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A Restoration By Mangroves: Marilao And Pasig River Plan For Restoration, Julian Luis Flores

Student Theses 2015-Present

This paper discusses the restoration of the Pasig Rivers of the Philippines using the wondrous magic of mangrove trees to bring back various aquatic, flora, and bird species. The Pasig River was once the Philippines’ most beautiful river, spanning the entire Metro Manila, with different floral species blooming, teeming marine life, and being a significant transportation route. However, throughout the years, urbanization has caused the state of the river to decline drastically. Improper waste segregation, disposal, and improper river maintenance have given it the title “Manila’s toilet.” This is why it is essential to restore the river to its status …

Navigating The Tension Between The Rule Of Law And Judicial Discretion Without Robot Judges, Michael H. Simon

Mercer Law Review

The rule of law is a multifaceted concept about which there is no generally accepted understanding of what that phrase precisely means or all that it includes or excludes. It is, however, something that is widely praised and that almost all governments and officials claim to follow. One of the few areas in which there appears to be consensus is that the rule of law requires that like cases be treated alike. When a substantive legal rule directs only one correct answer, it is not difficult to treat like cases alike. There are many disputes, however, that come before trial …

Environmental Law, Travis M. Trimble

Mercer Law Review

In 2025, in a Clean Water Act (“CWA”) citizen-suit challenge to a landowner’s filling of a tract of land on St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, under a nationwide dredge-and-fill permit issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (the “Corps”), the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that the landowner did not waive its right to challenge whether the tract was a wetland by virtue of submitting a form to the Corps in connection with its obtaining coverage under the permit that stated that the landowner accepted that the tract at issue was a jurisdictional water …

Federal Income Taxation, Andrew Todd

Mercer Law Review

In 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued a handful of published opinions involving U.S. federal income tax issues. One of those cases, United States v. Schwarzbaum, presented an issue of first impression in the Eleventh Circuit: whether civil penalties for a U.S. citizen or resident’s willful failure to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (commonly known as the “FBAR”) are “fines” within the meaning of the Eighth Amendment and, therefore, are subject to the constitutional prohibition on excessive fines. This Article surveys that opinion.

Trial Practice And Procedure, John O'Shea Sullivan, Leesa M. M. Guarnotta

Mercer Law Review

The 2025 Survey period yielded a range of decisions impacting trial practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, from detailed analysis of the constitutional requirements for personal jurisdiction, expounding upon the limited opportunities for interlocutory appeal, and reinforcing pleading standards. This Article analyzes some of this Survey period’s notable opinions on issues of first impression in the Eleventh Circuit, but it is not intended to be an exhaustive discussion of the Eleventh Circuit’s important decisions during the Survey period.

Children, Clicks, And Constitutional Blind Spots: The First Amendment And The Regulation Of Social Media For Minors, Pepper Miller

Mercer Law Review

“A fundamental principle of the First Amendment is that all persons have access to places where they can speak and listen, and then, after reflection, speak and listen once more.” This oft-quoted maxim from Packingham v. North Carolina has become a touchstone for the wave of litigation challenging state laws that restrict minors’ access to social media platforms. But, in the rapidly advancing age of social media, should the principle still stand that all persons, specifically minors, are entitled to unfettered access to such novel spaces where they can speak and listen? Underpinning the discussion of this issue lies “a …

Eye In The Sky: The Eleventh Circuit Allows Warrantless Surveillance Of The Home Via Pole Cameras In United States V. Gregory, John T. Roberts

Mercer Law Review

What does “search” mean? Defining the word seems simple enough, yet, courts have struggled to provide a consistent answer under Fourth Amendment jurisprudence. This difficulty has only been exacerbated by rapidly advancing technological innovations in the field of surveillance. Specifically, courts across the country are split on whether long-term surveillance of an individual’s home via a pole camera is considered a search under the Fourth Amendment.

