Military, War, and Peace Commons^™

Last Stand? The Criminal Responsibility Of War Veterans Returning From Iraq And Afghanistan With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Thomas L. Hafemeister, Nicole A. Stockey

Indiana Law Journal

As more psychologically scarred troops return from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, society's focus on and concern for these troops and their psychological disorders has increased With this increase and with associated studies confirming the validity of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis and the genuine impact of PTSD on the behavior of war veterans, greater weight may be given to the premise that PTSD is a mental disorder that provides grounds for a "mental status defense, " such as insanity, a lack of mens rea, or self-defense. Although considerable impediments remain, given the current political climate, Iraq and Afghanistan …

Wired For War: The Robotics Revolution And Conflict In The Twenty-First Century, Frank Rosenblatt

Journal Articles

Pity the librarian who receives a copy of P.W. Singer's Wired for War and must decide where to put it. Since the book wrestles with the changing nature of warfare, it could fit in with other books on war and military affairs. It may also belong in the science fiction section, since it is largely a tribute to the vision of science fiction writers such as Isaac Asimov. Perhaps Wired for War should go alongside works by other futurist thinkers such as George Orwell and Freeman Dyson. Is it really an ethics book? A science text? Strong arguments could be …

Ten Federal Circuit Cases From 2009 That Veterans Benefits Attorneys Should Know, Paul R. Gugliuzza, Miguel F. Eaton, Sumon Dantiki

UF Law Faculty Publications

The Federal Circuit is the highest court to which veterans can appeal by right for benefits. In 2009, the Federal Circuit decided eighty-seven veterans cases (twelve percent of its overall docket). Twenty-six of those decisions were precedential opinions. There are approximately 23.4 million veterans in the United States, more than three million of whom receive disability compensation. And with two ongoing wars, plans to increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps, and recent legislation impacting the veterans claims process, the Federal Circuit will likely see an increase in veterans cases in the coming years.

Part I of this …

Developing U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy And International Law: The Approach Of The Obama Administration, Winston P. Nagan, Erin K. Slemmens

UF Law Faculty Publications

Prior U.S. presidential administrations have developed and adhered to the nuclear weapons policy of nuclear deterrence. This policy was largely conditioned by the Cold War and the fact that the U.S. Cold War adversary was a major threat to U.S. security because of its nuclear capability. The policy of nuclear deterrence worked on the principle of mutually assured destruction. It appears to have had the effect of discouraging recourse to nuclear weapons as instruments of war. It has also been generally perceived as a position that has an uneasy relationship with conventional international law. Even before entering office, President Obama …

Un Peacekeeping: A Sheep In Wolves Clothing? Review Of Un Peacekeeping In Lebanon, Somalia And Kosovo: Operational And Legal Issues In Practice, Jeremy I. Levitt

Journal Publications

Scholars and practitioners have been debating the legal and operational aspects of UN military operations since its enforcement actions in North Korea in 1950 and the Congo in 1960 (UN Operation in the Congo [ONUC]). Since then, the UN Security Council (UNSC) has authorized some semblance of enforcement action in Kuwait, Somalia, the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, East Timor and Albania, and authorized, sanctioned or co-deployed forces in Liberia, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Coˆte d’Ivoire and Sudan. The scholarly literature is abundant with analysis of nearly every aspect of peacekeeping and peace enforcement …

Classification Of Participants In Suicide Attacks And The Implications Of This Classification On The Severity Of The Sentence: The Israeli Experience In The Military Courts In Judea And Samaria As A Model To Other Nations, Amit Preiss, Chagai D. Vinizky

Pace Law Review

No abstract provided.

Responses To The Ten Questions, Joshua L. Dratel

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

Responses To The Ten Questions, John Ip

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

Responses To The Ten Questions, Edward B. Macmahon Jr.

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

Responses To The Ten Questions, John T. Parry

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

The United States Smallpox Bioterrorism Preparedness Plan: Rational Response Or Potemkin Planning, Edward P. Richards Iii

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

Foreign Public Opinion And National Security, Dakota S. Rudesill

William Mitchell Law Review

No abstract provided.

