Digital Commons Network^™

The Legal Governance Of Arbitrary Construction In Azerbaijan: Current Issues And Paths To Reform, Natig Khalilov

Journal of Civil Law Studies

Azerbaijan has long faced challenges arising from the spread of arbitrary constructions and unauthorized settlements, with official data showing approximately half a million such structures across the country. These unregulated constructions contribute to social complications and hinder the efficient operation and development of the housing, real estate, and urban planning sectors. Currently, courts are handling numerous cases involving ownership disputes and potential demolitions linked to these constructions. Registering arbitrary constructions is seen as a step towards affirming citizens’ property rights while boosting state revenue.

This article will trace the historical development of the arbitrary construction framework in Azerbaijan, analyze its …

Marriage And Compensation: Wederstrandt V. Kol And A Spouse’S Right To A Wrongful Death Action, Van Matherne

Journal of Civil Law Studies

The fascinating 2023 Louisiana Supreme Court case of Wederstrandt v. Kol[1] invokes the minds of legal scholars and displays a cautionary tale for the layperson. For the scholar, this case demonstrates skillful civilian statutory interpretation that highlights the exclusivity protecting the marriage articles in Louisiana’s Civil Code. However, for the layperson, this case uncovers a possible inequity within Louisiana’s wrongful death statutes that serves as a warning to choose your spouse wisely.

[1].    Wederstrandt v. Kol, 366 So. 3d 47 (La. 2023).

Complete V. 17

Journal of Civil Law Studies

No abstract provided.

Duality In Contract And Tort, Tim Friehe, Joshua C. Teitelbaum

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

We study situations in which a single investment serves the dual role of increasing the expected value of a contract (a reliance investment) and reducing the expected harm of a post-performance accident (a care investment). We show that failing to account for the duality of the investment leads to inefficient damages for breach of contract and inefficient standards for due care in tort. Conversely, we show that accounting for the duality yields contract damage measures and tort liability rules that provide correct incentives for efficient breach and reliance in contract and for efficient care in tort.

Religious Employment And The Tensions Between Liberty And Equality, R. Shawn Gunnarson, James C. Phillips, Christopher A. Bates

BYU Law Review

Located in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is an exemption for religious employers that is often misunderstood. Often courts and commentators mischaracterize it as a narrow privilege for religious employers to hire people of the same religion. But the statute’s text says otherwise. This article resolves interpretive debates about the meaning and application of the religious employer exemption through a close textualist reading that discovers a new understanding of the structure of Title VII. Our approach applies the tools of textualism, the prevailing theory of statutory interpretation. Paying attention to the text and structure of Title …

Rural Solar Rights, Troy A. Rule

BYU Law Review

Utility-scale solar projects on private land—the fastest growing form of energy development in the United States today—generate low-cost, carbon-free electricity and can invigorate rural economies. However, they are also attracting unprecedented local opposition as local governments across the country adopt ordinances prohibiting or severely restricting solar farm development within their jurisdictions. Fortunately, state legislatures have multiple means of preventing municipal governments from unreasonably restricting solar energy. Among other things, states can legislatively preempt excessive local solar siting restrictions, manage more solar project permitting at the state government level, or statutorily require municipalities to classify solar farms as a “permitted use” …

The Inconvenience Doctrine, Alexi Pfeffer-Gillett

BYU Law Review

In a nation of stark inequalities, the Roberts Court is often portrayed as siding with the wealthy and powerful. Many scholars argue that the Court has abandoned legal principles altogether and instead simply chooses winners and losers based on the conservative majority’s political agenda. Meanwhile, scholarly examinations of the legal reasoning underlying the Court’s most impactful decisions are largely confined to specific subject areas. Such compartmentalized analyses, though, overlook broader patterns in the Court’s rulings that transcend substantive legal boundaries.

This Article bridges the gap in these parallel conversations by connecting the Roberts Court’s reasoning across many legal fields with …

Weaponization Of Taxation: Sovereign Tax Immunity As A National Security Tool, Vinita R. Singh

BYU Law Review

Amidst calls to reconceptualize taxation as a national security tool, legislators are reexamining how the United States taxes foreign governments. Federal income taxation of foreign governments—what this Article terms “the law of immunity from taxation” or “sovereign tax immunity”—strongly influences whether and how foreign governments pursue investment in the United States. This impact on international business transactions indicates sovereign tax immunity has the potential to be a powerful national security tool. Yet, despite its import, the law of immunity from taxation has been underexplored and undertheorized. This Article steps into this gap in discourse by challenging the way recent legislative …

The Mansion That Disney Built: Revitalizing Antitrust Enforcement In The Film Industry, Drew Chandler

BYU Law Review

The Paramount Decrees, for over sixty years, barred the major film studios from anticompetitive practices like vertical integration and block-booking. The Department of Justice’s decision to sunset the Decrees in 2020 came prematurely, with the movie industry today rocked by major mergers, the advent of streaming, the pandemic, lessened output due to industry strikes, and changing consumer tastes. True, the industry has changed since 1948, but those very changes call for regulatory intervention to avoid repeating the problems of the past.

