Written By Lily Goodman L’27 Introduction We have more information today about the importance of mental and physical well-being than ever before. However, many workers still experience chronic burnout in the legal profession, which creates conditions that increase the risk of ethical violations by undermining an attorney’s judgment, competence, and communication. A wide range of our ethical rules cannot be met if we neglect our … Continue reading Lawyer Well-being As An Ethical Responsibility

Written By Daisy Holder L’27 The Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to a public jury trial.[1] The jury trial requires the government to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt before members of the community, promoting transparency, legitimacy, accountability, and justice.[2] Despite the value of both bench and jury trials, the American system has developed in ways that discourage defendants from asserting these rights. Today, … Continue reading When “Choice” is Not a Choice: The Trial Penalty’s Grip on Jury Trials

Written By Nicole Daudelin L’27 The United States criminal justice system has long struggled or entirely failed to address issues of domestic violence.[2]  For years, domestic violence was known about and ignored by government and law enforcement officials because it was considered to be an issue that should be handled privately by those involved.[3]  However, all levels of governments are finally beginning to treat domestic violence … Continue reading Forgotten Victims: The Impact of Witnessing Domestic Violence on Child Witnesses and How to Improve Their Outcomes

Written By Katelyn Bennett L’27 Introduction The United States is home to the highest number of immigrants in the world.[1] Coined as the “Melting Pot,” the nation houses over 46 million foreign-born residents and counting as of 2022.[2] Nevertheless, immigrants in the United States face extreme prejudice due to a broken immigration system.[3] Historically, immigrant criminal defendants have been particularly impacted by this faulty system, … Continue reading Due Process in Decline: The Trump Administration’s Assault on Immigrant Rights in the Criminal Justice System

Written By Emily Henderson L’27 The One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s (“OBBBA”) changes to federal student loan limits are set to take effect on July 1, 2026.[1] These changes mark a drastic departure  from current student loan borrowing regulations and have created uncertainty among prospective borrowers and higher education institutions alike. While these changes have been framed as efforts to curb federal spending and address concerns … Continue reading How the New Federal Student Loan Limits Widen the Higher Education Accessibility Gap

Written By Anna Gabriella Ceruti L’27 What is No-Drop Prosecution? No-drop prosecution in domestic violence cases is a policy that limits prosecutorial discretion to drop domestic violence charges once they have been filed, thereby requiring prosecutors to pursue cases even when victims refuse to testify or recant their claims.[1] In terms of discretion, the policy is quite limiting, as prosecutors cannot simply drop charges due … Continue reading Analyzing the Value and Impact of No-Drop Prosecution on Domestic Violence Cases

Written By Maria Pittella L’27 The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization[1] further entrenches social and economic inequalities into the American legal system by creating what I term geographical “rights deserts,” thereby hindering minority communities. In a post-Dobbs America, women—particularly low-income and minority women—are facing unprecedented legal barriers to accessing abortion and health care. In this context, the Dobbs ruling created … Continue reading Virginia: The Last Safe Haven of the South Post-Dobbs

Written By Gracie Dougherty L’27 A consistent theme in most cases of domestic violence is power and control. Often, people hear domestic violence and think about physical harm, which is frequently portrayed in the media, but there is a whole other side of domestic violence that is just as important to think about: coercive control. The United States’ Office on Violence Against Women defines domestic … Continue reading Amending The Virginia Civil Code to Include Coercive Control Language

Written By Leo Piazza: L’27 After enduring nearly 15 years on death row inside the Mississippi State Penitentiary–condemned for a crime he did not commit–Kennedy Brewer finally walked free, an innocent man exonerated at last.[1] The cheers and warm embrace of his family were bittersweet–because while Mr. Brewer was finally free, his plight exposed something more insidious: the deep flaws and unreliability of bitemark analysis … Continue reading The Myth of Certainty: A Critique of Modern Forensic Science

Written by Rebecca Fielding, L’27 Introduction In 1993, Virginia enacted Code § 19.2-270.6 which allows evidence of repeated physical and psychological abuse to be admitted in a criminal trial.[1]   Then in 1999, Peeples v. Commonwealth[2] expanded on this allowance of evidence, departing from the previous standard which held the Defense could only introduce such expert testimony if Defendant pled not guilty by reason of insanity … Continue reading Battered Person Syndrome Defense: Overt Act & Evidentiary Challenges