State and Local Government Law | Open Access Articles

Issue 1: Annual Survey 2014 Table Of Contents

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

Administrative Law, John Paul Jones, John R. Mohrmann

University of Richmond Law Review

This article is a report of certain developments during the last two years relating to the Virginia Administrative Process Act ("the VAPA"), which governs rulemaking and adjudication of cases by state agencies as well as judicial review of both.

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Criminal Law And Procedure, Aaron J. Campbell

University of Richmond Law Review

This article aims to provide a succinct review of noteworthy cases in the areas of criminal law and procedure that the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia decided this past year. Instead of covering every ruling or procedural point in a particular case, this article focuses on the "take- away" of the holdings with the most precedential value. This article also summarizes significant changes to criminal law and procedure enacted by the 2014 Virginia General Assembly.

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The Power Paradox: The Need For Alternative Remedies In Virginia Minority Shareholder Oppression Cases, Stephanie Martinez

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Public Utilities Law, William T. Reisinger

University of Richmond Law Review

This article explains, at a high level, some of the major changes to electric regulation in Virginia in recent years. It also discusses how the General Assembly's new policies have affected retail electric rates and the development of new generation facilities, including renewable energy resources, in the Commonwealth since 1999.

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Taxation, Craig D. Bell

University of Richmond Law Review

This article reviews significant recent developments in the laws affecting Virginia taxation. Each section covers legislative changes, judicial decisions, and selected opinions or pronouncements from the Virginia Department of Taxation (the "Tax Department") and the Virginia Attorney General over the past year.

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Health Care Law, Sean P. Byrne, Garrett Hooe

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Virginia's Gap Between Punishment And Culpability: Re-Examining Self-Defense Law And Battered Women's Syndrome, Kendall Hamilton

University of Richmond Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Vertical Power, Michael S. Green

Faculty Publications

Many legal scholars and federal judges - including Justices Ginsburg and Scalia - have implicitly assumed that a state can extend its procedural law solely to federal courts within its borders. To date, however, no one has identified this assumption, much less defended it. Drawing upon an example discussed by Chief Justice Marshall in Wayman v. Southard, 23 U.S. (10 Wheat.) 1 (1825), I argue that such vertical power does not exist. Not only do states lack a legitimate interest in extending their law vertically, a state's assertion of vertical power would improperly discriminate against federal courts. If state …

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Federal Visions Of Private Family Support, Laura A. Rosenbury

Vanderbilt Law Review

The individual states have long played a primary role in defining the legal family in the United States, with states often determining who does and does not enjoy the legal status of spouse, parent, and child. Two recent U.S. Supreme Court cases, Astrue v. Capatol and United States v. Windsor,2 acknowledged and affirmed the diverse definitions of family that flow from this federalist approach. Yet these cases do not solidify the states' place in defining family for purposes of marriage, parentage, divorce, and death. Instead, they foreshadow an increasingly federal conception of family status-a conception that values private family support …

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A Training Partnership That Began With A Grant, Vernon Herron, Laura Hoch, Alexandra Podolny

Homeland Security Publications

No abstract provided.

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Retained By The People: Federalism, The Ultimate Sovereign, And Natural Limits On Government Power, Stephanie Hall Barclay

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Brewing tensions between state governments and the federal government have reached a boiling point unmatched since the civil rights debates of the 1960s. In light of the rapid expansion of federal power combined with colliding views on various policies, the call for states’ rights has increasingly become a rallying cry for lawmakers that has gained traction with groups on varying points along the political spectrum, as well as a frequent theory employed by the Supreme Court. While the system of federalism created by the Constitution certainly has its unique benefits, and while it is true that the federal government was …

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The Confusing Standards For Discretionary Review In Washington And A Proposed Framework For Clarity, Judge Stephen Dwyer

