Law Commons^™

The Ninth Circuit’S Asylum Ban Ruling Is A Message To Trump, Peter Margulies

Law Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

December 10, 2018: The Democrats’ God Problem, Bruce Ledewitz

Hallowed Secularism

Blog post, “The Democrats’ God Problem“ discusses politics, theology and the law in relation to religion and public life in the democratic United States of America.

Law School News: Three Rwu Law Graduates Nominated For State Judgeships 12-10-2018, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

A Chance To End Gerrymandering In Virginia, A. E. Dick Howard, Rebecca Green

Popular Media

No abstract provided.

Defining And Regulating Cryptocurrency: Fake Internet Money Or Legitimate Medium Of Exchange?, Susan Alkadri

Duke Law & Technology Review

Digitalization makes almost everything quicker, sleeker, and more efficient. Many argue cryptocurrency is the future of money and payment transfers. This paper explores how the unique nature of cryptocurrencies creates barriers to a strict application of traditional regulatory strategies. Indeed, state and federal regulators remain uncertain if and how they can regulate this cutting-edge technology. Cryptocurrency businesses face difficulty navigating the unclear regulatory landscape, and consumers frequently fall prey to misinformation. To reconcile these concerns, this paper asserts cryptocurrency functions as “currency” or “money” and should be treated as such for regulatory purposes. It also proposes each state implement a …

Can A Global Fund Help Solve The Global Marine Plastic Debris Problem?, Karen Raubenheimer, Alistair Mcilgorm

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

The problem of marine plastic debris impacts all of the world’s oceans and requires all nations to respond. However, developing States require funds to improve waste management infrastructure and services in order to reduce marine debris at source. Plastics manufacturers and retailers globally must be incentivised to design products for the environment as well as for the collection and end-of-life treatment facilities available within the intended markets. Given the oceans are a global common, we investigate the option of developing a global fund mechanism to progress the necessary actions to reduce plastic waste entering the world’s oceans. This requires consideration …

Ten Years Of Economic Analyses For The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Overview Of Experiences And Lessons Learned, Rob Van Der Veeren, Ann Kathrin Buchs, Günter Hörmandinger, Soile Oinonen, Conceição Santos, Max Vretborn

Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics

The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which came into force in 2008, requires from Member States inter alia to perform various (types of) economic analyses. In order to help Member States to implement this directive, the European working group on Economic and Social Analysis was initiated in 2009. This working group has developed various guidance documents which have been very useful in helping each other to understand the Directive and its requirements, to develop one language, to understand the pros and cons of various approaches, and to share experiences. However, up until now, outside of this working group this information …

Fight Over Hill's Israel Comments Is Not Helpful, Alan E. Garfield

Alan E Garfield

No abstract provided.

December 7, 2018: Needed: A Party Of Democracy, Bruce Ledewitz

Hallowed Secularism

Blog post, “Needed: A Party of Democracy“ discusses politics, theology and the law in relation to religion and public life in the democratic United States of America.

The Future Of Freedom Of Expression Online, Evelyn Mary Aswad

Duke Law & Technology Review

Should social media companies ban Holocaust denial from their platforms? What about conspiracy theorists that spew hate? Does good corporate citizenship mean platforms should remove offensive speech or tolerate it? The content moderation rules that companies develop to govern speech on their platforms will have significant implications for the future of freedom of expression. Given that the prospects for compelling platforms to respect users’ free speech rights are bleak within the U.S. system, what can be done to protect this important right? In June 2018, the United Nations’ top expert for freedom of expression called on companies to align their …

Clearly Canadian--Hill V. Colorado And Free Speech Balancing In The United States And Canada, Donald L. Beschle

Donald L. Beschle

Two doctrines have equally influenced and informed the debate regrading the scope of the First Amendment free speech guarantee: absolutism versus the balancing of competing interests. Despite the language of the United States Constitution that suggests the application of absolutes, the courts have often resorted to balancing in the resolution of cases. This Article examines the debate by comparing the different approaches taken by the courts in the United States and Canada. This examination reveals that perhaps the two doctrines do not need to negate each other in their application, and that a recent decision by the United States Supreme …

Are Two Clauses Really Better Than One? Rethinking The Religion Clause(S), 80 U. Pitt. L. Rev. 1 (2018), Donald L. Beschle

Donald L. Beschle

The First Amendment begins with two references to the relationship between government and religion. The prohibition on establishment of religion and the guarantee of free exercise of religion, despite their obvious interaction, are generally regarded as separate clauses, and analyzed under tests developed under one or the other. The current state of Establishment Clause doctrine and Free Exercise doctrine is sharply contested and by no means clear. Supreme Court justices will usually classify a religious freedom case as either presenting non-establishment or free exercise issues. Having done so, they will apply the test framed for that clause. But does that …

Youth Activism, Art And Transitional Artist: Emerging Spaces Of Memory After The Jasmin Revolution, Arnaud Kurze