For example, Disney’s recent merger and acquisition activity, together with the dominance of its in-house streaming service Disney+, is …

A Zealous Advocate, A Robust Cross: Cross-Examination Of Non-Adverse Witnesses By The Guardian Ad Litem, Scott Swain

BYU Law Review

“When the lives and fundamental rights of children are at stake, there must be no silent witnesses.”1 — Carol Bellamy

Systemic pressures in child welfare litigation regularly lead guardian ad litem attorneys to default to the positions and recommendations of state social services. In such cases, witnesses called by the state in trials and evidentiary hearings are non-adverse to the guardian ad litem. This dynamic undermines the purposes of cross-examination rules, threatening the procedural interests of the parties involved. This paper will use a procedural due process balancing test to guide its analysis as it proposes three potential solutions: a …

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 12.22.25, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett returns to Notre Dame Law for a wide-ranging fireside conversation with students
• Notre Dame Law Professor Diane Desierto Awarded Research Grants to Advance Global Human Rights Work
• International Expertise at ND Law: Visiting Professors Strengthen Scholarship and Community
• Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic Secures Return of Stephen Jarrard to County Jail’s Ministry Program After Years of Religious Discrimination
• Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic files amicus brief urging court to protect Jewish communities from discriminatory land-use barriers
• Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Clinic files amicus brief urging …

Legal Issues Arising From The Military Use Of Ai-Supported Biometrics, Marten Zwanenburg

International Law Studies

Biometrics is increasingly used by armed forces for a variety of purposes, such as access control, the registration of detainees, and increasingly also targeting. The capabilities of biometric systems are considerably strengthened when they are enabled by artificial intelligence (AI). This article analyzes legal questions that are raised by the military use of such AI-supported biometrics. It argues that relevant legal frameworks are International Humanitarian Law, international human rights law, and the right to privacy in particular, as well as data protection law. The article finds that arguably, IHL may require the use of (AI-supported) biometrics in certain situations if …

Ghosts At The Gate: A Call For Vigilance Against Ai-Generated Case Hallucinations, Christina Frohock

Articles

No abstract provided.

"Diss," That, And The Other: The Legal Implications Of 'Diss Tracks', Roy S. Gutterman

Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review

No abstract provided.

Finding Our Harmonies: Why And How Music Should Be Licensed For Use As Ai Training Material, Samantha Dietrich

Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Review

No abstract provided.

Julien Grisonas Family V. Argentina, Kamila Knaudt

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This case is about the forced disappearance and murder of a Uruguayan artist and member of the Party for the Victory of the People and his wife by Argentina within the framework of Operation Condor. The case was brought by their children, who had been separated from their parents when they were taken and given up for adoption in Chile. Eventually, the Court found Argentina in violation of several articles of the American Convention but did not find a violation of the Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons.

Table Of Contents

FIU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Standing Before The Icj: A Novel Framework For Erga Omnes Partes, Elson Law

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This paper explores the concept of legal standing before the International Court of Justice (“ICJ” or “the Court”) in contentious cases and the legal theories that states may invoke to establish their entitlement to submit claims relating to specific subject matters. The concept of standing in international law requires a party to demonstrate a sufficient legal interest in the subject matter of their case. Three primary theories potentially provide such an interest for states parties to multilateral treaties: legal injury from the respondent state’s violation of an obligation owed to the applicant state, obligations erga omnes partes created by the …

Economic Sanctions In International Arbitration Proceedings, Admir Muratović

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

The world is witnessing the imposition of new economic sanctions on an every-day basis. After the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, and in particular with the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the issue of economic sanctions received an upsurge of public scrutiny. Russian investors and companies, a number of which are facing economic sanctions, do substantial businesses in States that imposed sanctions targeting them. At the same time, Russian entities have established business relationships with corporations originating in such States. On the other hand, after the Crimea annexation, Russia adopted certain measures to counter the effect …

Movilla Galarcio Et. Al. V. Colombia, Katrina Karaguzian

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This case is about the forced disappearance of a trade unionist and political militant in Colombia. Colombia partially admitted responsibility. The Court found Colombia in violation of several articles of the American Convention and of the Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons.

García Rodríguez Et Al. V. México, Madeline Prokop

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This case is about the arrest, prosecution, conviction and detention of two suspects of the murder of the mayor of a Mexican municipality. The Court found Mexico in violation of several articles of the American Convention and of the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture.

Maidanik Et Al. V. Uruguay, David Randall

Loyola of Los Angeles International and Comparative Law Review

This case is about the forced disappearance and murder of five individuals during the military dictatorship in Uruguay (1973-1985). Eventually, the Court found Uruguay in violation of several articles of the American Convention and of the Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons.

Pojęcie Konsumenta Na Gruncie Art. 22(1) Kodeksu Cywilnego – Dylematy De Lege Lata I Postulaty De Lege Ferenda, Maria Rożnowska

internetowy Kwartalnik Antymonopolowy i Regulacyjny (internet Quarterly on Antitrust and Regulation)

The publication presents difficulties in determining the meaning of the legal definition of the term “consumer” given in Article 22¹ of the Civil Code. The article also attempts to answer the question whether in this area, where the meaning of the above definition is not in doubt, this scope is optimal for the needs of economic turnover. The discussion is concluded with de lege ferenda postulates regarding the definition of the term ‘consumer’ contained in the Civil Code.