Seattle University Law Review

It has now been more than thirty-five years since the Washington Rules of Appellate Procedure (RAP) became effective in 1976 and replaced all prior rules governing appellate procedure. One significant change that those rules made was to clearly describe and delineate a procedural mechanism for seeking interlocutory review of trial court decisions. The ultimate effect on practitioners is both obvious and unavoidable. Many lawyers, rather than stake out a clear position regarding the applicability of the various considerations governing discretionary review, simply argue that any and every consideration that is even arguably applicable is satisfied by the trial court’s determination. …

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License To Discriminate: How A Washington Florist Is Making The Case For Applying Intermediary Scrutiny To Sexual Orientation, Kendra Lacour

Seattle University Law Review

Over the past few decades, the debate over sexual orientation has risen to the forefront of civil rights issues. Though the focus has generally been on the right to marriage, peripheral issues associated with the right to marriage—and with sexual orientation generally—have become more common in recent years. As the number of states permitting same-sex marriage—along with states prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation—increases, so too does the conflict between providers of public accommodations and those seeking their services. Never is this situation more problematic than when religious beliefs are cited as the basis for denying services to …

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Cgmp Violations Should Not Be Used As A Basis For Fca Actions Absent Fraud, Kyle Faget

Seattle University Law Review

Since Congress amended the False Claims Act (FCA) in 1986, the statute has evolved into a seemingly boundless weapon for enforcing other statutes and regulations applicable to every industry that accepts any form of government funding. Use of the FCA by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and by private citizens bringing actions on behalf of the U.S. government to enforce other statutes and regulations is particularly evident in the field of health care. The FCA has been utilized in actions where the allegations include off-label promotion of drugs, kickbacks, and violations of current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) by linking the …

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The Failure And Future Of Lake Okeechobee Water Releases: A Quasi-Governmental Solution, Jacquelyn A. Thomas

Florida State University Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Grandparents Act As The National Guard Of Their Facilities - All Eager And Ready To Respond When In Need: A Call For Expansion Of Grandparent Visitation Rights In North Carolina, Tricia V. Argentine

North Carolina Central Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Miller V. Alabama: Something Unconsitutional Now Was Equally Unconstitutional Then, W. Patrick Conlon

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

In June 2012, the United States Supreme Court found mandatory life-without-parole sentences against juvenile offenders unconstitutional in Miller v. Alabama. The Court determined that because children possess “immaturity, impetuosity, and [fail] to appreciate risks and consequences,” they are fundamentally different than adults. Although Miller invalidated every juvenile mandatory life-without-parole (JMLWOP) statute across the United States, there is no clear indication regarding whether Miller retroactively applies to juveniles sentenced to mandatory life-without-parole before the Court’s ruling. As a result, states are split on whether to apply Miller retroactively. Fifteen states have yet to decide whether Miller applies retroactively, while several other …

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A Joyful Heart Is Good Medicine: Sexuality Conversion Bans In The Courts, Wyatt Fore

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

Led by California and New Jersey, states have begun to ban Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE) for minors. States have targeted SOCE, also called ‘gay conversion therapy,’ by regulating state licensure requirements for mental health professionals. Conservative legal groups have challenged these bans in federal court, alleging a variety of constitutional violations sounding in the First and Fourteenth Amendments. More specifically, these legal groups propose theories claiming that the bans infringe upon individuals’ freedom of speech, free exercise, and parental rights. In this Note, I survey the history of these bans, as well as court decisions that have rejected constitutional …

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Lost In The Weeds Of Pot Law: The Role Of Ethics In The Movement To Legalize Marijuana, Helia Garrido Hull

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

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Profile - The Jacques Marchais Museum Of Tibetan Art, James Hagy, Kelly Cooper

Rooftops Project

Picture yourself leading a museum tucked into a 21st-century residential neighborhood, housed in a mid-20th-century building, mimicking a 16th-century Tibetan monastery, containing priceless art objects crossing a millennium. The Rooftops Project’s Kelly Cooper and Professor James Hagy visit the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art on Staten Island, New York.

