Law Commons^™

Residential Renewable Energy: By Whom?, Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

The technology already exists to put solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on millions of homes, but we have paid inadequate attention to getting them there. This current lack of focus on distribution will limit residential solar deployment indefinitely, unless it is addressed soon. While a number of solutions to this problem have been proposed or are in various stages of implementation, this Article finds that given the pressing need to address climate change, more rapid action is needed. In addition to pursuing other options for generating electricity using renewables (including onshore and offshore wind power, and utility-scale solar power stations), and …

The New Energy Geopolitics?: China, Renewable Energy, And The "Greentech Race", Joel B. Eisen

Law Faculty Publications

The issue of China's support for renewables has taken center stage in the United States, thanks to an investigation by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) that commenced in October 2010. That investigation began with a complaint alleging that China unfairly subsidizes its greentech industries, in violation of its obligations as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO). Well before that investigation began, numerous Americans believed the United States was less engaged in greentech promotion than China. China has come very far in a short amount of time to promote renewables, and many feel the United States is falling …

Virginia Should Abolish The Archaic Tort Defense Of Contributory Negligence And Adopt A Comparative Negligence Defense In Its Place, Peter N. Swisher

Law Faculty Publications

The purpose of this essay is to argue that the time has now come for Virginia, by judicial or legislative action, to abolish its archaic common law tort defense of contributory negligence and replace it with a comparative negligence defense. Adopting a comparative negligence defense would more equitably and more fairly recognize and apportion damages according to the bedrock underlying tort legal principles of accountability, deterrence, and distribution of loss.

Notice And Takedown, Here And Abroad, James Gibson

Law Faculty Publications

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act has been around for more than a dozen years now. Some of its provisions were just weird, such as the one that established sui generis protection for boat hull designs. Others have had a skeptical reception in the courts, like the anti-circumvention provisions that forbid certain forms of hacking through technological protections for copyrighted works.

But one DMCA provision that has proved popular in both the copyright community and the courts is the notice-and-takedown procedure codified at 17 U.S.C. § 512(c). When a copyright owner finds that some Internet user has illegally posted its copyrighted …

Gray-Market Goods And Copyright's Gray Area, James Gibson

Law Faculty Publications

Copyright law generally gives authors no control over the aftermarket for their goods. Suppose I write a book, and I sell you a copy of it. You are free to resell the book, or lend it to a friend, or give it away. That’s because as long as your copy is “lawfully made under this title” (that is, made with my authorization under U.S. law), then copyright has nothing to say about its further distribution – who owns it, who sells it to whom, etc.

This notion is known as the first sale doctrine. It is so named because at …

Introduction: Contains Cover, Table Of Contents, Letter From The Editor, And Masthead, Francis C. Oroszlan

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology is proud to present its second issue of the 2010–2011 academic year.

Teacher Cell Phone Searches In Light Of Ontario V. Quon, Joseph O. Oluwole

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Technological innovations permeate almost every inch of society. From the government and corporate workforce to family and social settings, technology seemingly knows no boundaries. Technology’s limitless reach has even crossed into the realm of public schools, where, according to teacher Lyn Newton, “[s]chool principals are witnessing more and more cell phone use by their teachers.” Teachers, like other cell phone users, use cell phones not only for making phone calls, but also for taking pictures and texting, which has landed some teachers in trouble for inappropriate communications. Indeed, the sexting wave has not eluded teachers.

