State and Local Government Law Commons^™

Framing A Texas Bill Of Rights Argument., James C. Harrington

St. Mary's Law Journal

As federal courts have allowed individual rights to diminish, the Texas judiciary nurtures state constitutional jurisprudence. Texas has a unique history requiring special care in approaching the construction and presentation of arguments utilizing the Texas Constitution or Texas Bill of Rights. The state constitution evolved over six revisions resulting with the eventual ratification of the final version in 1876. A confluence of goals ultimately resulted in a document where the bill of rights appears in Article I and by specifically framing individual liberties as affirmative rights rather than restrictions of government power. Four modes of interpretation are typically employed when …

Property And Small-Scale Privitization In Russia., Richard C. Schneider Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

Knowing who owns what suddenly became important in Russia because of dramatic economic and market reforms of the Yeltsin government. The transfer of property, from the state to the private sector is at the heart of the reforms. It is generally recognized the “foundations of a market-based economic system are property rights and private ownership.” The purposes of this article are to (1) summarize reforms which successfully introduced a scheme of private ownership in Russia, as demonstrated by the Nizhny Novgorod experiment, and (2) discuss those property rights which remain unclear. Accordingly, the second and third parts of the article …

Judging In The Quiet Of The Storm., Shirley S. Abrahamson

St. Mary's Law Journal

Justice Benjamin Cardozo evaluates the elements he believes motivate judges in deciding cases in The Nature of the Judicial Process. Judge Cardozo focuses primarily on common-law courts deciding common-law cases. Although state-court dockets cover a wider variety of topics today and the legal landscape has changed, The Nature of the Judicial Process remains influential. The basis of Judge Cardozo’s approach is to first extract principles from past cases and apply them to new fact situations. Cardozo refers to this process as the method of philosophy. As precedent cannot readily solve all new disputes, this process may require judges select from …

The Great Speech Perspective., Jon Larsen Shudlick

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Jurors May Not Pose Written Questions To Witnesses In Criminal Cases., Mark C. Robertson Ii

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

A License To Kill: The Categorical Exemption Of The Mentally Retarded From The Death Penalty., David L. Rumley

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Comment will show there is no merit to the argument the Eighth Amendment prohibits the imposition of capital punishment on all persons considered mentally retarded. This Comment begins with an overview of the historical treatment of mental disabilities, articulating the levels of mental deficiency required for exculpation of criminal responsibility. Next, this Comment discusses the characteristics of persons with mental retardation. This Comment will also discuss the recently enacted statutes’ use of I.Q. tests for determinations of mental retardation. In analyzing these statutes, it becomes apparent a person’s I.Q. should not be prima-facie proof of mental retardation, although state …

Ground Water Quality Protection In Colorado, Paul D. Frohardt

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

8 pages.

Quality Meets Quantity: San Gabriel Valley, California, Mark J. Klaiman

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

23 pages (includes maps).

Quality Meets Quantity: San Gabriel Valley, California: The Metropolitan Water District Of Southern California Proposal, Thomas M. Stetson

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

19 pages (includes illustrations and maps).

Contains footnotes.

Regional Water Supply Aspects Of San Gabriel Basin Superfund Process, Victor E. Gleason

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

19 pages (includes maps).

The Klein Water Treatment Facility: Model For The New Superfund Management Strategy – Or- The Importance Of Being In The Wrong Place At The Right Time???, David M. Brown

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

12 pages.

Opportunities For Innovation: State Strategies For Groundwater Protection, Larry Morandi

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

8 pages.

Contains references.

Setting The Standards: Federal Groundwater Protection Programs, Katharine (Joni) Teter

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

22 pages.

Contains references.

Managing Groundwater Quality And Quantity: Comparative Approaches Of Southern California Water Basins, Susan M. Trager

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

15 pages.

Contains 1 page of references.

Endangered Species: The Edwards Aquifer Litigation, Stuart N. Henry

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

7 pages.

Litigation In Texas Re: The Edwards Aquifer And Water Rights, Douglas G. Caroom

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

18 pages.

Agenda: Uncovering The Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology And Policy In The 1990s, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, Rocky Mountain Ground-Water Conference (1992), Colorado Ground-Water Association

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

Sponsored by Natural Resources Law Center, University of Colorado School of Law and the Rocky Mountain Ground-Water Conference, organized by the Colorado Ground-Water Association.

Faculty for the conference included University of Colorado School of Law professor Lawrence J. MacDonnell.

Nearly half the people in the United States rely on groundwater as their primary water source. As demands for groundwater grow, it becomes increasingly important for lawyer and technical professionals to understand the legal and hydrologic issues arising in groundwater development, use, and protection. These issues will be the focus of the Center's thirteenth annual summer program, June 15-17, 1992.

This …

Meeting Urban Water Demands In Nevada, The Las Vegas Proposal, Terry Katzer, Kay Brothers

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

10 pages (includes map).

Contains references.

A [Very Brief] Primer On Groundwater Law, Lawrence J. Macdonnell

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

12 pages.

Contains references.

The Legal Framework For Aquifer Issues, Douglas L. Grant

Uncovering the Hidden Resource: Groundwater Law, Hydrology, and Policy in the 1990s (Summer Conference, June 15-17)

20 pages.

