Law Commons^™

Acquisitions By Partially Privitized Firms: The Case Of Deutsche Telekom And Voicestream, J. Gregory Sidak

Federal Communications Law Journal

A recent phenomenon in competition policy is the acquisition of a private firm by an enterprise that is either wholly owned by government or in the midst of privatization. Such an acquisition poses the question of how public ownership may alter the incentives of a firm to engage in anticompetitive conduct. It also prompts one to examine the process by which such altered incentives revert, as the level of government ownership declines, to the same incentives that face purely private firms. Using Deutsche Telekom's acquisition of VoiceStream Wireless as a case study, this Article presents the economic questions relevant to …

Dial 911 And Report A Congressional Empty Promise: The Wireless Communications And Public Safety Act Of 1999, Peter P. Ten Eyck

Federal Communications Law Journal

Designed to promote the prompt deployment of a seamless emergency services infrastructure to meet the nation's safety needs, the 911 Act not only instructs the FCC to assign the abbreviated dialing code 911 for use as the universal emergency telephone number, but also directs the Commission to establish appropriate transition periods for compliance in areas without 911 service. Furthermore, the 911 Act supports individual states' efforts to develop comprehensive emergency communications. Although improving the 911 system and saving lives by developing an end-to-end emergency communications network are commendable goals, this Note argues that the anemic 911 Act is an important …

Why Are We So Reluctant To "Execute" Microsoft?, Robert H. Lande

All Faculty Scholarship

On June 28, 2001, the D.C. Court of Appeals held that Microsoft has violated the antitrust laws repeatedly, relentlessly, and over a multi-year period. The court ruled eight separate times that Microsoft engaged in conduct that illegally maintained its monopoly in PC operating systems. Despite these strongly worded conclusions concerning Microsoft’s liability, the court was extremely cautious when it considered whether to break up the company. It held that divestiture was a “radical” remedy that should be imposed with “great caution.”

Drug Designs Are Different, James A. Henderson Jr., Aaron Twerski

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Perfect Caper?: Private Damages And The Microsoft Case, Robert H. Lande, James Langenfeld

All Faculty Scholarship

As readers of crime novels know, there are many definitions of the perfect caper. Under most, the perpetrator gets to keep its ill-gotten gains and goes unpunished. Even if the perpetrator is arrested and brought to trial, he or she still typically escapes punishment completely due to a variety of unusual circumstances. This is essentially what Professors John E. Lopatka and William H. Page are arguing about Microsoft's actions. They assert that even though Microsoft has violated the antitrust laws, it will not be made to pay for its anticompetitive conduct, at least not by private plaintiffs.

Don't Tread On Me: Faster Than A Tire Blowout, Congress Passes Wide-Sweeping Legislation That Treads On The Thirty-Five Year Old Motor Vehicle Safety Act, Kevin M. Mcdonald

Buffalo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Rethinking The Discharge Of Pre-Petition Attorney Fees In Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: A Debtor Oriented Perspective, James L. Neher

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

The courts are split over a provision of the Bankruptcy Code,' in which the majority courts hold that upon the filing of a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, 2 unpaid attorney fees, for pre-petition work in connection with preparing and filing bankruptcy, are discharged. In contrast, the minority view holds that attorney fees in connection with preparing and filing a bankruptcy are not dischargeable whether prepaid or not, as long as they are not excessive.4 The problem with the majority view is that indigent debtors may be deprived of access to legal counsel unless they can pay all or most of their …

In The Litigation Business: Insurance Company Liability For Acts Occurring In The Course Of Litigation Under The Washington Consumer Protection Act, Kasey D. Huebner

Washington Law Review

Insurance companies generally have much greater bargaining power and resources than individual insureds When a claim by an insured against an insurance company fails to settle amicably and is followed by a lawsuit, the insured has few options should the insurance company behave unfairly or deceptively in the course of the litigation. The Washington Consumer Protection Act protects consumers from deceptive and bad faith acts by businesses, including insurance companies Although Washington courts have created a general exception disallowing CPA suits for acts occurring in the course of litigation, Washington case law has not directly or clearly addressed whether this …

The Public Interest Standard: Is It Too Indeterminate To Be Constitutional?, Randolph J. May

