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

Written by Anna East, L’27 Sitting on the edge of the New River lies the Radford Army Ammunition Plant, a sprawling compound that is the only active domestic military propellant manufacturer for the US government.[1] The plant is also the largest polluter in Virginia, and many local residents worry the safety measures employed by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) are insufficient to protect the … Continue reading The Radford Army Arsenal, Environmental Regulations, and the Community Health Impacts of Virginia’s Largest Polluter

Written by Maggie Hufnagel, L’27 Sex work exists on a global scale and has for as long as there is historical record, and yet still no country can maintain a consistent and effective way to address this industry. The United States takes a layered approach making sex work illegal under both federal and state laws.[1]  The Mann Act, passed June 25, 1910, uses the phrase … Continue reading Sex Work & Restorative Justice

Written by Logan Smith, L’26 “The idea that parents should be legally responsible for the actions of their children is certainly not new.”[1]  While this is perhaps an obvious statement, it is worth repeating because each generation, facing its own challenges with crime and its impact on its society and children, develops a methodology and implements practices it hopes will have some positive impact. “Modernism” … Continue reading Potential Applicability of Using Parental Accountability to Address Juvenile Gun Violence and Its Consequences

Written by Samantha Farpour, L’26 Introduction One-in-eight, or about 13%, of American adults have used a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug (GLP-1 RA), with higher percentages of younger adults using the drugs primarily for weight loss as compared to adults ages sixty-five years and older.[1] The prevalence of GLP-1 RAs is such that Jan Hatzius, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, predicted a 1% boost  (amounting to several … Continue reading Informed or Influenced?: An Overview of the GLP-1 Receptor Agonist MDL and Why the Excessive Direct to Consumer Advertising of These Drugs May Warrant An Exception to the Learned Intermediary Doctrine

Written by Libby Larro, L’26 Despite the Supreme Court precedent and overwhelming scientific evidence that tells us that children are fundamentally different from adults, our criminal legal system continues to treat children prosecuted for sexual offenses as adults. This methodology causes immense harm to these children and does little to restore communal relationships and heal victims. One of the most harmful consequences juvenile offenders face … Continue reading A New Kind of Death Penalty: Sex Offender Registries and Juvenile Offenders

Written by Matt Wright, L’26 Introduction The lack of a uniform state-wide policy on whether cell phones and other portable electronic devices may be allowed in courthouses has created an access to justice issue in Virginia courthouses. Policies vary from courthouse to courthouse, are not consistently communicated to the general public, and frequently restrict cell phone access, which may be necessary for some courthouse visitors. … Continue reading Calling for Clarity: Cell Phone Access in Virginia Courthouses

Written by Emma McGovern, L’26 INTRODUCTION The phrase “Driving While Black” is commonly used to describe racial profiling of Black drivers and passengers by police officers.[1] As a small datapoint, in 2021, 12.5% of drivers stopped in California were perceived to be Black even though Black people only make up 5.4% of the state’s population.[2] Though these policies and implicit biases that result in racial … Continue reading How the Supreme Court Aided and Abetted Racial Profiling

Written by Kadhapriya Lindo, L’26 The broad understanding of litigation abuse is best captured in the term “frivolous litigation.” Frivolous suits are cases brought by a plaintiff, not with the explicit hope of winning the case, but “solely in order to put the defendant to the burden” of defending themselves.[1] These are “legally or factually baseless suit[s],” or  suits “brought to harass or oppress.”[2] These … Continue reading Puppet Courts: Frivolous Litigation as a Tool of Domestic Violence