politiques Devant La Justice : Réflexions À Partir De L’Expérience Française, Bertrand Mathieu

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

This article studies the liability and accountability regimes potentially applicable to political authorities in France and in Lebanon. After insisting on the specific features of liability applied to the head of State, ministers, national representatives and judges in the French system, the author tackles the same issues under Lebanese law, particularly in the difficult circumstances following the Beirut port explosion.

La Levée Du Secret Bancaire Au Liban, Karim Daher

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

The Banking Secrecy Law, adopted in Lebanon in 1956, formally prohibited banks and their personnel from disclosing any information relating to their clientele to any public or private party. The purpose of enacting this law was to attract financial inflows to Lebanon in the 1950s and 1960s, a period that coincided with the oil boom in Gulf countries, and nationalization processes in neighboring Arab countries, especially Egypt and Syria, as well as later from wealthy Gulf oil monarchies. While this legislation ensured the protection and confidentiality of these deposits, it weakened tax citizenship, promoted a culture of corruption and impunity, …

Editorial, Léna Gannagé

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

This new issue of Proche Orient, Études juridiques stands as a testimony, a mirror of a particularly turbulent period in Lebanese life. Originally, it intended to examine the legal dimensions of the crisis that has afflicted Lebanon since 2019, it inevitably engages with a phenomenon of multiple facets: political, economic, and constitutional. The crisis has been marked by the collapse of the financial system, the dispossession of depositors’ rights, the Beirut port explosion, impunity, institutional vacuum, and the paralysis of the Lebanese judicial system. The contributions that follow explore these themes, whether directly or indirectly, offering insights into the profound …

La Neutralité : Notion De Droit International Et Positionnement Politique De L’Etat, Aida Azar

Proche-Orient, Études juridiques

In international law, the concept of neutrality refers to the situation of a State that intends to remain uninvolved in armed conflicts. It is linked to the law of war and follows a specific legal framework that includes rights granted to neutral countries as well as duties imposed upon them, primarily abstention and impartiality. However, neutrality can be dissociated from war and can consist, in times of peace, of avoiding any actions that could draw a State into a conflict or a dispute between foreign powers. In such cases, it corresponds to a political stance of the State. Whether it …