Federal Communications Law Journal

This Article argues that the congressional delegation of public interest authority to the FCC likely violates the nondelegation doctrine that inheres in the constitutional separation of powers scheme and that, even if the courts do not hold the public interest delegation unconstitutional, Congress should revise the Communications Act to set forth more specific guidance for the FCC. In today’s environment of “convergence,” in which competition is flourishing across communications sectors, Congress should not shirk its responsibility to establish fundamental policy for an industry that contributes so much to the overall health of our economy. This Article argues that Congress should …

Consumer Choice As The Ultimate Goal Of Antitrust, Robert H. Lande

All Faculty Scholarship

The mission of the antitrust laws need to be clarified, and this article asserts that the best way to do this is to interpret and enforce these laws in terms of consumer choice. This reformulation is necessary due to uncertainty and instability that exists in the field. This article will 1. define the consumer choice approach to antitrust or competition law and show how it differs from other approaches; 2. show that the antitrust statutes and theories of violation embody a concern for optimal levels of consumer choice; 3. show that the antitrust case law embodies a concern for optimal …

Trusting And Non-Trusting On The Internet Symposium: Trust Relationships, Tamar Frankel

Faculty Scholarship

The Puzzle: The Internet is a wonderful innovation, allowing people around the world to communicate, trade, and obtain services. Convenient and rich in choices and opportunities, the Internet is tremendously attractive to buyers. Naturally, businesses are flocking to the Internet. The warning has been sounded that those who do not stake a claim in this incredible new communication medium will be left behind to perish. Yet, with all the enthusiasm, many buyers hesitate to take a serious plunge. Businesses are told repeatedly that they must obtain their customers' trust, yet find it more difficult to gain this trust in cyberspace …

Protecting Privacy And Enabling Pharmaceutical Sales On The Internet: A Comparative Analysis Of The United States And Canada, Nicole A. Rothstein

Federal Communications Law Journal

The Internet raises enhanced and unique concerns regarding informational health privacy and Internet pharmacy sales. As technology advances and the Internet changes the way people obtain medical services and products, protecting consumers and their informational health data in online pharmaceutical transactions is paramount. This Comment charts and compares the existing legal frameworks in the United States and Canada relative to informational health privacy. Following this discussion, each legal framework comes into sharp focus with regard to Internet pharmacy sales. Ultimately, this Comment concludes that based on the highly sensitive nature of personal medical information, a baseline privacy standard should be …

Privacy In The Commercial World: Online Consumer Privacy Concerns: Hearing Before The H. Subcomm. On Commerce, Trade, And Consumer Protection Of The H. Comm. On Energy, 107th Cong., Mar. 1, 2001 (Statement Of Chai R. Feldblum, Prof. Of Law, Geo. U. L. Center), Chai R. Feldblum

Testimony Before Congress

No abstract provided.

Arbitration Of Truth-In-Lending-Act Claims, Marshall E. Tracht

Articles & Chapters

In recent years, it has become increasingly common for lenders to include arbitration clauses in their consumer financing agreements. While federal law strongly supports the enforceability of arbitration provisions, there are a number of grounds on which their enforceability can be, and has been, challenged.

This article summarizes the state of the law on a number of major issues which have arisen in the attempt to use arbitration clauses in consumer financing agreements, focusing on Truth-in-Lending Act claims, including an analysis of the Supreme Court's recent decision in Green Tree Financial Corp. v. Randolph.

Avery V. State Farm: The Potential For Abuse Of The Class Action And Its Extraordinary Impact On Insurer And Insured, Michelle Liffick

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Biggest Products Liability Disaster In Years, Michelle C. Liffick

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Napster: The Boundary Between Sharing And Theft, Michelle C. Liffick

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

The U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement: How Vietnam's Efforts To Strengthen Its Trademark And Copyright Laws Signal Its Desire To Join The World Economy, Cara A. Boyle

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Blame It On The Cybersquatters: How Congress Partially Ends The Circus Among The Circuits With The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, Xuan-Thao N. Nguyen

Loyola University Chicago Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Preemption Analysis After Geier V. American Honda Motor Co., Susan D. Hall

Kentucky Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Self-Prescribing Medication: Regulating Prescription Drug Sales On The Internet, 20 J. Marshall J. Computer & Info. L. 57 (2001), Kristin Yoo

