By Madison Neale During the process of prosecuting a case of child abuse, the testimony of a medical professional hired as an expert witness for the state is often pivotal.[1] This can pose a number of difficulties for defendants, because juries tend to find expert witnesses highly persuasive.[2] The very term “expert” holds a lot of weight, and juries tend to accept what an expert … Continue reading The Legal and Scientific Pitfalls of Prosecuting “Shaken Baby” Cases

By Kyara Rivera Rivera             The 4th Amendment states that “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”[1] This … Continue reading Are My 4th Amendment Rights Being Violated When I Go Through U.S. Customs?

By Kennedy Eagle In 2019, Virginia once again took the spotlight on progress when the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court’s ruling in Grimm v. Gloucester County Schools, holding that schools had to allow transgender students to use their gender affirming bathroom.[1] The Supreme Court then denied certiorari.[2] Three years later, the Virginia executive branch is attempting to force the state backwards … Continue reading Virginia Department of Education Releases New Guidance on Transgender Students in Schools

By Rachel Ranieri A major question across the country is why eviction rates vary so drastically by state, and concurrently, whether there should be a more uniform eviction displacement rate across the states.[1] There are three primary approaches to the substantive landlord-tenant laws that courts may take.[2] The first is a “protectionist” approach; these states laws are generally pro-tenant.[3] States with a “contradictory” approach have … Continue reading Could the Only Thing Keeping People Off the Street During the Pandemic Be What’s Being Used to Put Them on it?

By Abigail Scanga Blackburn Human trafficking, otherwise known as modern slavery[1], has been oversimplified and sensationalized in the media.[2] Taken, a popular movie starring Liam Neeson, depicts a terrifying drama where a former CIA agent races around the globe to find his kidnapped daughter and rescue her from the clutches of an international human sex trafficking ring.[3] While Taken and other such movies are highly … Continue reading Human Trafficking in America: What “Taken” Doesn’t Tell You

By Erin Sweet A Land Value Tax (LVT) is a property tax that, unlike traditionally property taxes, does not take into account any value of improvements on the land, but rather taxes only the value of the land itself.[1] This means that for tax purposes, it really is all about location, location, location. While this sounds like a dramatic shift, most property tax schemes already … Continue reading How Land Value Taxes Could Change Quality Affordable Housing in Richmond

By Reagan Cavanaugh According to operational statistics released by the U.S. Custom and Border Protection (CPB) for August 2022, a large number of individuals fleeing failed communist regimes has led to an increased number of migrants attempting to cross the southwest United States border.[1] The number of individuals encountered nationwide in August was 157,921.[2] Of the total encounters from August, 55,333, or 35%, were from … Continue reading The Crisis Facing Migrants Today