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Sexting Prosecutions: Minors As A Protected Class From Child Pornography Charges, Sarah Thompson

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

"Firt love is only a little foolishness and a lot of curiosity." -- George Bernard Shaw Teenagers will explore their sexuality; this is no new phenomenon. However, the ways that teens are exploring their curiosity is changing with technology. This trend has serious repercussions for teens, society, and the law. ‘Sexting’—defined as the act of sending sexually explicit photographs or messages via cell phone—is one recently-developed means of sexual exploration. The practice overlaps with the production, distribution, and possession of child pornography that is banned by both state and federal law. Due to the overlap, minors have been prosecuted under …

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For The Love Of The Game: The Case For State Bans On Youth Tackle Football, Adam Bulkley

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

This football season, millions of Americans enjoying their favorite pastime might feel pangs of a guilty conscience. Years of scientific research into the long-term neurological effects of tackle football and a recent settlement between the National Football League (NFL) and thousands of retired NFL players have made football-related traumatic brain injuries (TBI) a topic of national conversation. Current and former NFL players and even President Obama have participated in the conversation, saying that they would hesitate to let their sons play the game for fear of possible brain injury. Because research has uncovered signs of permanent brain damage in players …

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Profile - The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, Illinois, James Hagy, Carlee Cooper

Rooftops Project

A religious congregation envisions a new building better suited to its needs than its existing facility. But the location is perfect at its present suburban property. How might it start over while also observing green design principles? Rooftops Project team member Carlee Cooper and Professor James Hagy tour the new home of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation in Evanston, Illinois, with Michael Ross of Ross Barney Architects. It is the first place of worship in the United States to receive a LEED Platinum designation.

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Blueprint For The Great Lakes Trail, Melissa K. Scanlan

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

The Great Lakes are vast yet vulnerable. There is a need to focus the public’s attention on the significance of the lakes for the region as a cohesive, binational whole. To address this need, build on existing water law, and engage the public, this Article provides a blueprint to establish a Great Lakes Trail on the shores of the Great Lakes. The Trail will link together 10,000 miles of coastline and provide the longest marked walking trail in the world. It will demarcate an already existing, yet largely unrecognized, public trust easement and engage the public with their common heritage …

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Legal Protection For Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems, Collin Gannon

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

This Note concerns the legal protection of groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the United States and abroad. By first describing the science and ecology of ecosystems that are dependent on groundwater and then surveying the current American legal system that fails to adequately protect groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), this Note proposes legal reforms that could vastly improve groundwater management systems. State protection of GDEs is sparse and often only operates indirectly as a result of states’ water policies focused on water quantity upkeep for consumptive purposes. Part I provides an overview of GDEs. Part II discusses state legal protection, including indirect state protection …

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Putting All Of North Carolina's Eggs In One Basket: The Case For Comprehensive Surrogacy Regulation, Emily Urch

North Carolina Central Law Review

No abstract provided.

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Introduction: Environmental Law Without Congress, Shi-Ling Hsu

Scholarly Publications

No abstract provided.

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Climate Balkanization: Dormant Commerce And The Limits Of State Energy Policy, Jonathan H. Adler

Faculty Publications

Through the imposition of mandates on what sorts of energy may be produced or sold, state regulatory efforts have imposed burdens on interstate energy markets. In some cases, these burdens are explicit, as when states have privileged in-state energy sources at the expense of out-of-state producers or sellers. In other cases, these burdens are the inevitable consequence of state efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of energy consumed within the state. Such restrictions, and their associated burdens on interstate commerce, raise serious constitutional questions. Under the so-called "Dormant Commerce Clause," state regulations that discriminate against out-of-state actors are presumptively unconstitutional, …

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Rethinking The Timing Of Capital Clemency , Adam M. Gershowitz

