Jurisprudence Commons^™

The Effect Of A Harmless Error In Executing A Will: Why Texas Should Adopt Section 2-503 Of The Uniform Probate Court., Sean P. Milligan

St. Mary's Law Journal

Often, the validity of a will is called into question in situations where the testator failed to execute the will in compliance with statutory formalities, although the intent to create a will was present. In Texas, harmless errors in the execution of a will are not excused, and the testator must comply with the statutory formalities set out in the Probate Code. Strict judicial adherence to statutory formalities leads to unjust results in situations where it is relatively clear that the testator intended to create a will but failed to comply with the execution requirements. The failure to comply with …

Securing One's Fourth Amendment Rights Through Issue Preclusion: Assessing Texas's Application Of Collateral Estoppel To Multiple Suppression Motions Filed In Separate Courts., Garrett T. Reece

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Comment will assess the split in Texas courts over the issue of collateral estoppel’s application in different motion to suppress hearings. By placing collateral estoppel within the confines of the Double Jeopardy Clause, federal law essentially extinguished one form of collateral estoppel and invented another form of the doctrine. Remnants of both forms are still alive, however, and Texas is one state in which both forms of collateral estoppel may be invoked in a criminal proceeding. Part II provides a historical analysis of the exclusionary rule, Double Jeopardy Clause, and collateral estoppel’s rise in criminal court. Part III addresses …

“Stop Me Before I Get Reversed Again”: The Failure Of Illinois Appellate Courts To Protect Their Criminal Decisions From United States Supreme Court Review, 36 Loy. U. Chi. L.J. 893 (2005), Timothy P. O'Neill

UIC Law Open Access Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Determining The Indeterminate Defect., J. Gregory Marks

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

The Nyse As State Actor?: Rational Actors, Behavioral Insights & Joint Investigations, Steven J. Cleveland

American University Law Review

No abstract provided.

Truth Or Consequences In Legal Scholarship?, David R. Barnhizer

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

There has been an erosion of the ideal of truth as a guiding force for what we do. This includes a dishonoring of the tradition of the truth-seeking function of scholars. For the university-based intellectual, including legal scholars, the problem with commitments to ends other than truth-seeking is that once we accept a mission distinct from the pursuit of truth and honest discourse, most of the remaining options are suspect - including falseness, hypocrisy, self-deception, subordination of self to a collective, profit, dogmatism, devotion to tradition, and propaganda.

Although what we intend by the idea of truth - legal, scientific, …

Beyond The Conventional Establishment Clause Narrative, Richard Albert

Seattle University Law Review

The article reviews of jurisprudence offers a systematic look at every Establishment Clause case to have reached the docket of the United States Supreme Court since 1947. That year is of particular significance, for it marks the incorporation of the Establishment Clause, which the Court articulated in its influential establishment case, Everson v. Board of Education. Through the intervening years there have been a total of forty-six other cases-forty-seven in total-in which establishment issues constituted the core legal quandary. The article poses two questions as it reviews the Court's opinion in each suit: (1) In contemplating the meaning of …

Molloy V. Meier Extends Genetic Counseling Duty Of Care To Biological Mcclain Parents And Establishes That Legal Damages Must Occur Before A Wrongful Conception Action Accrues For Statute Of Limitations Purposes, Mark Hallberg, Teresa Fariss

William Mitchell Law Review

Inherited genetic disorders are a well-known cause of developmental delays in children. It is, therefore, “foreseeable” to physicians treating developmentally delayed children that parents of these children will rely on the physicians’ opinions of whether a genetic cause exists. Accordingly in 1992, when Dr. Diane Meier, a pediatrician, discovered developmental delays in S.F., the three-year-old daughter of Kimberly Flomer (now Molloy) and Robert Flomer, “accepted standards of pediatric practice” required Dr. Meier to order genetic testing, including testing for Fragile X Syndrome, one of the most common causes of inherited mental retardation. The foreseeable consequences of Dr. Meier’s alleged failure …

Violating The Inviolable: Firearm Industry Retroactive Exemptions And The Need For A New Test For Overreaching Federal Prohibitions, 38 J. Marshall L. Rev. 955 (2005), James L. Daniels

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Attorney Disciplinary Procedure In Texas: Competing Interests And Philosophies 1988-2004 The Fourth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility: Essay., Dawn Miller, Daniel A. Naranjo

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Afterword - Outsider Citizenships And Multidimensional Borders: The Power And Danger Of Not Belonging, Pedro A. Malavet