Contains references.

The Selling Of Pollution: Unleashing Market Forces On The Acid Rain Problem, 25 J. Marshall L. Rev. 627 (1992), Thomas R. Dee

UIC Law Review

No abstract provided.

Industrial Property Transfer Liability: Reality V. Necessity, Ellen Joanne Gerber

Cleveland State Law Review

Under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, the current owner is liable for the cleanup of hazardous waste, even if a previous owner was responsible for the soil and groundwater contamination, unless he can prove he is an innocent landowner. In response to CERCLA, many owners of industrial facilities have chosen to relocate their companies to rural areas. Unfortunately, these actions have a substantial impact on former industrial urban areas. Section II of this article discusses the liability of a landowner in a CERCLA action. In addition, it sets forth the elements of the innocent landowner defense and …

Planning For Free Trade: Taking Advantage Of The Transition., John M. Vernon, Enrique A. Gonzalez Calvillo

St. Mary's Law Journal

After two decades of restrictive policies regarding foreign involvement, Mexico is transforming its legal and regulatory structure. The progression of foreign investment, technology transfer, and industrial property laws and regulations is revealing. The significance of the overhaul of the industrial property and technology transfer framework in Mexico is evident considering the historical context in which it developed. With these reforms in place, Mexico significantly improved the conditions for placing U.S. franchises across the border. Mexico decreased tariff rates, eliminated import licenses for numerous products, and divested over half of the businesses previously owned or operated by the state. It also …

Maquiladoras: Will The Program Continue., Cheryl Schechter, David Brill Jr.

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Article will discuss the industry and relevant aspects of the legal framework which evolved into the modern maquiladora operation. It will also analyze the possible impact of the ongoing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations on the Mexican maquiladora industry. In the late seventies and early eighties, Mexico plunged into an economic crisis brought on in part by its almost exclusive dependence on oil exports. The extreme drop in the international oil market forced the country to restructure its economy with a greater emphasis on manufacturing for export. Mexico’s maquiladora program played a key role in this aspect …

Transborder - Road Transportation., H.N. Cunningham Iii

St. Mary's Law Journal

This Article is intended to serve as a primer for attorneys representing clients engaged in shipping, receiving, and transporting merchandise between points in the United States of Mexico (Mexico) and the United States of America. A “crazy quilt” of laws and regulations govern the rights, duties, and obligations of persons engaged in these activities. These laws include not only the constitutions and statutes of two independent nations, but also the laws and regulations of their various political subdivisions as well. Due to the breadth of this material, this Article’s treatment of the subject is general, providing an overview of the …

Environmental Permits: Land Use Regulation And Policy Implementation In Texas., Wm. Terry Bray, R. Alan Haywood, David S. Caudill, Pamela S. Bacon

St. Mary's Law Journal

Real estate lawyers traditionally focused on the applicable zoning ordinances of the governing municipality. Real estate lawyers also are familiar with applicable subdivision ordinances, which typically impose additional limitations on the use of real property. Subdivision platting was originally envisioned as a procedure to ensure orderly development of property within the jurisdiction of a municipality. Many local land use regulations promulgated in recent years focus on the “environment” and purport to be necessary to conserve and protect natural resources. A complex network of federal and state statutes now exists which regulates the use of real property in order to protect …

Admissibility Of A Rape Victim's Prior Sexual Conduct In Texas: A Contemporary Review And Analysis., James A. Vaught, Margaret Henning

St. Mary's Law Journal

The treatment of rape victims in criminal prosecutions has become and remains a matter of intense public and legal interest in America. The conventional use of evidence of a rape complainant's prior sexual history in rape prosecutions was a major focus of the rape reform movement. A major consequence of the movement for reform is the federal government and forty-nine states enacting rape shield laws limiting the admissibility of evidence concerning the complainant’s sexual history in rape prosecution. This article analyzes the admissibility of evidence of a rape complainant’s prior sexual conduct from its common law origins concentrating on the …

An Empirical Study Of Kent Style Juvenile Transfers To Criminal Court., Robert O. Dawson

St. Mary's Law Journal

Kent v. United States was the first in a series of majority decisions by the United States Supreme Court which fixed constitutional minimum requirements for the juvenile justice system. This decision follows case law establishing the adjudication phase of the process: a right to notice of charges, to confrontation and cross-examination of witnesses, not to be compelled to incriminate oneself, and to counsel. Shortly afterwards, the Court established the constitutional requirement the government must prove its charges in juvenile court beyond a reasonable doubt. Finally, the Court determined the Double Jeopardy Clause of the Constitution applies in the juvenile process. …

Legal Malpractice Committed While Working On Cases Which Result In Litigation Tolls The Statute Of Limitations For The Malpractice Claim Until All Appeals For The Underlying Causes Of Action Are Exhausted., Dina Bernstein

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.

Reasonable Double Definitional Instruction Results In Abolishing Exclusion Of Outstanding Reasonable Hypothesis As Standard Of Review In Circumstantial Evidence Cases., John J. Lapham

St. Mary's Law Journal

Abstract Forthcoming.