The End Of Al Qaeda? Rethinking The Legal End Of The War On Terror, Adam Klein

National Security Law Program

As the war on terrorism approaches its second decade, the open-ended nature of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) has given rise to the legal question of when, and how, the conflict will end. The indeterminate nature of the conflict has raised fears that the war powers will continue to be exercised indefinitely-a prospect noted with concern by the Supreme Court in Boumediene v. Bush. The prevailing view among legal scholars is that under existing precedents, the AUMF and the concomitant war powers will continue indefinitely in force until the political branches officially declare the …

“Runaway Train”: Controlling Crimes Committed By Private Contractors Through Application Of The Uniform Code Of Military Justice, Matthew Dahl

Barry Law Review

This paper will argue that, in the absence of effective alternatives, the new law granting court-martial jurisdiction over civilians is a necessary step in effectively controlling crimes by private contractors and other civilians accompanying U.S. armed forces overseas if other measures are not effectuated. Part II will look at two important Supreme Court decisions that currently restrict the military’s ability to court-martial civilians, and it will also highlight the government’s attempts over the past 50 years to come up with a solution to the problem. Part III will examine three alternatives to the amendment to Article 2(a)(10) that could make …

Deliberately Defrauding Investors: The Scope Of Liability Comment., Andrew R. Simank

St. Mary's Law Journal

Since the Enron debacle, shareholders have increasingly filed suit in state and federal courts to recoup financial losses resulting from fraudulent representations made by failing corporations. These shareholders have advanced common law misrepresentation claims against publicly traded companies for alleged fraudulent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings. Originally, the scope of liability for common law fraud was very narrow. This scope was later broadened in an attempt to provide protection to individuals commonly victimized by fraudulent behavior. Texas courts have gone to great lengths to ensure the “expectation of influencing conduct” requirement for common law fraud requires more than …

A Dark Descent Into Reality: Making The Case For An Objective Definition Of Torture, Michael W. Lewis

Washington and Lee Law Review

The definition of torture is broken. The malleability of the term "severe pain or suffering" at the heart of the definition has created a situation in which the world agrees on the words but cannot agree on their meaning. The "V know it when I see it" nature of the discussion of torture makes it clear that the definition is largely left to the eye of the beholder. This is particularly problematic when international Law's reliance on self-enforcement is considered After discussing current misconceptions about intelligence gathering and coercion that are common to all sides of the torture debate, this …

The Choice Of Law Against Terrorism, Mary Ellen O'Connell

Journal Articles

The Obama administration has continued to apply the wartime paradigm first developed by the Bush administration after 9/11 to respond to terrorism. In cases of trials before military commissions, indefinite detention, and targeted killing, the U.S. has continued to claim wartime privileges even with respect to persons and situations far from any battlefield. This article argues that both administrations have made a basic error in the choice of law. Wartime privileges may be claimed when armed conflict conditions prevail as defined by international law. These privileges are not triggered by declarations or policy preferences.

New Law Complicates Foreclosure Sales In Texas., Katherine A. Tapley

St. Mary's Law Journal

A new law that recently took effect has changed the way non-judicial real property foreclosure sales work in Texas. The new law, known as House Bill 655 (HB 655), relates to foreclosure sales in Texas. HB 655 amends the language of Texas Property Code section 51.0075(f) dealing with when the purchase price is due at a foreclosure sale. The amendment, however, complicates foreclosure sales in Texas. The purchase price at the foreclosure sale is no longer due immediately. Instead, if a purchaser at a foreclosure sale requests additional time to deliver the purchase price, the trustee—the person conducting the foreclosure …

Unequal And Unfair: Why Texas Should Require Mandatory Sales Price Disclosure To Reconcile The Texas Property Tax Code With The Texas Constitution., Nathan Morey

St. Mary's Law Journal

Appraisal districts in Texas are implementing a system of taxation that is unequal and unfair. Texas counties, cities, and school districts depend on local ad valorem property taxes for revenue. Under the Texas Property Tax Code, the Code establishes appraisal districts to determine the value of taxable property. There is, however, a discrepancy between the cash value of the land and its appraisal value, especially when compared to commercial property and residential property. Commercial property and high-end residential real estate are often undervalued by appraisal districts throughout the state. Because commercial properties are under-appraised, the tax burden is being unequally …

Leaks, Lies, And The Moonlight: Fiduciary Duties Of Associates To Their Law Firms., Susan Saab Fortney

St. Mary's Law Journal

This symposium article examines the fiduciary duties of law firm associates. After applying agency principles to the firm-associate relationship, the article analyzes specific duties and discusses cases involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duties by associates. It explores associate duties in the current legal, organizational, and socio-technological environment in which associates practice. The article closes with observations on the importance of firm principals considering the effect of firm culture on associate attitudes and conduct.

