Send more troops or U.S. loses war - September 23, 2009 - The Tennessean - Mike Newton, professor of the practice of law and expert in the international justice system, wrote this opinion piece about the importance of having enough troops on the ground in Afghanistan to police the activities of al Qaeda and the Taliban. President right to order interrogation inquiry - August 25, 2009 - President right to order interrogation inquiry - Klint Alexander, senior lecturer of law and international relations, wrote this opinion piece about President Obama’s recent decision to order a formal inquiry into the interrogation practices of the Bush administration. Confirmation 'kabuki' does no justice - July 20, 2009 - Politico - Opinion piece by Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, addresses the reasons why "we did not learn much" during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Bill of Rights put in proper perspective - June 14, 2009 - The Tennessean - James Blumstein, University Professor of Constitutional Law and Health Policy, wrote this opinion piece in response to a column by local commentator Phil Valentine about the Second Amendment. Apply compassion offered illegal immigrants to the most vulnerable citizens - May/June 2009 - Boston Review - - Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, wrote this opinion piece in response to Joseph H. Carens’s Case for Amnesty. In the piece, which is part of a New Democracy Forum on immigration, she argues that compassion should be directed toward American citizen groups with high unemployment. Selection by governor may be best judicial option - April 27, 2009 - The Tennessean - Opinion piece by Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, addresses Tennessee's "merit selection" process of judicial selection. Amendment would only bring state in line on abortion - March 28, 2009 - The Tennessean - Carol Swain, professor of law and political science, wrote this opinion piece about the effect of a constitutional amendment on abortion in response to the March 20 opinion piece by Dean Edward L. Rubin, which appears below. Abortion ruling not likely to change anytime soon - March 20, 2009 - The Tennessean - Opinion piece by Dean Edward L. Rubin addresses Roe v. Wade and a proposed amendment to the Tennessee Constitution that would impose limits on abortion. Take action on environmental issue now - February 22, 2009 - The Tennessean - Opinion piece by Michael Vandenbergh, director of Vanderbilt's Environmental Law Program and of the Vanderbilt Climate Change Research Network. Ellen Wright Clayton, the Rosalind E. Franklin Professor of Genetics and Health Policy and professor of law, is featured in a February 9, 2009, NBC Today Show and Dateline NBC story on the California octuplets. Keeping pace with change - February 5, 2009 - Forbes - Owen Jones, professor of law and professor of biology, wrote this opinion piece about the importance of understanding evolution to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth. Listen to a Minnesota Public Radio interview with Suzanna Sherry, Herman O. Loewenstein Professor of Law, on the upcoming slate of cases to be considered by the Supreme Court. Crimes against humanity in Burma - July 2008 - Public International Law & Policy Group - international law expert Mike Newton argues that, by abdicating its core duties to its own people, the Burmese junta should have no credible voice as the representative of those same people to the international community. Current leaders place our rights at risk - July 4, 2008 - The Tennessean - Carol Swain, professor of law and political science, wrote this opinion piece about the importance of holding leaders accountable for their policies. Energy Policy Task Force will help Tennessee meet its energy needs - July 1, 2008 - The Tennessean - Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law and co-director of the Regulatory Program, wrote this opinion piece about the goals of the Governor’s Task Force for Energy Policy, of which he is a member. Minimum Proposed Deviation Method - April 25, 2008 - Wall Street Journal - Explanation and graphic of Paul Edelman's proposed distribution of state congressional representatives and electoral votes. Professor Edelman argues that the court clearly prefers a method that minimizes deviation of district size, and none of the previously proposed methods for distributing electoral votes accomplishes this goal. American tax system has structural biases - April 15, 2008 - The Tennessean - Beverly I. Moran, professor of law and professor of sociology at Vanderbilt University, wrote an opinion piece about the disparate impact of the federal tax code on blacks. The government is trying to wrap its mind around yours - April 13, 2008 - The Washington Post - Nita Farahany, assistant professor of law, wrote this opinion piece about government research on neurotechnology and the troubling applications it may have in the future. Verdict on Tennessee Plan may require a jury - April 16, 2008 - The Memphis Commercial Appeal - Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, wrote this opinion piece about Tennessee’s unique system for selecting appellate judges and the opportunity to review its effectiveness when the legislature votes whether to renew it. Those with standing in the community have duty to speak responsibly - March 20, 2008 - The Tennessean - Carol Swain, professor of law and political science, wrote this opinion piece countering Vanderbilt sociology professor Dan Cornfield’s assessment that harsh enforcement of immigration laws have a negative effect on communities. Process of picking judges broken - February 27, 2008 - Chattanooga Times Free Press - Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, discusses the Tennessee Plan for appointing appellate judges in this opinion piece. Hate is our fight: Non-Muslims have role in righting wrongs - February 24, 2008 - The Tennessean - Roger Conner, adjunct professor of law and director of The Advocacy Project at Vanderbilt Law School, wrote this opinion piece in response to the news that arsonists had torched the Islamic Center of Columbia, Tennessee. We never had enough troops to do the job - February 16, 2008 - The Tennessean - Mike Newton, professor of law, wrote this opinion piece about the early mistakes of the Iraq war and their consequences. The Public and Private Faces of Peace for Mass Torts - January 28, 2008 - PointofLaw.com - This essay by Mass Torts in a World of Settlement author Richard Nagareda traces how mass tort litigation has given rise to an uneasy combination of public and private institutions, and discusses what the law should do about it. |