Michigan Law Review

This Article reviews every capital clemency over the last four decades. It demonstrates that in the majority of cases, the reason for commutation was known at the conclusion of direct appeals—years or even decades before the habeas process ended. Yet when governors or pardon boards actually commuted the death sentences, they typically waited until the eve of execution, with only days or hours to spare. Leaving clemency until the last minute sometimes leads to many years of unnecessary state and federal habeas corpus litigation, and this Article documents nearly 300 years of wasted habeas corpus review. Additionally, last-minute commutations harm …

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Full-Text Articles in State and Local Government Law

Issue 1: Annual Survey 2014 Table Of Contents

University of Richmond Law Review

Administrative Law, John Paul Jones, John R. Mohrmann

University of Richmond Law Review

Criminal Law And Procedure, Aaron J. Campbell

University of Richmond Law Review

The Power Paradox: The Need For Alternative Remedies In Virginia Minority Shareholder Oppression Cases, Stephanie Martinez

University of Richmond Law Review

Public Utilities Law, William T. Reisinger

University of Richmond Law Review

Taxation, Craig D. Bell

University of Richmond Law Review

Health Care Law, Sean P. Byrne, Garrett Hooe

University of Richmond Law Review

Virginia's Gap Between Punishment And Culpability: Re-Examining Self-Defense Law And Battered Women's Syndrome, Kendall Hamilton

University of Richmond Law Review

Vertical Power, Michael S. Green

Faculty Publications

Federal Visions Of Private Family Support, Laura A. Rosenbury

Vanderbilt Law Review

A Training Partnership That Began With A Grant, Vernon Herron, Laura Hoch, Alexandra Podolny

Homeland Security Publications

Retained By The People: Federalism, The Ultimate Sovereign, And Natural Limits On Government Power, Stephanie Hall Barclay

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

The Confusing Standards For Discretionary Review In Washington And A Proposed Framework For Clarity, Judge Stephen Dwyer

Seattle University Law Review

License To Discriminate: How A Washington Florist Is Making The Case For Applying Intermediary Scrutiny To Sexual Orientation, Kendra Lacour

Seattle University Law Review

Cgmp Violations Should Not Be Used As A Basis For Fca Actions Absent Fraud, Kyle Faget

Seattle University Law Review

The Failure And Future Of Lake Okeechobee Water Releases: A Quasi-Governmental Solution, Jacquelyn A. Thomas

Florida State University Law Review

Grandparents Act As The National Guard Of Their Facilities - All Eager And Ready To Respond When In Need: A Call For Expansion Of Grandparent Visitation Rights In North Carolina, Tricia V. Argentine

North Carolina Central Law Review

Miller V. Alabama: Something Unconsitutional Now Was Equally Unconstitutional Then, W. Patrick Conlon

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

A Joyful Heart Is Good Medicine: Sexuality Conversion Bans In The Courts, Wyatt Fore

Michigan Journal of Gender & Law

Lost In The Weeds Of Pot Law: The Role Of Ethics In The Movement To Legalize Marijuana, Helia Garrido Hull

Faculty Scholarship

Profile - The Jacques Marchais Museum Of Tibetan Art, James Hagy, Kelly Cooper

Rooftops Project

Sexting Prosecutions: Minors As A Protected Class From Child Pornography Charges, Sarah Thompson

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

For The Love Of The Game: The Case For State Bans On Youth Tackle Football, Adam Bulkley

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform Caveat

Profile - The Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation, Evanston, Illinois, James Hagy, Carlee Cooper

Rooftops Project

Blueprint For The Great Lakes Trail, Melissa K. Scanlan

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Legal Protection For Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems, Collin Gannon

Michigan Journal of Environmental & Administrative Law

Putting All Of North Carolina's Eggs In One Basket: The Case For Comprehensive Surrogacy Regulation, Emily Urch

North Carolina Central Law Review

Introduction: Environmental Law Without Congress, Shi-Ling Hsu

Scholarly Publications

Climate Balkanization: Dormant Commerce And The Limits Of State Energy Policy, Jonathan H. Adler

Faculty Publications

Rethinking The Timing Of Capital Clemency , Adam M. Gershowitz

Michigan Law Review