Introduction: Contains Cover, Table Of Contents, Letter From The Editor, And Masthead, Stephen J. Rancourt

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology is proud to present its Annual Survey issue of the 2010–2011 academic year. The Journal strives to find interesting and contemporary topics that bisect technology and the law, and publish authors who provide in-depth and practical analysis of these topics to the legal community and beyond. To that end, this year’s Annual Survey is devoted exclusively to the topic of electronic discovery. In the two years since the Journal last published on this important issue, the availability of electronic information has increased exponentially, courts have continued to struggle with the 2006 Amendments to …

Spilling Secrets: Trade Secret Disclosure And Takings In Offshore Drilling Regulation, Michael A. Greene

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

This Article will explore whether the law may require the disclosure of adequate proprietary information to enable effective regulation. Part II will discuss the settled law regarding the property status of trade secrets, the regulatory takings doctrine, the applicability of the Takings Clause of the United States Constitution to proprietary data, and the exactions doctrine. Part III will explore the validity of the mandatory submission of proprietary health, safety, and environmental data to government regulators, with the guarantee that such data will be kept secret from competitors and the public. Part IV will then explore the validity of regulation mandating …

Current And Emerging Transportation Technology: Final Nails In The Coffin Of The Dying Right Of Privacy?, James D. Phillips, Katharine E. Kohm

Richmond Journal of Law & Technology

Transportation networks constitute “the circulatory system of our economy.” The distinct modes that constitute the American transportation system—air, rail, transit, highways, and waterways—impact the entire range of our daily activities. Just as the human body depends on its circulatory system for life and well being, the United States’ vitality would grind to a halting stop without a vibrant transportation system.

Bifurcation Of Civil Trials, John P. Rowley Iii, Richard G. Moore

University of Richmond Law Review

Despite its widespread and long-standing recognition as a valuable docket-control device, the bifurcation of issues in civil trials has generated considerable debate among legal scholars and judges. The state and federal courts both utilize bifurcation, andthe Supreme Court of Appeals in Virginia recognized the advantages of the procedural device as early as 1915. Nonetheless, authority for the bifurcation of issues in civil trials in Virginia has remained clouded. The Supreme Court of Virginia lifted at least some of the clouds when it decided Allstate Insurance Co. v. Wade, thereby rejecting the position taken in an amicus curiae brief filed …

Medical Malpractice Law, Sean P. Byrne, Lauran G. Stimac

University of Richmond Law Review

Health care reform took center stage on a national level overthe past year. Despite suggestions that medical liability reform might be incorporated into the federal legislation, in the end, it was not. Similarly, this year saw few legislative developments at the state level in medical malpractice law, as the Virginia General Assembly focused its energy primarily on the budget shortfall and other issues. There were, however, several health care legislative and case developments of note which will impact the medical liability landscape in the coming years. Board of Medicine activity and medical malpractice trial results of interest are also highlighted …

Issue 1: Table Of Contents

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Challenging Supremacy: Virginia's Response To The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Matthew R. Farley

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Community Development Authorities, Andrew A. Painter

University of Richmond Law Review

Today, CDAs of varying sizes and purposes have been authorized by at least fourteen Virginia localities, and approximately twenty have issued bonds." Despite progress, CDAs occupy anarea of Virginia law largely in its infancy. Case law directly related to their use remains limited, and many localities remain uncertain about their use since the unique marriage of private development and public power inherent in the CDA process has, at times, fostered controversy and apprehension. While this article does not directly address the public policy implications of using CDAs to finance infrastructure, the author hopes this review will generate further ideas for …

Fool Me Once, Shame On Me; Fool Me Again And You're Gonna Pay For It: An Analysis Of Medicare's New Reporting Requirements For Primary Payers And The Stiff Penalties Associated With Noncompliance, Brent M. Timberlake, Monica A. Stahly

University of Richmond Law Review

This article discusses the new requirements and the issues that currently face insurers, claimants, and attorneys in cases involving Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.

Much Ado About Nothing Much: Protestant Episcopal Church In The Diocese Of Virginia V. Truro Church, Henry L. Chambers Jr., Isaac A. Mcbeth

University of Richmond Law Review

This essay reviews the issues the Supreme Court of Virginia resolved in Truro and notes important issues it did not resolve. Part II supplies the factual background and procedural history ofthe dispute. Part III summarizes the court's opinion and the reasoning underlying its determination that Virginia Code section57-9(A) is not applicable to this particular action. Part IV critiques the opinion, noting the issues the court resolved and how it resolved them. Part V briefly addresses issues that remain unresolved by the court's decision and discusses the implications of leaving those issues unresolved. Part VI presents the authors' conclusions.

