Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
State and Local Government Law Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Law and Society (397)
- Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility (397)
- Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law (396)
- Environmental Law (395)
- Health Law and Policy (395)
-
- Immigration Law (395)
- Jurisprudence (395)
- Military, War, and Peace (395)
- Judges (2)
- Legal Profession (2)
- Arts and Humanities (1)
- Courts (1)
- Criminal Law (1)
- Estates and Trusts (1)
- Family Law (1)
- History (1)
- Housing Law (1)
- Legal (1)
- Legal Biography (1)
- Legal Education (1)
- Legal History (1)
- Legal Remedies (1)
- Legal Writing and Research (1)
- Oral History (1)
- Other History (1)
- Other Law (1)
- Supreme Court of the United States (1)
- United States History (1)
- Publication Year
Articles 271 - 300 of 402
Full-Text Articles in State and Local Government Law
Home Equity Reform In Texas Forum., Jerry Patterson
Home Equity Reform In Texas Forum., Jerry Patterson
St. Mary's Law Journal
Texas citizens should vote on home equity reform to be able to decide for themselves whether they desire the benefits of home equity borrowing. Texas is the only state in the nation that prohibits homeowners from using their home equity as they see fit such as to educate their children, to start or expand small businesses, or to enjoy their retirement years. Critics to home equity reform in Texas do not fully understand the scope of the amendments or the benefits that come with reform. The myth that equity loans would trigger an increase in foreclosure rates cannot be documented …
The Texas Homestead: The Last Bulwark Of Liberty Forum., Henry B. Gonzalez
The Texas Homestead: The Last Bulwark Of Liberty Forum., Henry B. Gonzalez
St. Mary's Law Journal
For more than 155 years Texans have adamantly supported the principle that the fundamental need for shelter justifies strict constitutional protection of homes from creditors in all but a few situations. This Article discusses where homestead protection came from and why it should not be lightly discarded. The Texas Constitution contains many rights and liberties for the protection and benefit of the state’s citizens. Unique among these treasured liberties is the protection of a person’s homestead from forced sale or foreclosure by creditors. A group of bankers and other financiers—for whom a homestead is nothing more than collateral and a …
International Law Of Trade Preferences: Emanations From The European Union And The United States., Kele Onyejekwe
International Law Of Trade Preferences: Emanations From The European Union And The United States., Kele Onyejekwe
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Article posits that the increase of tariff arrangements, like the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), is evidence of the “hardening” of a body of international trade-preference law. It contends that the law of trade preferences is widely practiced in international affairs and the developed nations which terminate all trade preferences for developing countries most likely engage in illegal conduct under international law. Classical international law principally consisted of the law between nations and an international law of trade preferences in any form was unthinkable. Thus, neither international cooperation nor a duty for developed countries to assist developing countries is …
The Size Of A Government Body Is Not Subject To A Vote Dilution Challenge Under Section 2 Of The Voting Rights Act Of 1965., Peter J. Beverage
The Size Of A Government Body Is Not Subject To A Vote Dilution Challenge Under Section 2 Of The Voting Rights Act Of 1965., Peter J. Beverage
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Holder v. Hall, the Court held the size of a government body is not subject to a vote dilution challenge under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Act consists of two primary components, Sections 2 and 5, designed to eliminate and prevent subtle voting practices and procedures utilized to obstruct minority voter participation. Section 5 requires states with a history of discriminatory voting practices to obtain federal preclearance before changing a voting standard, practice, or procedure. Section 2 addresses the existing methods utilized to deny or abridge a citizen’s right to vote. In Holder, the …
Flow Control Ordinances That Require Disposal Of Trash At A Designated Facility Violate The Dormant Commerce Clause., Laura Gabrysch
Flow Control Ordinances That Require Disposal Of Trash At A Designated Facility Violate The Dormant Commerce Clause., Laura Gabrysch
St. Mary's Law Journal
In C & A Carbone, Inc. v. Town of Clarkstown, the Court held flow control ordinances that require disposal of trash at a designated facility violate the Dormant Commerce Clause. In the absence of congressional action, the Court has recognized—the Dormant Commerce Clause—restrictions on states’ ability to regulate interstate commerce. The Dormant Commerce Clause doctrine does not emanate directly from the Constitution, but instead flows from the body of Commerce Clause jurisprudence that has gained legitimacy throughout the years. In Carbone, the Court elevated the economic interests of one local waste processor over Clarkstown’s environmental and public protection. This type …
Use Of A Pen Register May Be A Search Within The Purview Of Article I, Section 9 Of The Texas Constitution., Angie Patrick