UIC John Marshall Journal of Information Technology & Privacy Law

"Online pharmacies, your friendly neighborhood drugstores." The Internet is not only a great telecommunication medium but also a low-cost and convenient commercial marketplace. It is no exception that online pharmacies flourished as a result, but the consequences of such development pose grave danger to the public and great challenges to regulations. The author discusses the benefits and risk of online pharmacies, the different types of online pharmacies, state governments' involvement in regulating online prescriptions and federal involvements. Despite both state and federal legislations and regulations, proliferation of online pharmacies, established inside and outside of the US, proves to be a …

Fda Issues Warning About An Ingredient In Cold Remedies And Diet Drugs, Michelle C. Liffick

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

An Institutional Analysis Of Consumer Law, A. B. Overby

Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law

This Article explores the revival of interest in consumer protection in the United States, and the impact of this revival on the consumer movement. The Author examines the influence that political organizations and institutions have upon the final shape and content of consumer law in the United States and European Union. The Article begins with a general introduction to institutional theory across academic disciplines and to the institutional environment and arrangements in which consumer lawmaking proceeds in the United States and Europe. Next, the Article assesses consumer initiatives in the United States and the European Union, focusing on deceptive advertising, …

Epsteinian Torts: Richard A. Epstein, Cases And Materials On Torts, Allison H. Eid

Seattle University Law Review

A fascinating aspect of Epstein's scholarly work is his exploration of the apparent tension between libertarian principles and utilitarian thought—an exploration that comes alive in his casebook. To Epstein, these two competing principles often coalesce to yield a single "correct" answer to a problem. In other words, the answer that arises from a desire to protect a pre-determined set of individual rights-for example, private property rights, or the right of personal autonomy often produces an outcome that is also beneficial to the overall common good. Some scholars have critiqued Epstein's work by suggesting that there is more disharmony than harmony …

Refund Anticipation Loans: Less Money For Consumers Entitled To Refunds, More Profit For H & (And) R Block, Kathryn Smetana

Loyola Consumer Law Review

No abstract provided.

Cyberjacking, Mouse Trapping, And The Ftc Act: Are Federal Consumer Protection Laws Helping Or Hurting Online Consumers?, Kenneth Sanney

Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment & Technology Law

Only the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can bring a federal cause of action against a company whose business practices or actions deceive consumers. However, the FTC's power is limited; it can intervene on behalf of consumers only when there is a pattern of misconduct by the business that threatens the public interest. But where the scams themselves are difficult to spot, patterns may be virtually impossible to establish. Moreover, even successful FTC actions may yield little in the way of preventative or compensatory benefit for the individual user.

My aim in this Note, therefore, is to offer one possible means …

Introducing Revised Article 9 Of The Uniform Commercial Code, John L. Mccabe, Arthur H. Travers

Publications

No abstract provided.

In Praise Of The Treatise Writer: Law's Special Knowledge, Ellen M. Bublick

Seattle University Law Review

Dobbs, the author of the foremost treatise on tort law, and Hayden, the author of a number of thought provoking articles, have written a book with a clear structure—one that carefully and methodically elucidates the doctrinal framework of state tort law. The book also addresses problems in tort theory and practice and outlines major supplements and alternatives to existing tort remedies.

Teaching Torts By Integrating Ethical, Skills, Policy And Real-World Issues, And Using Varied Pedagogical Techniques: Reflections On Using The Henderson, Pearson And Siliciano Casebook, Lynn M. Daggett

Seattle University Law Review

In brief, the Henderson, Pearson, and Siliciano casebook includes materials on ethics, problems and other skill-based activities, a diverse set of ideological perspectives presented in a non-preachy way, and addresses numerous real-world issues and concerns. The casebook also lends itself to the variety of teaching and active learning methods I employ in my Torts classes.

The Wide World Of Torts: Reviewing Franklin & Rabin's Tort Law And Alternatives, Bernard W. Bell

Seattle University Law Review

In several respects, Franklin and Rabin's casebook provides a wonderful and effective vehicle for teaching torts, particularly to first-year students. The book develops important overarching themes while effectively presenting a wide variety of specific tort doctrines. The book also offers professors opportunities to sharpen students' legal abilities. In Part I of this review, I will discuss the first case in Franklin and Rabin's book and explain its usefulness in introducing several themes that both are critical to understanding tort law and assume a prominent place throughout the casebook. In Part II, I will focus on Franklin and Rabin's treatment of …