Western State Law Review

02/06/2024

Western State Law Review’s Member of the Week: Mary Catherine Tiernan!

Mary Catherine is not only a full time 3L, but also our amazing Editor in Chief and Symposium Editor. After passing the bar, Mary Catherine will be going into civil litigation, particularly construction and design law. She is currently a Law Clerk with Litchfield Law PC. Prior to law school, Mary Catherine received a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Political Science from Seattle University. In her free time, Mary Catherine enjoys doing yoga, gardening, interior design, traveling, and spending time with her adorable cats, Kevin and Sully.

As Editor in Chief, Mary Catherine supervises and directs ALL of Western State Law Review’s affairs, including but not limited to our upcoming annual symposium (see previous post😉). She is a hardworking visionary who takes care of her team. We are incredibly grateful to have you, Mary Catherine!

02/06/2024

SAVE THE DATE!

Western State Law Review will be hosting its annual symposium on April 6, 2024!

Our symposium will provide a comprehensive exploration of the challenges and solutions related to closing the justice gap, facilitating insightful discussions and potential avenues for action. This symposium topic will explore legal technology including artificial intelligence and nonlawyer paraprofessionals as related to providing legal services, while also examining the ethical, legal, and practical issues that come with integrating AI and/or paraprofessionals into the legal sphere. Panelists will discuss and debate the benefits and challenges associated with these applications.

The symposium will be split into two panels: one panel will consist of discussion regarding whether we should use nonlawyers, paraprofessionals, etc. to provide legal services and therefore potentially help close the justice gap. The other panel will be a discussion of the use of artificial intelligence and other legal technologies in the legal world, including the risks and dangers involved.

Sponsorship opportunities available. For more information and to learn about available tiers, please visit: westernstatelawreview.com

Can’t wait to see you there!

12/06/2023

Well into the October 2023 term, SCOTUS will hear a variety of cases in December 2023. Swipe to learn more about the issues before the Supreme Court!

11/14/2023

Amy Howe discusses twelve new cases added to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 23-24 docket, including cases regarding developer fees and the No Fly list.

Visit https://www.scotusblog.com/2023/09/twelve-cases-added-to-supreme-court-calendar/ to learn more.

05/03/2023

"A group of 24 U.S. civil rights and criminal justice groups and advocates on Wednesday launched a coalition aimed at reforming sentencing so people convicted at trial do not face heftier punishments than those who plead guilty to the same crime." -Reuters

A group of 24 U.S. civil rights and criminal justice groups and advocates on Wednesday launched a coalition aimed at reforming sentencing so people convicted at trial do not face heftier punishments than those who plead guilty to the same crime.

05/01/2023

"Back in 1923, the Supreme Court had issued 157 rulings by May 1 in a term that started the previous fall. On the same date a century later, the current justices, facing a firestorm of scrutiny on multiple fronts, have disposed of just 15 cases, fueling speculation about why they are falling behind. In fact, the court has decided fewer cases at this point of the term — which begins each October and ends in June — than at any time in the last 100 years, according to numbers compiled by Supreme Court stats guru Adam Feldman." -NBC News

The court has disposed of only 15 cases, with 44 cases yet to be decided before the usual conclusion of the term in June.

04/22/2023

04/21/2023

"Involuntary manslaughter charges will be dismissed against actor Alec Baldwin, according to a statement from the New Mexico special prosecutors overseeing the cases in the “Rust” shooting." -CNN

Involuntary manslaughter charges will be dismissed against actor Alec Baldwin, according to a statement from the New Mexico special prosecutors overseeing the cases in the "Rust" shooting.

04/19/2023

"Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a $787.5 million settlement agreement Tuesday afternoon, the parties announced, narrowly heading off a trial shortly after the jury was sworn in." -NBC News

A trial was moments away from beginning opening statements.

04/07/2023

The Western State Law Review Board is proud to host the 2023 Annual Law Review Symposium on April 15, 2023.

If you’re interested in attending, you can register at the link here: https://bit.ly/wscl2023symposium

This year’s topic, “The Future of California’s Criminal Justice System and the Debate Between Traditional and Progressive Laws,” features a balanced and informative discussion led by a panel of expert speakers, including:

• Todd Spitzer, Orange County District Attorney
• Paul S. Meyer, Paul S. Meyer, APC
• Hon. Kimberly Menninger, Superior Court of Orange County
• Hon. Kyle Brodie, Superior Court of San Bernardino County
• Sheriff Don Barnes, Orange County Sheriff

04/07/2023

"Justice Clarence Thomas said Friday that he did not disclose luxury travel paid for by a Republican donor because he was advised at the time that he did not have to report it." -CNN

"This is far greater than mere ethics violations; it's about the perceived legitimacy of the Supreme Court," one former conservative federal judge said.

04/04/2023

"Donald Trump personally pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree after hearing charges against him stemming from a hush money payment to an adult film actress in 2016." -CNN

Donald Trump, the first current or former president in US history to face criminal charges, is being arraigned Tuesday after being indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury. Follow here for the latest live news updates.

04/02/2023

"Books banned by leaders in one Texas county were ordered to be put back on the shelf after a judge ruled in favor of residents suing the county. Seven patrons of the Llano County Library System sued the county judge and county commissioners for taking books off the shelves that the county ruled were inappropriate due to their “messages and content," according to the lawsuit." -ABC News

Books banned by leaders in one Texas county were ordered to be put back on the shelf, after a judge ruled in favor of residents suing the county.

04/01/2023

"Lawyers for Disney invoked a "rule against perpetuities" or "King Charles III" related clause to protect their financial interests in an ongoing dispute with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis." - Truth or Fiction

In March 2023, an ongoing conflict between Florida's governor and Disney re-entered the news cycle.

03/30/2023

"Mr. Trump will be the first former president to face criminal charges. The precise charges are not yet known, but the case is focused on a hush-money payment to a p**n star during his 2016 campaign." - NY Times

Mr. Trump will be the first former president to face criminal charges. The precise charges are not yet known, but the case is focused on a hush-money payment to a p**n star during his 2016 campaign.

03/27/2023

"In this way, AI is having a profound effect on the practice of law. Though AI is more likely to aid than replace attorneys in the near term, it is already being used to review contracts, find relevant documents in the discovery process, and conduct legal research. More recently, AI has begun to be used to help draft contracts, predict legal outcomes, and even recommend judicial decisions about sentencing or bail." - ABA Business Law Today

Though AI is more likely to aid than replace attorneys in the near term, it's begun to be used to help draft contracts and predict legal outcomes.