Law and Society Commons^™

Out Of Place When Studying China’S Sex Industry, Margaret Boittin

Articles & Book Chapters

The chapter explains how being out of place can paradoxically put one back in place – or exactly where one needs to be to achieve their research goals and values. The author, Margaret Boittin, is a lawyer and US-trained political scientist who works in a Canadian law faculty. She explains how being out of place is relative. She may not be out of place in North America as “a white woman with blond hair and blue eyes,” but she was obviously out of place when she was studying sex workers in China. Embracing this outsider status also became the source …

The Supreme Court And Children, Aaron Tang

Northwestern University Law Review

How do children fare at the Supreme Court? Empirical research on the question is sparse, but existing accounts suggest a disheartening answer. A 1996 study found that children lost more than half of their cases in the Court, and a pair of prominent scholars lamented twenty years later that “the losses in children’s rights cases” had “outpace[d] and overwhelm[ed] the victories.”

In this Article, I present evidence that complicates this understanding. Based on an original dataset comprising 262 Supreme Court decisions between 1953 and 2023, I find that children have prevailed in 62.6% of their cases. This win rate is …

Worthless Checks? Clemency, Compassionate Release, And The Finality Of Life Without Parole, Daniel Pascoe

Northwestern University Law Review

Life without parole (LWOP) sentences are politically popular in the United States because, on their face, they claim to hold prisoners incarcerated until they die, with zero prospect of release via the regularized channel of parole. However, this view is procedurally shortsighted. After parole there is generally another remedial option for lessening or abrogating punishment: executive clemency via pardons and commutations. Increasingly, U.S. legal jurisdictions also provide for the possibility of compassionate release for lifers, usually granted by a parole board.

On paper, pardon, commutation, and compassionate release are thus direct challenges to the claim that an LWOP sentence will …

Tribal Court Jurisdiction And The Exhausting Nature Of Federal Court Interference, Kekek Jason Stark

University of Cincinnati Law Review

No abstract provided.

Fireside Chat With Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton And Professor Nikolas Bowie: A Discussion About The Relevance And Impact Of State Constitutional Law, Roger Williams University School Of Law

School of Law Conferences, Lectures & Events

No abstract provided.

Essentializing Cultures In Us Asylum Law, Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer, Estelle Mckee

Brooklyn Law Review

Asylum applicants must tell a story about their home country that reduces and problematizes its culture. The requirements of asylum law demand that an applicant show why they will suffer persecution in their home country and that their government will not protect them from it. This legal framework prompts applicants to present a narrative in which their home culture plays the role of the ultimate antagonist, the force that propels the applicant’s persecutors to single them out for harm and renders their government passive—or even complicit—in the face of it. Such a narrative necessarily reduces the applicant’s culture to its …

A New Private Law Of Policing, Cristina Carmody Tilley

Brooklyn Law Review

American law and American life are asymmetrical. Law divides neatly in two: public and private. But life is lived in three distinct spaces: pure public, pure private, and hybrid middle spaces that are neither state nor home. Which body of law governs the shops, gyms, and workplaces that are formally accessible to all, but functionally hostile to Black, female, poor, and other marginalized Americans? From the liberal midcentury onward, social justice advocates have treated these spaces as fundamentally public and fully remediable via public law equity commands. This article takes a broader view. It urges a tort law revival in …

Puerto Rican Presidential Voting Rights: Why Precedent Should Be Overturned, And Other Options For Suffrage, Sigrid Vendrell-Polanco

Brooklyn Law Review

The United States has continued to hold Puerto Rico as a colony, much like the British empire did the US colonies, and has given it no clear path to incorporation, statehood, or independent sovereignty. It has also denied its citizens the right to vote for their president and have voting representation in Congress. Current case law regarding Puerto Rican presidential voting rights and voting representation in Congress rests on precedent that dates almost as far back as its acquisition—the infamous Insular Cases. This case law is inconsistent with prior precedent, constitutional principles, and does not account for Puerto Rico’s contributions …

Protecting The Beanstalk: Folklore As Traditional Cultural Expressions, Ainsley E. Marlette

The University of Cincinnati Intellectual Property and Computer Law Journal

No abstract provided.

How Remote Support Technology Can Alleviate The Caregiver Shortage, Thomas Tarver

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every sector of the economy has struggled with workforce shortages, and one of the most severely impacted industries is the long-term care services industry. Indeed, this industry has historically been unable to attract and retain enough caregivers to meet the needs of its clients and the pandemic only exacerbated this problem. Those who rely on long-term care services are typically members of some of society’s most vulnerable populations such as frail elders and individuals with disabilities. Not having enough caregivers adversely affects these populations as care staff shortages are more likely to lead to abuse …

Safeguarding Silence: The Weaponization Of Nondisclosure Agreements And The Need For More Regulation, Johanna Shinners

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

With the surge of the #MeToo movement, the weaponization of Nondisclosure agreements in cases of sexual assault and harassment has been brought to the forefront. This comment discusses the use and laws of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment, highlighting their role in silencing victims and shielding perpetrators from accountability and underscores the broader implications of NDAs in perpetuating a culture of silence. Emphasizing the prevalence of NDAs, this comment scrutinizes their misuse and explores the historical context, highlighting the intertwining of #MeToo movement and NDAs.

This comment compares State responses, exemplified by Washington, California, …

Family Treatment Courts In Rural Settings, Alissa Hendricks, John Lepage

UMKC Law Review

Missouri courts deal in hundreds of thousands of cases each year that involve money, property, and crime, but no category of cases is more important than those dealing with the safety and welfare of children. The collaborative model of family treatment courts was created out of the passion for this responsibility to children and to the families of this state.