UF Law Faculty Publications

In this closing for the LatCrit VIII symposium, I adopt a collective view of the articles, and attempt to develop how the themes discussed in them fit within LatCrit scholarship. I will then interrogate the future of our enterprise by discussing the danger of succumbing to the seduction of the real or perceived need "to reinvent the wheel," or at least to clothe ideas in overly-developed language. Last, the Conclusion discusses how LatCrit scholarship is both promoted and challenged by the articles published here. I further include some suggested institutional responses to the opportunities for mentoring and nurturing that I …

Love And Architecture: Race, Nation, And Gender Performances Inside And Outside The State, Angela P. Harris

Cleveland State Law Review

In this essay, I will use the metaphor of "performance" to describe the complicated interplay of power and identity. Each of the essays in this Cluster, I suggest, is concerned with some facet of identity performance within the power fields of gender, race, and nation. Perry calls our attention to how skin color, though typically subsumed by "race" in legal discourse, is a resource for performing identity that in fact complicates our understanding of racial subordination. Nancy Ehrenreich and Nicholas Espiritu are concerned with how states mobilize individual and collective race and gender performances as a way of inciting and …

Appellate Fruit Salad And Other Concepts: A Short Course In Appellate Process, Amy E. Sloan

University of Baltimore Law Review

No abstract provided.

Special Masters In State Court Complex Litigation: An Available And Underused Case Management Tool, Lynn Jokela, David F. Herr

William Mitchell Law Review

This article examines the role masters have played in litigation and explores the benefits that might be obtained from the greater use of masters in the future. The FJC survey of federal judges appointing special masters concluded that special masters were “extremely or very effective.” The FJC study is an empirical survey of the effectiveness of special masters, and it includes commentary from judges regarding their experience after appointing special masters. These benefits include better, faster, and fairer resolution of litigation in the cases in which masters are used, as well as an easing of the burdens these cases place …

2004 Special Masters Conference: Transcript Of Proceedings, Various Special Masters

William Mitchell Law Review

A historic gathering of special masters occurred on October 15th and 16th, 2004 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Federal and state court-appointed masters from around the country met for the first time to share their experiences as special masters and to form a national association of court appointed masters. This issue of the William Mitchell Law Review contains articles presented at the conference and the transcript of faculty presentations. Throughout the transcript of faculty presentations, the word “speaker” denotes a conference attendee.

The Jurisprudence Of Justice Esther Tomljanovich: Balancing The Scales Of Justice, Ann L. Iijima

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

The Transformation Of Modern Corporation Law: The Law Of Corporate Groups, Phillip Blumberg

Faculty Articles and Papers

No abstract provided.

Navigating Diverse Identities: Building Coalitions Through Redistribution Of Academic Capital--An Exercise In Praxis, Aya Gruber

Publications

No abstract provided.

Dispensing With The Public Interest Requirement In Private Causes Of Action Under The Washington Consumer Protection Act, Jonathan A. Mark

Seattle University Law Review

It has been more than eighteen years since the Washington Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision in Hangman Ridge Training Stables v. Safeco Title Insurance Company. This was the final decision in a string of cases in which the court attempted to resolve problems arising from the application and interpretation of the right to a private cause of action under Washington's Consumer Protection Act ("CPA"). This Article explores the application of the public interest requirement since the decision in Hangman Ridge and considers whether the tests devised by the Hangman Ridge court to determine public interest are still …

Justice, The Liberal Arts, And Some Basic Training For Lawyers, George Anastaplo

Faculty Publications & Other Works

No abstract provided.

Citizen And Citizenship Within And Beyond The Nation, Tayyab Mahmud

Cleveland State Law Review

The Latina/o Critical Legal Theory (LatCrit) movement, whose point of departure was the ground furnished by Legal Realism, Critical Legal Studies, Feminist Legal Theory, and Critical Race theory, has over time incorporated teachings of Queer Theory, Postcolonial Studies, Culture Studies, and Subaltern Studies. The three contributions to this cluster in the Symposium are worthy exemplars of this legacy as they open new avenues to broaden and deepen the project of critical legal scholarship. Jointly, the three interventions constitute a formidable spatial and temporal canvas. One explores the past, one interrogates the present, and one contemplates the future. One has the …

Mind The Gap: Expansion Of Texas Governmental Immunity Between Takings And Tort., Jadd F. Masso

St. Mary's Law Journal

In Jennings v. City of Dallas, the city’s wastewater collection division was dispatched to unstop a clogged sewer main but instead caused sewage to spew into the Jennings’ home with dramatic force, causing extensive damage. The Jennings subsequently filed suit against the city, alleging its actions constituted an unconstitutional taking, damaging, or destruction of their property for public use without adequate compensation in violation of Article I, § 17 of the Texas Constitution. The issue presented from the case was whether an individual citizen should be liable for such losses when the damage—as an incident to governmental action—in effect benefits …

Much Ado About Nothing - Why Desert Palace Neither Murdered Mcdonnell Douglas Nor Transformed All Employment Discrimination Cases To Mixed-Motive Essay., Matthew R. Scott, Russell D. Chapman

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Unintentional Franchising., Mark H. Miller

St. Mary's Law Journal

The focus of this Article is on honest businesses that do not realize they may be legally regulated as "franchisors" or "business opportunity sellers" and subject to potentially awful consequences due to noncompliance. This Article first discusses federal and other states' laws, then the Texas Business Opportunity Act (BOA), and finally, practical and litigation consequences.