Use Of A Pen Register May Be A Search Within The Purview Of Article I, Section 9 Of The Texas Constitution., Angie Patrick
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Richardson v. State, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted Richardson’s second petition for discretionary review to determine whether law enforcement’s use of a pen register constitutes a search. The use of a pen register may be a search within the purview of Article I, Section 9 of the Texas Constitution. Courts use the reasonable-expectation-of-privacy test, from Katz v. United States, to determine whether a search has occurred under the Fourth Amendment. In Richardson, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals reviewed whether the use of a pen register equates to a search despite the U.S. Supreme Court’s determination in …
The Women's Convention And The Equal Protection Clause Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., Michael J. Corbera
The Women's Convention And The Equal Protection Clause Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., Michael J. Corbera
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Article addresses whether the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Women’s Convention) violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Because international treaties such as the Women’s Convention carry the same weight and are subject to the same treatment as U.S. federal law, the constitutionality of the Convention is dictated by U.S. jurisprudence. Part II of this Article outlines and discusses the origin and content of the Women’s Convention. Part III contains a historical review of gender jurisprudence in the United States, with particular emphasis on …
Did We Treaty Away Ker-Frisbie Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., Timothy D. Rudy
Did We Treaty Away Ker-Frisbie Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas., Timothy D. Rudy
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Article explores whether U.S. ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Civil and Political Covenant) provides the American judiciary with reason to jettison the Ker-Frisbie doctrine. If the United States does not forego use of the Ker-Frisbie doctrine the country will violate its international obligations arising from a major human rights treaty. Part II discusses the customary norm of international law which forbids—and the American rule which permits—forcible abductions overseas. It also reviews whether extraterritorial abductions violate customary international law. Part III discusses applicability of the Civil and Political Covenant to the Ker-Frisbie doctrine and details …
Trying To Make Ends Meet: Reconciling The Law And Practice Of Human Rights Amnesties Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas - Commentary., Robert O. Weiner
Trying To Make Ends Meet: Reconciling The Law And Practice Of Human Rights Amnesties Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas - Commentary., Robert O. Weiner
St. Mary's Law Journal
The problem of amnesty for widespread human rights violations in the Americas illustrates the credibility gap in public international law. This Commentary reviews applicable standards and attempts to identify a minimum state response to past human rights violations. It also examines the question of amnesties, offers certain legal interpretations, and presents some criteria for an amnesty framework which might be reconcilable with the state’s international obligations. This Commentary’s aim is not to suggest amnesties are a proper response to the problem of past human rights abuses, however, it does acknowledge amnesties have so far been the most common response. It …
In Re Oluloro: Risk Of Female Genital Mutilation As Extreme Hardship In Immigration Proceedings Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas - Recent Development., Patricia Dysart Rudloff
In Re Oluloro: Risk Of Female Genital Mutilation As Extreme Hardship In Immigration Proceedings Symposium - Human Rights In The Americas - Recent Development., Patricia Dysart Rudloff
St. Mary's Law Journal
On March 23, 1994, in In re Oluloro, Immigration Judge Kendall Warren’s decision indicated the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) should consider human rights abuses directed at women. The overriding concern was the possibility that two young U.S. girls would suffer female genital mutilation (FGM) if the INS deported their mother to Nigeria. In reaching the decision to suspend the mother’s deportation, Judge Warren condemned FGM as “cruel and serv[ing] no known medical purpose.” Judge Warren ruled the practice presented an extreme hardship for the girls. Unfortunately, the court’s ruling has no precedential value because the INS did …
The Natural Law Tradition On The Modern Supreme Court: Not Burke, But The Enlightenment Tradition Represented By Locke, Madison, And Marshall., R. Randall Kelso
The Natural Law Tradition On The Modern Supreme Court: Not Burke, But The Enlightenment Tradition Represented By Locke, Madison, And Marshall., R. Randall Kelso
St. Mary's Law Journal
A traditional common-law style of judicial decisionmaking exists which was present at this nation’s founding. This common law style is derived from natural law tradition. And this tradition stands as an alternative to the formalism of Justice Scalia or the Holmesian style of Chief Justice Rehnquist. This natural law style, with its focus on the religious and communitarian ethical tradition, was the dominant view of judicial interpretation for the framing and ratifying generation of the original Constitution and the Civil War Amendments. The decisionmaking style of Justices O’Connor, Kennedy, and Souter appears to have great affinity with this traditional common-law …