If One Is Good, Two Must Be Better: A Comparison Of The Texas Standards For Appellate Conduct And The Texas Disciplinary Rules Of Professional Conduct., Edward L. Wilkinson

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Supreme Court of Texas and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals adopted the Standards for Appellate Conduct (Standards) on February 1, 1999. The Standards are intended to “give practitioners a valuable tool to use with clients who demand unprofessional conduct” by imposing “an affirmative duty to educate the client about the Standards of Appellate Conduct.” The Standards further state they do not “alter existing standards of conduct under the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, or the Code of Judicial Conduct.” Under the Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, sanctionable conduct includes “acts or omissions…which violate one or more of the Texas …

Hall's Standards Of Review In Texas Foreword., Wallace B. Jefferson

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Technical Problem: How City Of Dallas V. Dallas Morning News, Lp Exposed A Major Loophole In The Texas Public Information Act Comment., Alexander J. Yoakum

St. Mary's Law Journal

The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) grants everyone a statutory right to access records of a governmental body unless disclosure would violate the law. Generally, TPIA is construed broadly to favor disclosure, but the rise of modern technology like email and text messaging reveals how dated TPIA truly is. According to the recent City of Dallas v. Dallas Morning News, LP, a governmental body is not required to release any business-related electronic communications sent via personal devices. This means governmental employees can conduct official business via personal email or cell phone without being subject to disclosure provisions, unless the requester …

Hall's Standards Of Review In Texas., W. Wendell Hall, O. Rey Rodriguez, Rosemarie Kanusky, Mark Emery

St. Mary's Law Journal

Standards of review distribute power within the judicial branch by defining the relationship between trial and appellate courts. These standards “frame the issues, define the depth of review, assign power among judicial actors, and declare the proper materials to review.” Standards of review are the cornerstones of appeals. These standards must be woven into the discussion of the facts and substantive law in a manner which persuades the appellate court that the trial court erred. Litigants must measure their factual and legal arguments against the appropriate rubric to write an effective and persuasive brief. Appellate judges agree that mechanical recitation …

Cleaning Up The Mess: The Economic, Environmental, And Cultural Impact Of U.S. Military Base Closures On Surrounding, Elizabeth M. Myers

Law Student Publications

Military base closings, and the numerous laws and regulations that apply to them, have a great impact on neighboring communities. This comment addresses the economic, environmental, and cultural effects of military base closures, both domestic and overseas, and offers some ideas for the future. Section I tells the stories of two former military bases, one in America and one overseas, and an American military base currently in the process of closing. Section II details the economic effects of military base closure under BRAC, while looking at the process itself in more detail. Section III examines the environmental effects, arising from …

How Will The 9/11 Hijackers Be Brought To Justice?, Brian Patient

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Attacked From All Sides: Increased Sexual Assault Reports Within The U.S. Military, Brittany Kubes

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

To Many Iraqis, Suicide Bombing Less Worrisom Than Graft, Tom Mcgettrick

Public Interest Law Reporter

No abstract provided.

Through Gritted Teeth And Clenched Jaw: Court-Initiated Sanctions Opinions In Bankruptcy Courts., Nancy B. Rapoport

St. Mary's Law Journal

Bankruptcy courts see too many incompetent bankruptcy lawyers, and the courts have few options for dealing with them. A court can rule against the lawyer, but this strategy punishes the lawyer’s client, who may be an innocent bystander. Alternatively, nothing prohibits a judge from deciding to hand down a sanctions opinion. Sanctions opinions arise when one party makes a request, or the court believes a lawyer’s behavior is serious enough to merit a written order. These instances include flouting the law—either bankruptcy law or the ethical rules—or being unaware of the fundamentals of bankruptcy practice and policy. In the instance …

Ethical Issues Associated With Multidisciplinary Practices In Texas., Michael Kelly

St. Mary's Law Journal

In 2000, the American Bar Association House of Delegates voted to uphold the ban on multidisciplinary practices (MDPs) set out in Rule 5.4 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct (Model Rules). In 2009, the ABA announced the creation of the Ethics 20/20 Commission to review the Model Rules in the context of globalization. The Commission announced it was looking into alternative business structures, including MDPs. In an MDP a client can seek the advice of several professionals with experience in different disciplines working in a single business. Under Rule 5.4, a lawyer is prohibited from sharing legal fees with …