Civil Practice And Procedure, John R. Walk, Andrew P. Sherrod

University of Richmond Law Review

This article surveys recent significant developments in Virginia civil practice and procedure. Specifically, the article discusses opinions of the Supreme Court of Virginia from June 2009 through April 2010 addressing civil procedure; significant amendments to the Rules of the Supreme Court of Virginia made during the same period; and legislation enacted by the Virginia GeneralAssembly during its 2010 session relating to civil practice.

Professional Responsibility, James M. Mccauley

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Taxation, Craig D. Bell

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Fool Me Once, Shame On Me; Fool Me Again And You’Re Gonna Pay For It: An Analysis Of Medicare’S New Reporting Requirements For Primary Payers And The Stiff Penalties Associated With Noncompliance, Monica A. Stahly

Law Student Publications

This article discusses the new requirements and the issues that currently face insurers, claimants, and attorneys in cases involving Medicare-eligible beneficiaries.

Museletter: November 2010, Suzanne Corriell

Museletter

This Issue:

Not Your Everyday Legal Research: Pop Yeh Yeh Research [Carl Hamm] by Suzanne Corriell

Holiday & Exam Hours Begin November 24

New Faces at the Law Library

Same Faces... but New Places at the Law Library

Law at the Movies: The Social Network by Gail Zwirner

Celebrating The Twenty-Fifth Issue Of The Annual Survey Of Virginia Law, Marguerite R. Ruby, Sarah Warren S. Beverly

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Appellate Law, L. Steven Emmert

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Criminal Law And Procedure, Virginia B. Theisen, Stephen R. Mccullough

University of Richmond Law Review

The authors have endeavored to select from the many cases and bills those that have the most significant practical impact on the daily practice of criminal law in the Commonwealth. Due to space constraints, the authors have stayed away from discussing settled principles, with a focus on the "take away" for a particular case.

Wills, Trusts, And Estates, J. Rodney Johnson

University of Richmond Law Review

The 2010 Session of the General Assembly enacted wills, trusts, and estates legislation (i) adopting the Uniform Power ofAttorney Act, (ii) passing emergency legislation for the construction of tax-oriented wills and trusts of persons who die during 2010 with documents drafted prior thereto, (iii) revising the small-estate statutes, and (iv) clarifying the burial power of attorney. In addition, there were six other enactments, and seven opinions from the Supreme Court of Virginia during the one-year period ending June 1, 2010 that present issues of interest in thisarea. This article reports on all of these legislative and judicial developments, along with …

Construction Law, Christopher G. Hill

University of Richmond Law Review

This article will review recent case law and legislative enactments in Virginia of significance to Virginia's contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers and design professionals. The article will also discuss the growing sustainable or "green" building trend in Virginia and elsewhere and the potential issues that this relatively new phenomenon will raise.

Environmental Law, Caleb A. Jaffe, Sean M. Carney

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Sextual Healing: Solving The Teen To Teen Sexting Problem In Virginia, Samuel T. Bernier

Law Student Publications

This comment analyzes how teen-to-teen sexting is presently addressed under the Code of Virginia. It also addresses the statutes under which Janie and her friends may be convicted for their various indiscretions as well as some of the long term consequences of those convictions. Additionally, it addresses the recent Virginia State Crime Commissions report on teen-to-teen sexting.

Towards A New Lens Of Analysis: The History And Future Of Religioius Exemptions To Child Neglect Statutes, Gregory Engle

Law Student Publications

In order to analyze the religious exemptions, this paper will begin with their history. Part II looks at the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974 (CAPTA) the statute that precipitated their spread, as well as the justifications that it was bolstered upon: Free Exercise of religion and parental rights. The Equal Protection critique follows as Part III, followed by Part IV that discusses the traditional critique, grounded in the Establishment Clause. In Part V, the article will finish with an explanation of why the Equal Protection critique is a much stronger criticism.