In the News
November 2009Murderer with 'aggression genes' gets sentence cut - November 3, 2009 - New Scientist - A judge's decision to reduce a killer's sentence because he has genetic mutations linked to violence raises a thorny question: Can your genes ever absolve you of responsibility for a particular act? Nita Farahany, professor of law and philosophy who studies behavioral neuroscience, is quoted. Debate focuses on gun-carry permit list - November 4, 2009 - Memphis Commercial Appeal - Advocates of the First and Second Amendments sat down together Tuesday at the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt to debate whether the state's list of 257,000 handgun-carry permit holders should be kept public. David Hudson '94, adjunct professor of law, participated in the panel. Genes, murder, and bad driving - November 2, 2009 - Slate - The online magazine’s “Human Nature” blog reports on a recent court case in Italy in which a criminal sentence was reduced because the convict carried a gene that predisposed him to aggression. Nita Farahany, professor of law and philosophy, is quoted. October 2009Lighter sentence for murder with "bad genes" - October 30, 2009 - Nature - Nita Farahany, professor of law and philosophy who studies behavioral neuroscience, is quoted extensively about a case in which an Italian court reduced the sentence of a convicted murderer because of evidence that he has genes linked to violent behavior. "The point is that behavioural genetics is not there yet, we cannot explain individual behaviour, only large population statistics," Farahany told reporter Emiliano Feresin. Farahany's research specializes in the legal and ethical issues arising from behavioural genetics and neuroscience. According to Farahany, who maintains a personal database on sentences passed in the United States, in the past five years there have been at least 200 cases where lawyers have attempted to use genetic evidence to support the idea their clients' were predisposed to violent behaviour, depression or drug or alcohol abuse. In Britain, there have been at least 20 such cases in the past five years. Up to now most such efforts have been unsuccessful in court — although a few have influenced sentencing in the United States. Judges have tended to reject the idea that a person has no control over their choices because of their genes, says Farahany. She also noted that prosecutors could use the same genetic evidence to argue for tougher sentences by suggesting people with such genes are inherently 'bad'. How U.S. households could cut emissions of greenhouse gases - October 28, 2009 - New York Times - The newspaper’s “Dot Earth” blog discusses a recent report co-authored by Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law and environmental policy expert, listing several simple behavioral changes Americans could make to reduce their carbon footprint. JMU journalists face judicial charges at the school - October 28, 2009 - Richmond Times-Dispatch (Va.) - Two student journalists at James Madison University face judicial charges for allegedly violating the school’s visitation policy after entering a dorm in which they did not live in order to get comments for a story they were writing for the student newspaper. David Hudson '94, attorney for the First Amendment Center and adjunct professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School, is quoted. Simple measures can yield big greenhouse gas cuts, scientists say - October 27, 2009 - Science Daily - New technologies and policies that save energy, remove atmospheric carbon and limit greenhouse gas emissions are needed to fight global climate change, but face daunting technological, economic and political hurdles, according to a new study co-authored by Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law and expert in environmental policy. U.S., hang ’em like India - October 26, 2009 - The Telegraph (Calcutta, India) - America could significantly cut its greenhouse gas emissions through a set of 17 easy-to-implement household actions, including line-drying of clothes widely practiced in India, according to a study co-authored by Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law and environmental policy expert. In defense of Carol Swain - October 26, 2009 - Wall Street Journal - Columnist James Taranto defends Carol Swain, professor of law and political science, after she was characterized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an apologist for white supremacists for endorsing the use of a controversial film as a tool for classroom discussions on race. The story is also covered by the conservative news blog Instapundit. Number of juried trials slumps both in Va., nationwide - October 20, 2009 - NewsVirginian - In the year that ended June 30, 2008, little more than 1 percent of felony convictions in Virginia courts were at the hands of jurors. Nearly 90 percent were the result of guilty pleas and the rest in trials before judges—the result, experts say, of tough sentencing legislation that has made defendants reluctant to challenge their charges even if they have strong cases. A study of jury sentencing in Virginia and Arkansas ("Felony Jury Sentencing in Practice: A Three-State Study," by Nancy King and Rosevelt Noble, published in the Vanderbilt Law Review in 2004) is mentioned. Brain science starting to impact varied fields - October 15, 2009 - Reuters - It used to be that only doctors were interested in brain scans, searching the images for tumors, concussions or other health problems hiding inside a patient's skull. More and more, though, images showing neurons firing in different areas of the brain are gaining attention from experts in fields as varied as law, marketing, education, criminology, philosophy and ethics. Owen Jones, professor of law and biology and co-director of the Law and Neuroscience Project, is quoted. Pot legalization gains momentum in California - October 7, 2009 - Associated Press - Marijuana advocates are gathering signatures to get as many as three pot-legalization measures on the ballot in 2010 in California, setting up what could be a groundbreaking clash with the federal government over U.S. drug policy. Robert Mikos, professor of law, has studied the subject and is quoted. September 2009Our