Family treatment courts evolved from the adult drug court model, where collaborative efforts found success within the criminal justice system. Family treatment courts are now one of the most expansive improvements conducted in the judicial, child welfare, substance use disorder …

Litigation Landmines: Exclusionary Zoning And Sober Living Homes, Rachel L. Andersen

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

This article delves into the intricate landscape of sober living home ordinances within residential zoning districts, shedding light on exclusionary restrictions and requirements that have triggered extensive and costly discrimination litigation. Providing a concise history of the origins of modern-day sober living homes, the article examines legislative initiatives and ongoing litigation concerning zoning ordinances aimed at regulating these homes in residential neighborhoods. It explores the nuanced use or prohibition of specific terms and conditions within such ordinances and compares historical interpretations of regulatory provisions for recovery residences. The article presents examples of contentious terms and requirements that have fueled litigation, …

Hurt, Hungry, And Handcuffed: How The Prison System Fails Pregnant Women And Their Newborns, Sarah B. Bondar

Marquette Benefits and Social Welfare Law Review

Over 200,000 women are incarcerated in the United States’ federal and state correctional institutions on any given day. In fact, more women are incarcerated now than ever before, and those rates of incarceration continue to grow at an exponential rate. Despite this large increase in the number of incarcerated women, jail policies, health-care protocols, and important interventions continue to focus primarily on incarcerated men and fail to consider the gender-specific needs of the increasing population of incarcerated females.

This comment discusses ways the United States prison system fails the pregnant women in their care. It discusses four main points including: …

Combating Substance Abuse And Violence In Jackson County, Missouri: A Public Health Approach To The "War On Drugs", Danielle Bukacheski, Grant Baker, Stephen R. Bough

UMKC Law Review

In 1989, Jackson County, Missouri, made history - voters passed the first tax solely dedicated to funding substance abuse prevention and treatment. Today, the COMmunity Backed Anti-Crime Tax ("COMBAT") continues to annually generate between $25 to $30 million that supports Jackson County courts, the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, local law enforcement agencies, and nonprofit organizations focusing on prevention and treatment. COMBAT has achieved success through its de-emphasis on punitive law enforcement practices and emphasis on public health. Instead of focusing on the prosecution of drug-related offenses, COMBAT is leading a more holistic "War on Drugs" by funding community-based resources to …

A New Generation Of Reform In Drug Enforcement In Kansas City, Jean Peters Baker

UMKC Law Review

Jackson County, Missouri has been at the forefront of drug policy reform for decades, with the establishment of one of America's first Drug Courts in the early 1990s. This Article will delve into the impact of the county's shift in drug policy on the drug court model, both positive and negative, and where the county expects to go in the future. We will examine what we currently understand about drugs, including the destructive effects of drugs on individuals and their families, the history of the War on Drugs and its lack of impact, and the statistics on drug crimes and …

Engaging The Base: Using Veterans Treatment Courts In Missouri To Address Core Issues, Evan Rodriguez

UMKC Law Review

With a per capita veteran population surpassing the national average, Missouri presents its veterans with unique challenges in their day-to-day lives. For example, nearly one-third of Missouri veterans are disabled, compared to one-sixth of civilians. The State established the Missouri Veterans Commission, which supports veterans and their families with the veteran-specific obstacles they face. To that end, Missouri offers the second highest number of veteran benefits of any state in the country.

Like all groups of people, some veterans will unfortunately enter the criminal justice system due to varying factors. Veterans Treatment Courts ("VTCs") originated to address veteran-specific reasons for …

Housing Court: A Balancing Act, Todd Wilcher

UMKC Law Review

This article provides a general description of the Kansas City Municipal Court's Housing Court - its origin, jurisdiction, and process-and discusses the broader themes and competing interests at issue in its cases. Because detached single-family home cases take up most of the space on the dockets, the single-family home theme is a major thread in the fabric of this Article. At the same time, however-in the broader context of the municipal environment-every building, structure and open land is subject to building, zoning, and maintenance regulations. These regulations are pervasive in our modern society, and ensuring they are applied in a …

Building Resilience By Removing Barriers: Addressing Structural Impediments To Advocacy By Nonprofit Organizations On Behalf Of The Unenfranchised, Kirsten Widner, Heather Kolinsky

UF Law Faculty Publications

Charitable contributions, particularly from private foundations, are an essential source of support for many nonprofit charitable organizations. However, the ability to accept these contributions comes with significant restrictions on lobbying and advocacy. Using vulnerability theory and an original survey of nonprofit advocacy organizations, we show that current restrictions on 501(c)(3) organizations disproportionally limit advocacy on behalf of the most politically disadvantaged groups—those without the right to vote. This, in turn, reinforces existing inequalities in whose voices are heard and whose interests are considered by policymakers. This Article argues that reforming the laws that structure what organizations can take tax-deductible charitable …

Problem-Solving Courts And The Outcome Oversight Gap, Erin R. Collins

UMKC Law Review

The creation of a specialized, “problem-solving” court is a ubiquitous response to the issues that plague our criminal legal system. The courts promise to address the factors believed to lead to repeated interactions with the system, such as addiction or mental illness, thereby reducing recidivism and saving money. And they do so effectively – at least according to their many proponents, who celebrate them as an example of a successful “evidence-based,” data-driven reform. But the actual data on their efficacy is underwhelming, inconclusive, or altogether lacking. So why do they persist?

This Article seeks to answer that question by scrutinizing …