In United States v. Gregory, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed this issue head on, holding that surveillance of this kind is not considered a search under the Fourth …

Table Of Contents

Mercer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Editor's Note, Skylar E. Toto

Mercer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Real, Not Rhetorical: Children’S Rights As The Strongest Constitutional Defense Of Obergefell Against Religious-Liberty Challenges, Tanya Washington

Mercer Law Review

Justice Kennedy’s decision to center adults’ rights in the Obergefell majority opinion—despite his awareness of children’s legal vulnerabilities—created space for Justice Thomas, in his Davis statement, to ignore children altogether and to reframe the constitutional question as a clash between adults’ rights: the right to marry and to be free from discrimination versus the right to exercise one’s religious beliefs and to refuse to engage in conduct that abrogate those beliefs. This distorted constitutional framing eclipses entirely the rights of children in same-sex families and the concrete harms they will face if their parents are barred from marrying—harms that provide …

Trapped By Immunity: Women, Prisons, And The Need For Obvious Clarity, Alexandria E. Hatten

Mercer Law Review

For many Americans, the mere thought of the prison system evokes great fear and uncertainty. The fear is justified and reflected through rampant reports of sexual abuse, exploitation, and abuse of power by prison officials. Lack of privacy in prisons is largely supported and expected. The general population of prisons have unique safety concerns which require closer surveillance and diligent observation by correctional officers. Prison officers are tasked with ensuring that all contraband stays out of inmate possession—notwithstanding the constant changes of the general population. The security interests of a prison also extend to prison visitors. The known security concerns …

All Rights Reserved . . . For Disney: Corporate Mouse Traps, A Frozen Public Domain, And How A.I. May Usher In A Whole New World For Copyright, Matthew A. Shatto

Mercer Law Review

Copyright, as a body of law, is a recent development in the human consciousness, originating in 1710 with England’s Statute of Anne. Nevertheless, in the three hundred years that followed, more copyright laws were enacted than murder statutes throughout recorded history. With these successive statutes, corporations have effectuated the largest land grab ever seen. Modern copyright law is the elephant in the room in discussions of wealth inequality, perpetuating evil inside and between countries. Moreover, it has deprived humanity of cultural roots, locking ideas behind a paywall that funnels wealth to the few and stymies ingenuity through the sterilization of …

No More Guessing Games: Rebuilding Clarity In Georgia’S Ante Litem Notice Statute, Ethan Debruicker Terrell

Mercer Law Review

Imagine a child’s shape sorter toy—the kind with square, circle, and triangle-shaped holes and equivalent pegs in the same shapes. The toy forms a foundation in a child’s development because, among other things, it teaches the child to problem-solve by (1) recognizing the problem (different-shaped pegs that must go in the sorter a certain way) and (2) solving it (placing each peg in the correct hole to sort the pegs). For simplicity’s sake, let us imagine the toy only has a square and circle-shaped hole with square and circle-shaped pegs. As the child intuitively learns the “rules” of the toy, …

Finally, A Fair Shot: Supreme Court Shoots Down The Moment-Of-Threat Doctrine In Barnes V. Felix, Noah Ring

Mercer Law Review

The Framers designed America’s legal system with the belief that no one, not even the government, is above the law. The right to hold government officials accountable before a court reflects the Framers’ vision that justice resides in the people themselves. Unfortunately, countless citizens who suffer excessive force are barred from presenting their stories to the jury. Nowhere is the clash between liberty and authority more visible than in encounters between police and citizens. Every day, those who wear the badge are forced to make difficult judgment calls in volatile situations.

In 2024, 147 officers lost their lives in the …

What Attorneys “Ott” To Do: The Supreme Court Clarifies Judgmental Immunity In Georgia, Valeria Notte

Mercer Law Review

The Supreme Court of Georgia dealt a swift blow to the Court of Appeals of Georgia’s interpretation of judgmental immunity in a recent decision. For over three decades, the court of appeals recognized a subjective defense that shielded attorneys from liability for mistakes made while representing a client. Under this interpretation of judgmental immunity, attorneys prevailed on motions for summary judgment by demonstrating that they had exercised their honest professional judgment in making the challenged decision. Now, in Cox-Ott v. Barnes & Thornburg, LLP, a unanimous opinion by the supreme court held that attorneys are no longer entitled to the …

From “Filed Under Seal” To “Frivolous On Appeal”: Potts V. Richardson And Georgia’S Movement Toward Enforceable Professionalism, H. Walker Purvis

Mercer Law Review

Potts v. Richardson marks a turning point in Georgia’s professionalism movement. On its face, the case involved an application of Georgia’s anti-SLAPP statute and the privilege afforded to communications made in connection with judicial proceedings. But the Court of Appeals of Georgia did more than resolve a defamation dispute. By imposing a $2,500 sanction under Rule 7(e) for what the court deemed a frivolous appeal, it in effect sanctioned a lawyer for conduct that violated the Georgia Lawyer’s Creed and Aspirational Statement on Professionalism.