Arnaud Kurze

This project explores the creation of alternative transitional justice spaces in post-conflict contexts, particularly concentrating on the role of art and the impact of social movements to address human rights abuses. Drawing from post-authoritarian Tunisia, it scrutinizes the work of contemporary youth activists and artists to deal with the past and foster sociopolitical change. Although these vanguard protesters provoked the overthrow of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, the power vacuum was quickly filled by old elites. The exclusion of young revolutionaries from political decision-making led to unprecedented forms of mobilization to account for repression and injustice under …

State Ex Rel. Holmes V. Gainer: The Legislative Pay Raise And The Disappearing West Virginia Constitution, Matthew L. Clark

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

State V. Dist. Ct. (Ojeda (Francisco)), 134 Nev. Adv. Op. 94 (Dec. 6, 2018) (En Banc), Myrra Dvorak

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court focused on the issue of whether a district court can grant a motion to compel disclosure of criminal background information of veniremembers gathered by the prosecution. The Court determined that a district court has the authority to order the prosecution to share criminal background information of veniremembers obtained from databases that the defense cannot access.

The Native Species Protection Act: A Deceptively-Named Measure To Destroy The Endangered Species Act, Daniel Fors

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Standing Up For A Cleaner Town: How The Ehb's Broad Definition Of Standing In Friends Of Lackawanna V. Department Of Environmental Protection Expands Citizens' Appellate Rights, Zoey H. Lee

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Surrogate Science And Judicial Deference To Agency Findings: How The Ninth Circuit Keeps Exemptions For Bioenergy On Track In Helping Hand Tools V. Epa, Joshua Schmid

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Law School News: Rwu Law Alum Elected Attorney General Of Maine 12-06-2018, Alex Acquisto, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Life of the Law School (1993- )

No abstract provided.

Rodriguez (Juan) V. State, 134 Nev. Adv. Op. 95 (Dec. 6, 2018) (En Banc), Jessica Story

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court held that NRS 200.481(2)(b) is not an enhancement statute and so a sentence for battery resulting in substantial bodily harm with a consecutive sentence for the older-person enhancement is not double sentencing.

N. Lake Tahoe Protection Dist. V. Bd. Of Admin., 134 Nev. Adv. Op. 93 (Dec. 6, 2018) (En Banc), Hannah Nelson

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court determined that NRS 616B.578(4) does not require an employer to know the precise medical terminology for an employee’s permanent physical impairment before the subsequent injury. However, the statute requires that an employee’s preexisting permanent physical impairment be fairly and reasonably observed from a written record and the impairment must amount to at least 6% whole person impairment.

O’Keefe V. State Of Nev. Dep’T Of Motor Vehicles, Nev. Adv. Op. 92 (Dec. 6, 2018) (En Banc), Jacqueline Cope

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court reviewed de novo whether a classified employee violated a law or regulation when she challenged a challenges a state agency’s decision to terminate. Moreover, the Court applied a deferential standard of reasonableness to the agency’s decision to terminate the employee in service of the public good.

State V. Second Judicial Dist. Court. (Hearn (Matthew)), 134 Nev. Adv. Op. 96 (Dec. 6, 2018) (En Banc), Taylor Buono

Nevada Supreme Court Summaries

The Court affirmed the district court’s decision and held that the prosecutorial consent provision in NRS 176A.290 violated the Nevada Constitution’s separation of powers doctrine. Furthermore, the Court struck the offending language, finding that the provision could be severed from the statute without impacting the legislature’s intent.

Brief Of Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality As Amicus Curiae In Support Of Petitioner, Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law And Equality, Melissa Lee, Jessica Levin, Robert S. Chang, Lorraine Bannai

Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equality

State of Washington v. Jeremiah James Gilbert

Mining For Answers: The Supreme Court Of California Addresses The State's Ability To Exercise Its Police Powers On Federal Land In People V. Rinehart, Rohan Mohanty

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Alaska Oil & Gas Association V. Pritzker: The Court Foresees A Warm Future And Upholds Bearded Seals' Esa Listing, Shawna Riley

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

No Harm, No Foul: How The Ninth Circuit's Decision In Ground Zero Center For Non-Violent Action V. United States Department Of The Navy Essentially Weakens The Eis As An Enforcement Mechanism Of Nepa, Kathryn T. Siegeltuch

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

New Jersey's Legal Duty To Manage Its Coastline In Preparation For The Wrath Of Climate Change, Sarah Weiss Rozalis

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Trust The Process? The Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania's Broad Interpretation Of The Environmental Rights Amendment Sent Shockwaves Through The Commonwealth In Pennsylvania Environmental Defense Foundation V. Commonwealth, Rebecca A. Cabrera

Villanova Environmental Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Forensic Science: Complex Admissibility Standard For Scientific Evidence And Expert Witness's Testimony, Md Wahidur Rahman, Marissa J. Moran

Publications and Research

Modern science forces the world to accept new theories and invention. Science has invented several tools, which are used in the legal system to dispute criminal cases. Scientific evidence and expert witness testimony have weight in the courtroom because those are scientifically proved to be true. Even though there are few case laws and Federal rule of evidence 1975, still the admissibility standard is complex which may lead injustice.

This article examines the Federal rule of evidence, case laws and scholars’ opinion to address the complexity of the admissibility standard of scientific evidence and expert testimony. The first legal question …