Law Professors

‘Repeal Amendment’ Introduced in House Would Give States Power to Override Congress

A constitutional amendment that would give states the power to override federal laws has been introduced in the U.S. House. The first target of the “long-shot” amendment is the new health care law requiring people to carry health insurance or pay a penalty, the Associated Press reports. The measure would…

Dec 1, 2010 12:45 PM CST

Law Prof Links Lawyer Regs and ‘Gaping Hole’ in Legal Services for Middle Class

A University of Illinois law professor thinks a change in lawyer regulations could help middle-class defendants who are being targeted in mass foreclosures and debt-collection suits. The answer, says corporate law professor Larry Ribstein, lies in a change in the “stranglehold” of lawyer regulations that prevent innovation and a focus…

Dec 1, 2010 11:30 AM CST

Law Prof Enters the Great Debate: Is It ‘Pleaded’ or ‘Pled’?

When a suspect has confessed guilt to the court, is it correct to say he “pleaded” guilty or “pled” guilty? The AP Stylebook opts for “pleaded,” advising editors to avoid the colloquial word “pled.” But UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh did his own research, and he begs to differ. Volokh…

Nov 22, 2010 5:19 PM CST

Laurence Tribe Leaves DOJ Job, Cites Symptoms of Brain Tumor

The Harvard constitutional law professor who took a leave of absence for a job with the Justice Department is stepping down due to recurring symptoms of a benign brain tumor. Laurence Tribe will return to Harvard in January after serving as the Justice Department’s “senior counselor for access to justice”…

Nov 19, 2010 2:06 PM CST

UC-Irvine Law Professor Inspires ‘Mind Games’ Crime Show

High-profile psychologist and University of California, Irvine law professor Elizabeth Loftus is about to add criminal-TV-show-muse to her notable accomplishments. Parmount/CBS has hired a writer to develop a television series around Loftus’ work evaluating the memories of witnesses in criminal cases, reports the Orange Country Register. Former “Law & Order:…

Nov 17, 2010 11:15 PM CST

Move Over Socratic Method, ‘Clicker’ Offers Law Profs New Option to Monitor Student Progress

As some law profs and law school administrators bemoan or ban the electronic devices that make it easy for today’s students to sit in the back row and text and e-mail during class, a growing number of educational innovators are adding new wireless technology to their arsenal of teaching tools…

Nov 17, 2010 3:00 PM CST

Law Prof Worked on Three Employment Cases on Supreme Court Docket

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering three employment discrimination cases this term, and one law professor has worked on all of them. The court is considered pro-business, but in employment cases, especially those involving retaliation, it has a mixed record, the Washington Post reports. University of Washington law professor Eric…

Nov 16, 2010 12:00 PM CST

Law Prof Predicts a ‘New Hierarchy’ of Law Schools

A law professor known for his studies of the legal profession is predicting a “new hierarchy” of law schools will emerge, one that will be based on educational quality and connection to the legal profession rather than student academic credentials. The top law schools admit students with higher LSAT scores,…

Nov 15, 2010 11:30 AM CST

After New E-Mail Review, DOJ Concludes John Yoo Committed No Misconduct

The U.S. Justice Department has reviewed newly discovered e-mails and determined that former Justice Department lawyer John Yoo did not commit professional misconduct when he approved waterboarding of terrorism suspects. The Associated Press obtained a letter outlining the findings. According to its story, the review did not change a DOJ…

Nov 10, 2010 12:25 PM CST

Caution: Nude Baby Photos Can Result in Arrest, Law Prof Warns

A recent Utah case involving some misinterpreted baby photos serves as a cautionary tale for parents who are tempted to snap pictures of their nude infants. The case began this spring with a call from a Walgreens photo technician alarmed by a picture of a man kissing a naked baby…

Nov 8, 2010 11:00 AM CST

Election Roundup: 3 Top Iowa Judges Defeated for Retention After Gay Marriage OK

In a first-time-ever rejection of sitting Iowa Supreme Court judges for retention, state voters have nixed three justices at the polls following their approval last year of same-sex marriage. With more than 90 percent of the state’s precincts reporting results from yesterday’s election, the three had gotten only about 45…

Nov 3, 2010 12:00 PM CDT

Laurence Tribe’s Leaked Memo: Sotomayor ‘Not as Smart as She Seems to Think She Is’

Harvard law professor and constitutional scholar Laurence Tribe offered a spirited endorsement of Elena Kagan in a 2009 memo that noted the law school dean had the ability to persuade “a bunch of prima donnas to see things her way.” The memo (PDF), leaked to conservative blogger Ed Whelan, bluntly…

Oct 29, 2010 11:56 AM CDT

1,000s of NYC Stop-&-Frisks Unjustified, Law Prof Finds; City Argues He Was Paid $375/Hour to Say So

Tens of thousands of New Yorkers have been stopped and frisked without adequate, documented legal justification over the past six years, a Columbia University law professor says in a study conducted for an ongoing civil rights case. In a report written for the Center for Constitutional Rights, professor Jeffrey Fagan…

Oct 26, 2010 11:55 PM CDT

Law Prof Says He’ll No Doubt Be Killed If He Returns to Rwanda

A Minnesota law professor facing charges of genocide denial for his work representing a Rwandan presidential candidate says he has “no doubt” he’ll be killed if he returns to the country. William Mitchell law professor Peter Erlinder said he would follow his lawyer’s advice in the case, the Associated Press…

Oct 25, 2010 2:29 PM CDT

US Law Prof to Be Charged in Rwanda with Genocide Denial

Rwanda’s top prosecutor wants a professor from William Mitchell College of law to appear in a Rwandan court and face charges of genocide denial, the Associated Press reported. Professor Peter Erlinder declined to comment to the news organization. Prosecutor Martin Ngoga made the announcement in Arusha, Tanzania, the location of…

Oct 21, 2010 8:07 PM CDT