Georgia has been a leader in the modern professionalism movement for decades. Central to that commitment …

Celiac Plexus Radiosurgery For Retroperitoneal Pain In Advanced Cancer: A Pre-Specified Secondary Analysis Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In A Phase Ii Single-Arm Trial, Aisling Barry, Ronen Fluss, Laura Dawson, David Hausner, Michael Buckstein, Talia Golin, Laurence Freedman, Marcin Miszczyk, Dayssy Diazpardo, Artur Aguiar, Dror Limon, Raphael Pfeffer, Moaz Ben-Ayun, Liat Hammer, Ziv Symon, Ofir Morag, Gali Jacobson, Adam Dicker, Jerzy Wydmanski, Camilla Zimmermann, Yaacov Lawrence

Department of Radiation Oncology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal pain syndrome seen in pancreatic cancer is a major clinical challenge. Celiac plexus radiosurgery, a new palliative technique for retroperitoneal pain syndrome, decreased pain levels in a phase II study. Here Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) outcomes are reported.

METHODS: Evaluable patients, who were enrolled between January 2018 and December 2021, in an international single-arm Phase II ethics-approved study (NCT03323489), were included. The pre-specified secondary endpoint-change in HRQOL from baseline to 3- and 6-weeks post-treatment, was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Hepatobiliary (FACT-Hep) version 4 questionnaire. Mean change was deemed clinically significant (CS) if …

Applied Accounting Perspectives: Case Studies In Theory, Regulation, And Practice, Zoe Justice

Honors Theses

This document includes two semesters of casework completed under the instruction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in ACCY 420. These case studies were designed to expose accounting students to more applicable research to their field of study that will help them in their future careers. This document includes a total of eight case studies, spanning various topics in the accounting field. Most cases were completed in a group, with a few being completed individually. For each case, the topic was researched thoroughly using online resources and a solution was proposed or observations synthesized. During the second half of the course, my …

Beyond The Numbers: A Patterson School Of Accountancy Practicum, Olivia R. Mardis

Honors Theses

This practicum comprises six case studies that explore a range of accounting topics. While each case stands independently, the work collectively emphasizes the interpretation of financial information. Although financial statements may appear to some as a series of abstract figures, accountants are trained to understand and apply the “language of business,” transforming numerical data into meaningful insights that inform decision-making.

The first case provides an objective analysis of a company’s Form 10-K, focusing on interpreting financial statements and using that interpretation to evaluate performance and guide decisions. The second case examines the Corporate Transparency Act, analyzing its intended purpose, potential …

Authenticity And Audience Relationships Among Nano-Influencers, Samantha O. Lichtenstein

Honors Theses

This study examines how nano-influencers with 2,500 to 25,000 Instagram followers utilize authenticity and vulnerability to build audience trust and drive engagement. Through a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with 10 creators, the research identifies three core strategies: maintaining a digital best friend persona through reciprocal interaction, practicing "calibrated vulnerability" that balances personal disclosure with strict safety boundaries, and prioritizing ethical brand alignment to ensure honesty. Grounded in Parasocial Interaction Theory, the findings demonstrate that nano-influencers disrupt traditional one-way media models by fostering intimate, two-way relationships. Ultimately, the results suggest that for this influencer tier, success and consumer action are …

Benefits Of A Teacher Created Mathematics Resource Website For Teachers And Students, Callista Hull

Honors Theses

For my Honors College capstone project, I created a math resource website for teachers and students. I chose to develop this website because often resources available for teachers to use for student support are not always linked to state standards, so developing a website with resources linked directly to state standards made sense to me. Resources are plentiful for teachers and students but they are not always exactly what teachers need because they are not directly linked to a state standard. This led me to my idea to create a resource that would be easily accessible, beneficial, and helpful to …

The Influence Of Ole Miss And Nil On Local Business Strategy In Oxford, Mississippi, Benjamin D. Blossom Mr.

Honors Theses

This thesis argues that while NIL policies have introduced new financial and promotional dynamics, the relationship between the University of Mississippi athletics and the Oxford business community is still primarily shaped by long-standing, collaborative practices. The study focuses on how NIL is influencing these established relationships and the economic landscape of a college town where the university acts as a major economic driver. Through six in-depth interviews with Oxford business owners across retail, hospitality, food service, and events, the research finds that athletics, and football in particular, fuel much of the city’s economic activity. However, businesses see NIL-driven endorsements as …

Community Composition Of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria On The Mississippi Gulf Coast, Marisa Martin, Colin Jackson