The Subjection Of Women . . . Still: Unfulfilled Promises Of Protection For Women Victims Of Domestic Violence Comment., James Martin Truss
The Subjection Of Women . . . Still: Unfulfilled Promises Of Protection For Women Victims Of Domestic Violence Comment., James Martin Truss
St. Mary's Law Journal
Throughout American history, women have fought to realize a full and independent legal identity, equal to men. Nonetheless, issues such as domestic violence have often remained obscured due partly to the judicial system’s reluctance to intrude into “family matters.” Although courts have long-since renounced the common-law rule which allowed a husband to discipline his wife, the plight of the battered woman remained largely ignored by courts and legislatures. The pervasiveness and severity of domestic violence are widely documented. On June 1, 1991, the Texas Supreme Court created the Gender Bias Task Force of Texas (Task Force) to consider whether gender …
Cutting Costs - Cutting Care: Can Texas Managed Health Care Systems And Hmos Be Liable For The Medical Malpractice Of Physicians., Jim M. Perdue, Stephen R. Baxley
Cutting Costs - Cutting Care: Can Texas Managed Health Care Systems And Hmos Be Liable For The Medical Malpractice Of Physicians., Jim M. Perdue, Stephen R. Baxley
St. Mary's Law Journal
One of the most common forms of managed health care is the health maintenance organization (HMO). An HMO is a quasi-insurance arrangement which provides health care to subscribers for a prepaid monthly fee. These have been attractive as they offer health care at lower cost to consumers. Health care brokers have developed four standard models of HMOs— “staff model,” “group model,” “network model,” and “independent practice association” (IPA) model. Given the degree of control HMOs exercise over member-physicians under any of the above models, Texas courts should hold HMOs liable for their member-physicians’ malpractice under the doctrine of vicarious liability, …
Beauty And The Beast: Physical Appearance Discrimination In American Criminal Trials Comment., David L. Wiley
Beauty And The Beast: Physical Appearance Discrimination In American Criminal Trials Comment., David L. Wiley
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Comment considers physical appearance discrimination by jurors in criminal trials. It proposes remedial measures to eliminate discrimination and effectuate the underlying purposes of jury trials. Part II of this Comment examines the psychological process of corporeal attribution and discusses the underlying philosophic dichotomy of image and substance. It surveys the role modern American culture plays in discrimination in the American criminal law system and discusses parallel relationships between race, sex, and physical appearance discrimination. Part IV explores constitutional ramifications of fostering and promoting physical appearance discrimination in criminal trials. Finally, Part V presents remedies designed to ensure criminal defendants …
Legislative Redistricting In 1991-1992: The Texas Bill Of Rights V. The Voting Rights Act., James C. Harrington, Judith Sanders-Castro
Legislative Redistricting In 1991-1992: The Texas Bill Of Rights V. The Voting Rights Act., James C. Harrington, Judith Sanders-Castro
St. Mary's Law Journal
Every decade, after the federal government has taken the census, Americans endure the process of redistricting Congress, state legislatures, county commissioner precincts, school boards, city councils, and a host of other elected bodies. Governed by the interplay of federal, state, and local law, the reapportionment process would seem to be a relatively easy task in theory. Yet, overriding forces unique to the political arena and the judiciary’s voice in redistricting questions undermine the implementation of such a simple system. Narrow interpretation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by the United State Supreme Court and lower federal courts further intensify …
Time Limitations For Objecting To Claims: The Interplay Between Sections 502(D) And 546(A) Of The Bankruptcy Code., Gregory G. Hesse
Time Limitations For Objecting To Claims: The Interplay Between Sections 502(D) And 546(A) Of The Bankruptcy Code., Gregory G. Hesse
St. Mary's Law Journal
It is common lore among bankruptcy trustees and lawyers that a bankruptcy trustee has an unlimited time period under the Bankruptcy Code (the Code) to file objections to claims. Neither Section 502(a) of the Code nor Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 3007 contains time limitations within which an objection to a claim must be filed. Yet, creative creditor attorneys have fashioned arguments that the two-year limitations period placed on avoidance actions by Section 546(a) of the Code applies to claim objection proceedings brought under Section 502(d). Because courts have held the limitations period of Section 546(a) applies to claim objection …
U.S. Taxation Of U.S. Persons Doing Business Or Investing In Mexico: An Overview., William H. Hornberger
U.S. Taxation Of U.S. Persons Doing Business Or Investing In Mexico: An Overview., William H. Hornberger
St. Mary's Law Journal
