By: Caitlin Yuhas Over the years, law school programs have arguably become more robust with “real-world” opportunities for their students. Many now offer pro bono volunteer projects and clinical placements, for example. [1] Yet, without bar admission, a completed juris doctor, or a third-year practice certificate, it is still possible for students to feel stilted in what they can contribute to the greater legal community. … Continue reading Legal Observing: A Simple and Powerful Way for Law Students to Contribute

Image source:  Jake Burns, McAuliffe: Don’t Suspend Driver’s Licenses if Someone Can’t Pay Court Costs, WTVR CBS 6 (Jan. 3, 2017) https://wtvr.com/2017/01/03/mcauliffe-dont-suspend-drivers-license-if-someone-cant-pay-court-costs/. By: Edward Lebar Late in December of last year, a federal district court judge for the Western District of Virginia granted an injunction against the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to prevent them from automatically suspending the driver’s licenses of persons with unpaid … Continue reading A Change in Court Collections: Virginia Looks to End Driver’s License Suspensions for Unpaid Fines

By: LeGrand Northcutt Across the country, it is perfectly legal to imprison a person simply because they have not paid a fine.[1] In some states, this practice is so commonplace that state law allows a defendant to deduct money from his fine for every day he is in jail for nonpayment.[2] The implications for putting a defendant in jail simply because he does not pay … Continue reading How Debtors’ Prisons are Making a Resurgence

By: Nicole Gibson Recent changes to immigration policies accompanied by public condemnation of undocumented immigrants has made it more difficult for many to escape dangerous or abusive relationships.[1] Immigrant survivors of domestic violence often have limited options available when trying to escape future abuse, and increased threats of deportation only amplify these difficulties. Currently, undocumented persons who suffer from abuse are afforded a few narrow … Continue reading Domestic Violence Survivors: The Silent Victims of Hard Line Immigration Policy

By: Rebecca Schultz If Congress does not start regulating compound interest on student loans, we could be facing our next national financial crisis. Like the mortgage crisis of 2008, when interest rates on mortgages were not being properly managed, negative amortization has led to a situation in which many student-borrowers are incapable of paying off their loans.[1] This enables the existence of situations in which … Continue reading The Student-Loan Debt Crisis

PC: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/21/us/ohio-abortion-ban-bill-criminal-law-trnd/index.html. By: Erica Rebussini Ohio House Bill 565: Is Extending the Death Penalty to Women’s Exercise of Their Constitutional Right to Abortion Going Too Far? Debates on abortion and the death penalty have respectively gained their own traction in our current political climate. While the criminalization of abortion is not a new concept[1], Ohio House Bill 565 treads into the realm of punishment by death.[2] … Continue reading Ohio House Bill 565: Is Extending the Death Penalty to Women’s Exercise of Their Constitutional Right to Abortion Going Too Far?

By: Matthew Donovan In 2017 alone, there were over 150 million visitors to Disney parks worldwide.[1] While a Disney park is largely viewed as a magical place where the grinning Mickey and giggly Minnie reside, any large amusement park with millions of yearly visitors has definite risks and security concerns. On its website, Disney does not “broadly discuss the specifics of our security procedures to … Continue reading Impersonating an Officer: Where is the Enforcement?

PC: Chris McGrath via Getty Images.  [https://www.axios.com/despite-fraught-ties-us-needs-turkeys-cooperation-on-khashoggi-1a9e7df9-9d92-4c23-a6ce-2198f0ec9044.html] By: Mollie Laird On October 2, 2018 Jamal Khashoggi went missing from the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.[1] Quickly, speculation began to rise about Khashoggi’s whereabouts, including allegations of misconduct on behalf of Saudi Arabia, who dismissed their involvement in Khashoggi’s disappearance.[2] After two tense weeks of speculation in the international press, the Saudis admitted that Khashoggi had been … Continue reading A “legal crossroads for the international community”?: Khashoggi’s Assassination and the Legal Avenues for the U.S. and the World

PC: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/students-file-join-harvard-lawsuit-defend-race-conscious-admissions-n696361 By: Riley Henry The use of “race conscious” policies, better known as affirmative action, in university admissions is once again being challenged in open court. Arguments for Students for Fair Admission v. Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College[1] began on October 15th in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The suit, brought by a group of Asian-American applicants who were … Continue reading Affirmative Action: Contrary to the Constitutional Principles and Policies of the United States?

PC: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/supreme-court-rules-for-police-officers-in-dc-house-party-case-that-involved-mystery-hostess-called-peaches/2018/01/22/87e5eb4a-fed3-11e7-bb03-722769454f82_story.html?utm_term=.974e0e0d9248 By: Lizzy Patrick The Supreme Court Justices reminisced on their party days while deciding District of Columbia v. Wesby,[1] where the Court held that an innocent explanation for being at a party does not negate probable cause for an arrest.[2] The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides that “no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause…particularly describing the place to be searched, and … Continue reading Partiers Beware! Innocent Explanations for Attending a Party Do Not Negate Probable Cause for Arrest