Law Commons^™

Parental Kidnapping: Can The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act And Federal Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act Of 1980 Effectively Deter It?, Rita Mankovich Irani

Duquesne Law Review

Despite the adoption in forty-four states of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act, kidnapping remains a widespread alternative for parents who seek custody of their children. The author discusses how the willingness of courts to entertain the custody petition of a parent who has kidnapped his child has provided incentive for child-snatching, and probes section 8 of the Act, which sets forth guidelines for courts to use in determining whether to hear such petitions. Selected cases are presented to illustrate a proper interpretation and application of section 8 in light of the Act's overall purpose. Finally, the author explains the …

Constitutional Law - Eighth Amendment - Capital Punishment - State Death Penalty Statutes - Procedural Safeguards, Scott T. Redman

Duquesne Law Review

The Supreme Court of the United States has held that the Alabama death penalty statute which prohibited a jury instruction of lesser included offenses in a capital case is unconstitutional because it diminishes the reliability of the guilt determination process, leading to an arbitrary and irrational imposition of the death penalty.

Beck v. Alabama, 447 U.S. 625 (1980).