U.S. persons who plan to do business in Mexico or invest in new or existing Mexican business ventures are faced with a myriad of U.S. federal income tax issues. U.S. counsel advising U.S. persons regarding the ownership structure for a contemplated business or investment in Mexico should have a basic understanding of the U.S. system of international taxation. While a working knowledge of Mexico’s tax system is also helpful, Mexican counsel can provide information regarding the Mexican tax implications of doing business or investing in Mexico. A review of the U.S. system of international taxation should begin with a consideration …
Enhanced Punishment Under The Texas Hate Crimes Act: Politics, Panacea, Or Pathway To Hell., David Todd Smith
Enhanced Punishment Under The Texas Hate Crimes Act: Politics, Panacea, Or Pathway To Hell., David Todd Smith
St. Mary's Law Journal
Nearly without exception, modern legislatures have responded to the reprehensible nature and detrimental social effects of hate crime by enacting laws specifically designed to punish the offender’s discriminatory animus. The term “hate crime” describes criminal conduct which is motivated by the offender’s bias or prejudice against another cognizable group. Although the reprehensible nature of a hate crime is often apparent from the facts of any given case, the repercussions of these offenses exceed the ignoble character of any one specific act. Texas has now joined the ranks of these jurisdictions by adopting legal provisions which authorize heightened penalties upon a …
Self-Publication: Defamation Within The Employment Context., Howard J. Siegel
Self-Publication: Defamation Within The Employment Context., Howard J. Siegel
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Article reviews the rules and reasoning various jurisdictions have maintained in defamation actions supported by self-publication. This type of defamation action is commonly known as self-defamation. Before the law will hold the originator of a defamatory statement liable for defamation, publication of the defamatory comments must occur. Generally, defamatory communications are those communications which tend to injure one’s reputation. Publication normally occurs when one communicates the defamatory matter to “one other than the person defamed.” Originally, courts considered defamation actions valid only when the defamed person alleged that the originator directly published the statement to a third person. Under …
The Supreme Court Takes A Weapon From The Drug War Arsenal: New Defenses To Civil Drug Forfeiture., Scott Alexander Nelson
The Supreme Court Takes A Weapon From The Drug War Arsenal: New Defenses To Civil Drug Forfeiture., Scott Alexander Nelson
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Comment discusses the history and development of forfeiture law—emphasizing the misnomer of “guilty property”—and addresses the lack of constitutional safeguards in the civil forfeiture statutes. It outlines prospective constitutional defenses announced by the United States Supreme Court, emphasizing the Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process, the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause, and the “innocent owner” defense. The federal statute authorizing civil forfeiture, 21 U.S.C. § 881 (Forfeiture Statute), was initially enacted as part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. The Comprehensive Forfeiture Act of 1984 amended the statute to impose forfeiture on real property …
Framing A Texas Bill Of Rights Argument., James C. Harrington
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 …
The Legal Dilemma Of Groundwater Under The Integrated Environmental Plan For The Mexican-United States Border Area., M. Diane Barber
The Legal Dilemma Of Groundwater Under The Integrated Environmental Plan For The Mexican-United States Border Area., M. Diane Barber
St. Mary's Law Journal
This paper will explore the dilemma of implementing an appropriate legal format to best guide proposals for resolution of groundwater contamination. It will review groundwater under the Integrated Environmental Plan for the Mexico-United States Border Area (the Plan) and examine groundwater law in Mexico and in the four border states from a historical perspective. It will consider existing agreements between the two countries and propose adoption of the Bellagio Draft Treaty as the only legally viable means of achieving long-term remedial groundwater solutions. This paper, however, will also note isolated situations may be effectively addressed by the IBWC Minute, pending …
Mexico's Accession To The Gatt: A Catalyst At Odds With The Outcome., John M. Vernon
Mexico's Accession To The Gatt: A Catalyst At Odds With The Outcome., John M. Vernon
St. Mary's Law Journal
The history behind Mexico’s accession to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) sheds light on Mexico’s progression toward improved bilateral trade relations with the United States. Mexico embarked on its modernization and reform path with its accession to the GATT in 1987. The recent initialing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) by Canada, Mexico, and the United States is a symbolic event in the continued globalization of the world economy. The trilateral NAFTA is revolutionary because of Mexico’s participation. Part II of this article addresses Mexico’s progression toward accession to the GATT. Part III provides an …
The Arbitration Of Private Commercial Disputes Between Residents Of Texas And Mexico., Wayne I. Fagan, Carlos Gabuardi Arreola
