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Articles 31 - 39 of 39

Full-Text Articles in Law

Judging In The Quiet Of The Storm., Shirley S. Abrahamson Jan 1993

Judging In The Quiet Of The Storm., Shirley S. Abrahamson

St. Mary's Law Journal

Justice Benjamin Cardozo evaluates the elements he believes motivate judges in deciding cases in The Nature of the Judicial Process. Judge Cardozo focuses primarily on common-law courts deciding common-law cases. Although state-court dockets cover a wider variety of topics today and the legal landscape has changed, The Nature of the Judicial Process remains influential. The basis of Judge Cardozo’s approach is to first extract principles from past cases and apply them to new fact situations. Cardozo refers to this process as the method of philosophy. As precedent cannot readily solve all new disputes, this process may require judges select from …


Agricultural Trade Wars: A Threat To The Gatt And Global Free Trade., Thomas J. Schoenbaum Jan 1993

Agricultural Trade Wars: A Threat To The Gatt And Global Free Trade., Thomas J. Schoenbaum

St. Mary's Law Journal

Agriculture, today, is the center of a set of multi-dimensional international controversies and crises. International agricultural strife threatens the future of the global free-trade system. This strife soured relations between the United States and its principal allies and trading partners: Canada, the European Community (EC), and Japan. The agricultural trade controversy is at the heart of the bitter stalemate of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations. The deadlock over farm trade called into question the very future of the GATT as an international organization. Controversies over agriculture also endanger approval of the recently …


Revisiting Standards Of Review In Civil Appeals., W. Wendell Hall Jan 1993

Revisiting Standards Of Review In Civil Appeals., W. Wendell Hall

St. Mary's Law Journal

Applying and defining the accurate standard of review determines how likely an appeal will be successful. While the proper standard of review may be easy to identify, applying the standard of review to a case is often problematic. The standards define the interactions between trial and appellate courts by distributing the power of review throughout the judicial branch. The standards of review also limit a court’s authority to determine an error by a trial court, and whether the error warrants reversal. The standard sets the requirements of substantive law and provides a means for appellate judges to weigh arguments. This …


Transracial Adoption In Texas: Should The Best Interests Standard Be Color-Blind., Jo Beth Eubanks Jan 1993

Transracial Adoption In Texas: Should The Best Interests Standard Be Color-Blind., Jo Beth Eubanks

St. Mary's Law Journal

Legislative amendments must go further than limiting race from being a primary factor in adoptions; amendments must eliminate race as an acceptable factor. Diverging opinions of “race matching” in foster care and adoption exist. Administrative policies regulating adoption hold that same-race placement, between the adoptive parent and child, is a primary consideration when awarding custody in Texas. Basing child placement on the race or ethnicity of the parties involved raises serious constitutional concerns. The best interest standard is the predominant method in determining child placement, for both custody and adoption proceedings. The premise of the best interest standard is prioritization …


Lawyer-Bashing: It's Time To Turn The Tide Perspective., Ward Blacklock Jan 1993

Lawyer-Bashing: It's Time To Turn The Tide Perspective., Ward Blacklock

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


Tending The Bar In Texas: Alcoholism As A Mitigating Factor In Attorney Discipline., Patricia Sue Heil Jan 1993

Tending The Bar In Texas: Alcoholism As A Mitigating Factor In Attorney Discipline., Patricia Sue Heil

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Comment describes the nature and scope of alcoholism and chemical dependency in the legal profession. It reviews the current state of the law regarding alcoholism as a mitigating factor in attorney discipline. Addictive illnesses manifest themselves in ways which leave afflicted attorneys unable to practice law in accordance with professional rules of conduct. The majority of attorney-discipline cases involve alcoholism or chemical dependency. An attorney whose illness remains untreated will likely become the subject of grievance-committee investigations. For disciplinary cases involving alcoholism, a suggested analysis includes establishing a nexus between illness and misconduct. Additionally, it includes a causal connection …


Jurors May Not Pose Written Questions To Witnesses In Criminal Cases., Mark C. Robertson Ii Jan 1993

Jurors May Not Pose Written Questions To Witnesses In Criminal Cases., Mark C. Robertson Ii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.


A License To Kill: The Categorical Exemption Of The Mentally Retarded From The Death Penalty., David L. Rumley Jan 1993

A License To Kill: The Categorical Exemption Of The Mentally Retarded From The Death Penalty., David L. Rumley

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Comment will show there is no merit to the argument the Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of capital punishment on all persons considered mentally retarded. This Comment begins with an overview of the historical treatment of mental disabilities, articulating the levels of mental deficiency required for exculpation of criminal responsibility. Next, this Comment discusses the characteristics of persons with mental retardation. This Comment will also discuss the recently enacted statutes’ use of I.Q. tests for determinations of mental retardation. In analyzing these statutes, it becomes apparent a person’s I.Q. should not be prima-facie proof of mental retardation, although state …


Congressional Reform: Can Term Limitations Close The Door On Political Careerism., Julia C. Wommack Jan 1993

Congressional Reform: Can Term Limitations Close The Door On Political Careerism., Julia C. Wommack

St. Mary's Law Journal

Addressing Congressional woes requires reform. Entrenched incumbency is a detriment to the legislative system. Although the enactment of initiatives restricting Congressional terms limits signal voters agree, better alternatives exist. The only prerequisites found in the Constitution for serving in Congress are age, residency, and citizenship. While the twenty-second amendment proscribes the presidential office limit maximum as two terms, no such limitations exist for a congressman or congresswoman. Sitting incumbents have substantial advantages over their challengers. Incumbents success ratio exceeds 80% in Senate races and is approximately 90% for elections in the House of Representatives. Congressional term limitations attempt to eliminate …