Law Commons^™

Self-Defense, Necessity, And The Duty To Compensate, In Law And Morality, Kenneth W. Simons

San Diego Law Review

What is the proper scope of the right to self-defense in law and morality? How does this right compare to the privilege of necessity? Professor Uwe Steinhoff’s manuscript offers a distinctive and wide-ranging perspective on the controversial questions these privileges raise. This essay engages with a number of his arguments, particularly focusing on legal and moral duties of compensation.

First, this essay examines how Anglo-American tort law would likely address the defender’s liability in a variety of scenarios, including disproportionate, excessive, and unnecessary force; unreasonable and reasonable mistakes; and use of force against innocent aggressors. It next considers whether private …

The Road To Autonomy, Michelle Sellwood

San Diego Law Review

[T]his Comment discusses the background of AI and robotics, the technology behind the autonomous vehicle, and the evolution of products liability laws. Part III examines current regulations, the benefits of autonomous technology, and the need for a definitive liability framework. Part IV discusses why current tort liability laws will be ineffective in governing autonomous vehicle liability by examining the shift in liability from the driver to the owner and manufacturer. Part V proposes a short-term solution by attributing liability to the programmer, while software is still hard-coded. Finally, Part VI explores legal personhood, and proposes that the autonomous vehicle be …

Hahn V. Superior Court: Failing To Take The Doctrine Of Strict Premises Liability To Its Logical Conclusion, Raquel Maria Prieguez

San Diego Law Review

This Casenote questions the holding in Hahn v. Superior Court, decided by the California Court of Appeals in 1991. In Hahn, the Court of Appeals refused to extend the doctrine of strict liability to the owner of a shopping mall based on a defective commercial establishment. The Casenote argues that the development of the doctrine of strict premises liability was arrested prematurely by the courts in California due to their effort to curb the tide of plaintiff compensation. The author argues that defective commercial establishments place the public in as much risk of harm as manufacturers of defective products. The …