Plowing With A Pencil: Policy Approaches For States Squaring Agricultural Interests With Select Public Interests, Mary Eichenberger

Journal of Food Law & Policy

From a fifth-generation wheat farmer on the Kansas plains to a cattle rancher in Montana to a beginning peach producer in Georgia, American agriculture produces, provides, and protects sources of food, fiber, fuel, and shelter. American agriculture, once solely supported by rural family farmers and steeped in an agrarian system, now relies heavily on industrialized operations, creating an arena ripe for the clash of diverse policy perspectives. As farmers produce the food enjoyed at dinner tables across the country, the inevitable impacts of agriculture production on the environment have led to policy and legal arguments surrounding the regulation of agriculture. …

Key Contributions To Agricultural Law Select Works By Agricultural Law Professor, Susan A. Schneider, An Annotated Bibliography, Susan A. Schneider

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The authors provide an annotated list of publications, remarks, books, and book chapters authored by agricultural law scholar and professor, Susan A. Schneider, in honor of her forthcoming retirement.

The growth and evolution of the study of agricultural and food law may be attributed to several legal scholars who, based on a personal connection with agriculture, chose to dedicate their careers to advocating for the family farmer. Professor Susan A. Schneider is one such legal scholar.

Professor Susan A. Schneider, a native of Minnesota, is currently the William H. Enfield Professor of Law and the Director of the LL.M. in …

P-E-S-T-O-G-O: This Third Circuit Ruling Has Got To Go, A Deep Dive Into The Circuit Split Issue Of Fifra Preemption, R. Dylan Smith

Journal of Food Law & Policy

The American public is becoming increasingly concerned about pesticides. From “forever chemicals” to environmental justice concerns, public awareness of pesticide issues is only becoming more prevalent. However, one pesticide has seized public attention in a significant way. Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s “Roundup” and other commercial pesticides has been the subject of heated debate in federal courtrooms across the nation. The rising controversy over glyphosate has even led some jurisdictions to attempt to ban or restrict the use of the product altogether.

While the scientific studies and legal definitions about glyphosate and its cancer link are inconsistent, a reasonable …

An Interview With Former United States Department Of Agriculture General Counsel Janie Simms Hipp And Former Farm Credit Administration General Counsel David Grahn: Reflections On The Past & Future Of The Field Of Agricultural Law, Lauren Wustenberg

Journal of Food Law & Policy

Former United States (“U.S.”) Department of Agriculture (“USDA” or “Department”) General Counsel Janie Simms Hipp and Former Farm Credit Administration (“FCA”) General Counsel David Grahn have worked as public servants in the field of agricultural law for over forty years. They have led careers that are illustrative of the meaningful impact that a career in agriculture can have, the breadth and value of the Department of Agriculture, and the diversity of experiences and opportunities that a career in agricultural law can bring.

Janie and David graciously agreed to sit for the following interview in recognition of the 20th Anniversary Edition …

Municipalities, Let The People Have Their Chickens And Eat Them, Too, Cindy Vong

Journal of Food Law & Policy

In the pre-industrial era, before the advent of long-distance transportation or food preservation, human survival necessitated proximity to where food was grown or husbanded. Cities located near agriculturally productive lands and domesticated livestock animals were commonplace within cities. But by the 1920s, the technological innovations of the Second Industrial Revolution left urban areas free of farm animals and farm-related activities. Local governments exercised their powers to codify the separation of residential and agricultural uses within cities and reinforce the idea that food production was not proper in community neighborhoods. Yet, a century later, local governments use those same powers to …

Why Food In The United States May (Still) Never Be Safe: A Look Back At My Over Thirty Years Thinking About Food And The Law, Denis Stearns

Journal of Food Law & Policy

This article can serve a function as a concluding section—a kind of coda—for issues addressed in greater depth by the author (Denis Stearns) before.

This article also allows Sterns to return to a central question that prompted his thought-journey in the first place: Why does the food in this country continue to be so unsafe, despite all of the laws, all of the enforcement efforts, all of the food safety advocacy, and all of the lawsuits filed to recover damages on behalf of people injured and killed year after year. What follows, then, are additional and updated conclusions that thirty …

The Law Of Hard Times: What Today’S Lawyers And Policymakers Can Learn From The Farm Crisis Of The 1980s, Sarah Vogel, Mary Eichenberger

Journal of Food Law & Policy

It is undeniable, the United States is experiencing another farm depression similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Farm Crisis of the 1980s. While every era is different, knowledge of the case law developed during the farm struggles of the 1930s and 1980s, and the statutory and regulatory reforms that arose from advocacy during those difficult times will be helpful to today’s agricultural lawyers and policymakers. As farmers and ranchers again find themselves, due to circumstances beyond their control, in financial distress, they will contact attorneys, state secretaries of agriculture, state attorneys general, agriculture organizations, and state …