News From the University of Richmond School of Law http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?arc=thisyear Yesterday, four Richmond Law students (Victoria Allen, Jarrod Blackwood, Eryk Boston, and Dustin Davis) joined the Virginia State Bar’s Senior Lawyers Conference and Williams Mullen in the inaugural session of Wills on Wheels, a program that provides free legal estate planning services to eligible senior citizens in Virginia. The senior citizens met with volunteer attorneys and law students for the drafting of a basic will, advanced medical directive, and power of attorney. These documents were prepared onsite and executed the same day so that they could be finalized and effective immediately. The event, which took place at Senior Connections (Richmond’s Area Agency... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=321 Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400 An op-ed piece in the April 22 Richmond Times Dispatch by Professor of Law Corinna Barrett Lain offers insight into issues surrounding the "Norfolk Four" case in which four Navy sailors were convicted and imprisoned for a 1990 rape and murder to which they had confessed, only to be totally exonerated by DNA evidence. Prof. Lain offers examples and explanations from her own career as a prosecutor to why innocent defendants falsely confess crimes. Read the article ... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=318 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 National experts from Google, law enforcement, the media, and the legal profession will discuss privacy, technology and liability issues surrounding social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube. The event will take place in the School of Law' Moot Court Room at 3pm on Wed., April 23. A reception will follow. This event is free and open to the public. A national outcry from parents whose children have been victims of increased cyber bullying and cyber harassment through the use of social networking Web sites like MySpace, FaceBook and YouTube, has prompted law enforcement officials and technology experts to find ways... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=319 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Williams Professor Carl Tobias was quoted in an April 18 Los Angeles Times article reporting on the difficulties encountered by prosecutors in convicting defendants arrested in the early stages of alleged terrorism plots. Most recently, the federal government was handed its second mistrial in its attempt to convict the seven "Liberty City" defendants of plotting to bomb Chicago's Sears tower. Noting the tensions between proactive law enforcement and painstaking case-building, Prof. Tobias observed, "In some cases the government may move too quickly to secure the evidence it needs to prove specific charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Maybe it's better to stop... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=316 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Williams Professor of Law Carl Tobias was quoted in a New York Times article covering a rather unusual lawsuit filed by New York Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye on behalf of the entire state judiciary, asking for their first salary raise in ten years. Commenting on the legal merits of Judge Kaye's suit, Prof. Tobias characterized her claims as "policy arguments," but praised the judge's "extraordinary patience" in pursuing a political solution through the state legislature prior to the bringing of the lawsuit. ... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=317 Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 James B. Comey will receive the University of Richmond School of Law's William Green Award for Professional Excellence on Wed., April 16, at 12PM in the Jepson Alumni Center at the University of Richmond. The Green Award is the highest honor given by the Law School to honor those who have made a great contribution to the legal profession. Mr. Comey will give a talk about his work in the public and private sector during the Law School’s scholarship luncheon (by invitation). "I'm honored to present the law school's highest award to Jim Comey," said John Douglass, Dean of Richmond Law. "Jim... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=320 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Williams Professor of Law Carl Tobias was among the legal experts commenting in the New York Times about the April 3 ruling by the District of Columbia Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals, throwing out an $800 million consumer class action suit brought against tobacco manufacturers. The plaintiffs alleged that the companies had misled them into believing that light cigarettes were safer than regular ones. The court ruled that the plaintiffs had not established sufficient commonality in their reasons for choosing the products to be certified as a class. Prof. Tobias predicted that the ruling would prove persuasive in the... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=313 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 The University of Richmond has named acting dean John G. Douglass, a distinguished legal scholar, educator and practitioner, as dean of the Richmond School of Law. Douglass joined the Richmond law faculty in 1996 and teaches criminal law, evidence, criminal procedure, and trial advocacy. He has served in various leadership roles at the law school and the university. Douglass was honored with a University of Richmond Distinguished Educator Award in 1999. He has served as acting dean since July 1, 2007. Douglass will continue on the ambitious course set by the law faculty and Richmond President Edward L. Ayers. The agenda... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=311 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Professor of Law Jim Gibson was among the featured participants in a session on illegal file sharing on college campuses, part of the 2008 Chronicle Technology Forum. The Forum's host, The Chronicle of Higher Education, reprinted excerpts from Prof. Gibson's remarks and answers to questions in its April 4 issue. Sharing the podium with Prof. Gibson were Cheryl A. Elzy, dean of university libraries at Illinois State University; Stewart McLaurin, executive vice president for education affairs at the Motion Picture Association of America; and Tracy Mitrano, director of information-technology policy at Cornell University. ... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=312 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0400 Writing for Findlaw.com's Writ, Williams Professor of Law Carl Tobias addresses the House of Representatives contempt of Congress citations against senior White House officials Joshua Bolten and Harriet Miers, arguing that the 16 judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia should hear the case en banc. Prof. Tobias bases his argument for this seldom-used approach on the constitutional magnitude of the case which pits legislative subpoena power against executive privilege claims. Read the article ... http://law.richmond.edu/news/view.php?item=309 Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400