Honors Theses

The Mississippi Gulf Coast is an important resource for transportation, economic development, and recreation. Given its economic and cultural importance, it is crucial to maintain clean and safe conditions along the coast for public health, but other than routine beach monitoring, few studies have examined microbial contamination of coastal waters in this region. This study aimed to determine the quantity, composition, and distribution of bacteria resistant to six different antibiotics (Vancomycin, Kanamycin, Tetracycline, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, or Amoxicillin) in seawater at seven public beaches along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. No bacteria resistant to Ciprofloxacin were detected, and bacteria resistant to Kanamycin …

Prematurity And Special Education: Raising Awareness Of The Connections Between Preterm Births And Special Education, Nadia R. Corder

Honors Theses

In this thesis, the goal was to find the link, if any, between prematurity and special education, with regards to probability of special education and outcomes, and to create a means of professional development for not only special education teachers about prematurity risks and effects on students but also parental education about the possible procedures of their child’s education. This is accomplished through the organization of infographic pamphlets for parents and an online professional development presentation. Both these formats are compliant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility parameters. A literature review was conducted to achieve this goal using …

Empirical Results From The Eliminations Of Municipal Minimum Parking Requirements, David A. Griffith

Honors Theses

Minimum Parking Requirements (MPR) are municipal zoning ordinances mandating a set number of off-street parking spaces for new developments. Since the 1950s, MPR has been the near-universal way American municipalities supply parking, though growing criticisms since the late 1990s have targeted the policy for distorting development patterns, imposing high costs, and subsidizing personal vehicle use. Beginning in the early 2010s and increasingly in the early 2020s, cities and counties across the United States have moved to reform or eliminate MPR. This paper is the first empirical study of the economic effects of these removals. Using a two-way fixed-effects difference-in-differences OLS …

Ready: Piloting An Inclusive Higher Education Program For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities At The University Of Mississippi, Emily R. Davis

Honors Theses

The University of Mississippi is currently one of the few SEC schools that does not offer an inclusive higher education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DDs). An initiative to bring inclusive higher education to Ole Miss began as a passion project led by Honors College student Bailey Beaird and continued through 2024. Bailey worked diligently to research and design a model for implementing a four-year inclusive higher education program (IHEP). Ultimately, the decision was made by the administration to postpone advancement of a four-year program due to limited campus resources and concerns surrounding long-term sustainability. Instead, the …

Lifestyle And Activity Patterns Of The Classic Period Maya From Chac Balam And San Juan, Ambergris Caye, Belize, Abigail L. Hornbeck

Honors Theses

Bioarchaeological research often uses skeletal remains to reconstruct patterns of activity and labor in past populations. This study examines potential sex-based differences in long bone morphology among individuals from the Classic Maya sites of Chac Balam and San Juan on Ambergris Caye, Belize. These coastal communities participated in maritime trade networks, and daily activities such as cargo transport, canoe travel, and fishing may have placed distinctive mechanical stresses on the skeleton. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether measurable differences in bone structure between males and females reflect differences in habitual activity patterns.

Two complementary methods were used …

The War On American Consumers, William C. Morrill V

Honors Theses

In this work I seek to discuss the various avenues that consumers have been abused by both individual corporations and wider market trends. I also attempt to shed light on how recent consumer advocacy movements have been gaining momentum to combat these issues. The background information for this work has been collected through years of personal observation of the issues at hand. The areas of technology, automobiles, and agriculture that are featured prominently throughout the essay are all topics of either personal impact to myself and family or things that I have a hobby-like interest in. I have kept up …

The Associations Between Problematic Social Media Use, Social Media Appearance Preoccupation, And Sleep Quality Among Emerging Adults, Lily Gisclair

Honors Theses

Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental window in which significant transitions increase vulnerability to mental health challenges. Additionally, emerging adults are spending large amounts of time on social media sites. Recent literature suggests that problematic social media use and social media appearance preoccupation could all play a role in increased anxiety, depression, and poorer sleep outcomes in young people. However, to our knowledge, few studies have directly examined the associations among all of these variables specifically in the emerging adult population. The current study was designed to examine these associations among 178 emerging adults between the ages of 18 and …

Esports Cosmopolitan Canopy, Reice Hicks

Honors Theses

This thesis concerns the area of sociology. Specifically, it is a sociological study of a community on Ole Miss’s campus and how they form what is known within the sociology field as a “cosmopolitan canopy,” a term coined by Elijah Anderson. Using this term, I proceed to prove not only how the Ole Miss Esports club falls under this jurisdiction, but the effects of esports on the youth as a whole, both positive and negative. All of my data was extracted via literature review, online research, note-taking, visual observation, and one-on-one interviews with people involved with the club. The entire …