The Arbitration Of Private Commercial Disputes Between Residents Of Texas And Mexico., Wayne I. Fagan, Carlos Gabuardi Arreola
St. Mary's Law Journal
This paper evaluates whether the Texas International Arbitration Act (TIAA) will be a helpful addition to the laws governing arbitration of private commercial disputes between residents of Texas and Mexico. Owing to differences among cultures, languages, and legal systems, attorneys in the United States and in Mexico are turning to binding arbitration for the resolution of international disputes. Texas enacted an International Arbitration Act in 1989 to foster expanded international trade and facilitate resolution of international commercial disputes through conciliation and arbitration. Proponents of international arbitration argue it is the method of choice for resolution of private commercial disputes due …
Transracial Adoption In Texas: Should The Best Interests Standard Be Color-Blind., Jo Beth Eubanks
Transracial Adoption In Texas: Should The Best Interests Standard Be Color-Blind., Jo Beth Eubanks
St. Mary's Law Journal
Legislative amendments must go further than limiting race from being a primary factor in adoptions; amendments must eliminate race as an acceptable factor. Diverging opinions of “race matching” in foster care and adoption exist. Administrative policies regulating adoption hold that same-race placement, between the adoptive parent and child, is a primary consideration when awarding custody in Texas. Basing child placement on the race or ethnicity of the parties involved raises serious constitutional concerns. The best interest standard is the predominant method in determining child placement, for both custody and adoption proceedings. The premise of the best interest standard is prioritization …
A License To Kill: The Categorical Exemption Of The Mentally Retarded From The Death Penalty., David L. Rumley
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 …
Tending The Bar In Texas: Alcoholism As A Mitigating Factor In Attorney Discipline., Patricia Sue Heil
Tending The Bar In Texas: Alcoholism As A Mitigating Factor In Attorney Discipline., Patricia Sue Heil
St. Mary's Law Journal
This Comment describes the nature and scope of alcoholism and chemical dependency in the legal profession. It reviews the current state of the law regarding alcoholism as a mitigating factor in attorney discipline. Addictive illnesses manifest themselves in ways which leave afflicted attorneys unable to practice law in accordance with professional rules of conduct. The majority of attorney-discipline cases involve alcoholism or chemical dependency. An attorney whose illness remains untreated will likely become the subject of grievance-committee investigations. For disciplinary cases involving alcoholism, a suggested analysis includes establishing a nexus between illness and misconduct. Additionally, it includes a causal connection …
Expert Witness Fees In Federal Diversity Cases., Wade P. Webster
Expert Witness Fees In Federal Diversity Cases., Wade P. Webster
St. Mary's Law Journal
Even with the increasing complexity of litigation and the increased utilization of expert witnesses to provide expensive evidence on narrow scientific and technical issues, Congress still limits compensation of expert witnesses to only forty dollars per day, the same rate as ordinary fact witnesses. The justification for the low rate is that the witness fee statute was not intended by Congress to compensate witnesses fully for their lost time and income. Presumably this same reasoning also applies to expert witnesses. The problem with this reasoning, unlike law witnesses who may be compelled by subpoena, individual litigants must pay the fees …
Summary Of The Convention Between The Government Of The United States Of America And The Government Of The United Mexican States For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income., Raul S. Moreyra
St. Mary's Law Journal
To prevent double taxation and income tax evasion, the Mexico and United States governments signed a convention in September 1992. The convention establishes when businesses may be subject to either United States or Mexico tax liabilities. Key to the application of the convention is the concept of permanent establishment. Permanent establishment is the designation given to a business situated in Mexico that transacts operations for a United States enterprise. This designation determines which nation, the United States or Mexico, will collect taxes from the business. If the business is a permanent establishment, the Mexican government will collect taxes. The types …
Use Of Excessive Physical Force Against An Inmate May Constitute Cruel And Unusual Punishment Even Though The Prisoner Does Not Suffer Significant Injury., Anthony A. Avey
St. Mary's Law Journal
In Hudson v. McMillian, the Supreme Court held that use of excessive physical force against an inmate may constitute cruel and unusual punishment even though the prisoner does not suffer any significant injury. The Eighth Amendment has evolved significantly since its adoption in 1791, becoming a complex line of authority which over time expanded the rights of criminals and convicts. Recent cases have attempted to mold the varying Eight Amendment standards into a more cohesive legal doctrine. These efforts were meant to clarify the doctrine of cruel and unusual punishments; however, the divergent interpretations of these decisions rendered Eighth Amendment …