Good Cause In The Texas Rules Of Civil Procedure., Naomi Mccuistion

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas judiciary should give “good cause” a single meaning. Ambiguity exists concerning the phrase “good cause” amongst Texas courts. Three different standards of “good cause” currently exist in Texas including: the Stelly/Craddock standard, the Alvarado standard, and the Remington Arms standard. Under the Stelly/Craddock standard—if withdrawal of deemed admissions is requested—“good cause” is required showing the failure was unintentional as a result of an accident or mistake. Under the Alvarado standard—if the request is to offer testimony of a witness who was not timely identified—the court requires a more strict showing of “good cause” not satisfied by an attorney’s …

Superseding Attorney's Fees And Pre-Judgment Interest After House Bill 4., Jonathan Yedor, Regina M. Uhl

St. Mary's Law Journal

Supersedeas is a rule of procedure allowing a judgment debtor to suspend enforcement of a judgment “by posting security set by the trial court” during the pendency of an appeal. The purpose of it is to “protect[ ] the [prevailing] party [following trial and entry of judgment] from the risk of a later uncollectible judgment and [to] compensate[]’” the prevailing party “for delay in the entry of final judgment.” This means the changes are meant to ensure a judgment debtor does not lose the right to appeal simply because the bond on judgment is too expensive so as to be …

Kelo V. City Of New London, Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District V. United States, And Washoe County V. United States: A Fifth Amendment Takings Primer., Christopher L. Harris, Daniel J. Lowenberg

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment is a remedy available to citizens for the government's undue interference with private property rights. It operates similarly to an affirmative defense as it entitles citizens to “just compensation” when the government “takes” private property for “public use.” The Takings Clause thus embodies the idea that society values the protection of private property. The Supreme Court of the United States stated the purpose of the Takings Clause is “to bar Government from forcing citizens from bearing public burdens which, in all fairness, should be borne by the public as a whole.” Kelo v. …

Questionable Summary Judgments, Appearances Of Judicial Bias, And Insurance Defense In Texas Declaratory-Judgment Trials: A Proposal And Arguments For Revising Texas Rules Of Civil Procedure 166a(A), 166a(B), And 166a(L)., Willy E. Rice

St. Mary's Law Journal

Economic necessity, expanding dockets, and judicial bias and unfairness are reasons for removing summary judgement practice from declaratory judgment trials in Texas. The Texas Supreme Court adopted the summary judgment rule primarily to prevent juries from considering arguably groundless causes, to reduce costs, and to increase "the efficient administration of justice." The Texas Supreme Court could prevent summary judgment practice in declaratory judgment cases. Texas's judges have the power to decide questions of fact and law when considering whether to award declaratory relief, negating the perceived need to entertain motions for summary relief. Trial judges must employ those doctrines to …

Utter Excitement About Nothing: Why Domestic Violence Evidence-Based Prosecution Will Survive Crawford V. Washington., Donna D. Bloom

St. Mary's Law Journal

In response to domestic violence involving victims who do not wish to cooperate in the prosecution of their abuser, prosecutors endeavor to frame cases around other evidence establishing a defendant’s guilt regardless of the victim’s testimony. Domestic violence cases set for trial are being thrown out of Texas courts because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that reasserts a defendant’s right to confront his accuser in court. Prosecutors believe that strong legal arguments exist to continue successfully prosecuting abusers without the cooperation of the victim at trial. This is through the continued admission of certain hearsay statements, despite Crawford …

Even Judges Don't Know Everything: A Call For A Presumption Of Admissibility For Expert Witness Testimony In Lawyer Disciplinary Proceedings The Fourth Annual Symposium On Legal Malpractice And Professional Responsibility., Timothy P. Chinaris

St. Mary's Law Journal

Today's practice environment is full of potential ethical pitfalls for even the most conscientious lawyer. The consequences of being found guilty of misconduct can include suspension or disbarment from practicing as a lawyer. Added to these concerns is the fact that the judge or hearing panel before whom the case is tried may not be intimately familiar with the particular ethics rules or how they are interpreted in different areas of practice. In order to mount an effective defense against the disciplinary charges, an accused lawyer may want to introduce expert testimony on his or her behalf. Unfortunately for the …