latest constitutional debate: What's the 10th Amendment mean? - September 30 - MinnPost.com - This Minneapolis political news blog features a post on the meaning of the Tenth Amendment and quotes Suzanna Sherry, Herman O. Loewenstein Professor of Law. Execution reforms gain new traction - September 27 - Gainesville (Florida) Sun - Three years have passed since the Florida Death Penalty Assessment Team recommended a host of changes, such as: requiring jury unanimity in death penalty recommendations; establishing statewide protocols for determining when death should be a sentencing option in murder cases; and studying the possibility of racial, socioeconomic or geographic disparities within the system. Christopher Slobogin, professor of law, is quoted. Suprema Corte se alista a cambio - September 5 - La Opinion - This Spanish-language news site features an article about possible further changes to the Supreme Court as other justices reach advanced age and may be more likely to retire. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law and former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, is quoted. Doubts about scare tactics on drivers who text - September 1 - New York Times - A graphic public service video about the dangers of texting while driving has received worldwide attention after being posted to YouTube, leading experts to debate whether such scare tactics actually work. W. Kip Viscusi, University Distinguished Professor of Law, Economics and Management, is quoted. July 2009Sotomayor vows to value legal stability as trailblazing justice - July 15 - Bloomberg - Judge Sonia Sotomayor portrayed herself as a force for continuity with a reluctance to topple the established order even as she made her case to become a barrier-breaking justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. Lottery researchers skeptical about U.S. bailout approach - July 8 - Wall Street Journal - New research studied whether winning up to six-figure jackpots would prevent bankruptcy among overleveraged lottery players. The answer: no. It is a result that makes the researchers highly skeptical of government efforts to bail out struggling homeowners and corporations at or near the brink of collapse. Researcher Paige Marta Skiba, assistant professor of law, is quoted. The female discount for sexual predators - July 8, 2009 - Nashville Scene - Reported sex offenses by women increased tenfold from the '80s to the '90s, yet their prison time remains but a fraction of what men receive. Christopher Slobogin, professor of law, and William Bernet, professor of psychiatry, are quoted. June 2009Supreme Being - June 2009 - Vogue.com - Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is profiled. Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted. Don't know much about history - June 19, 2009 - Wall Street Journal - The comments of Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, about the Senate resolution apologizing for slavery are discussed in a column by James Tarranto. Senate backs apology for slavery - June 19, 2009 - Washington Post - The Senate unanimously passed a resolution yesterday apologizing for slavery, making way for a joint congressional resolution and the latest attempt by the federal government to take responsibility for two-and-a-half centuries of slavery. Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, is quoted. Listen to the mp3 of "Hate and Why Words Matter "- June 16, 2009 - Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane - WHYY, Philadelphia - In the wake of the recent spate of murders committed by right-wing extremists we look at the power of hate - how it motivates individuals to commit violence acts and instills fear in society. Adjunct law professor David Hudson, First Amendment Scholar at the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, is interviewed. Listen to a June 15, 2009, NPR "Talk of the Nation" discussion, "Is Right-Wing Extremism on the Rise?" in which Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, is one of three featured commentators. The queens in Obama’s high court - June 2009 - Vogue - Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted in this article about the women likely to be tapped as replacements for retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. (President Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor, one of the women profiled, after the article went to press.) Hundreds attend reopening of D.C.'s Holocaust museum - June 14, 2009 - Jerusalem Post - The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum reopened its doors Friday to crowds of visitors who came to pay tribute to the latest victim of the racial intolerance the institution is dedicated to opposing, and to call for its work to continue despite the threats it faces. Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, is quoted. Right-wing extremists face extra scrutiny - June 11, 2009 - Washington Times - Even before Wednesday's fatal shooting of a security guard purportedly by a white supremacist at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, right-wing extremists have come under increased scrutiny. Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, is quoted. Dirty laundry aired: The fight over divorce details - June 9, 2009 - Wall Street Journal - Adjunct law professor David Hudson, '94, who is First Amendment Scholar at the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, is quoted in an article about disclosures during divorce proceedings that reveal intimate or embarrassing details. Bill of Rights, Inc. - June 8, 2009 - National Review Online - This article about how a recent gun rights case could change how courts interpret the Bill of Rights quotes James Ely, Milton Underwood Professor of Law and History. Slaying prompts close look at incendiary speech - June 7, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle - The murder of Kansas obstetrician George Tiller, who was frequently characterized by conservative pundits as a “baby killer,” has prompted some to investigate whether public personalities who make inflammatory comments bear responsibility when a member of their audience acts upon those words. Adjunct law professor David Hudson, First Amendment Scholar at the Freedom Forum First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, is quoted. Soda-tax proposal should fizzle out in Congress - June 5, 2009 - San Francisco Examiner - This opinion piece about a Senate proposal to tax sugary drinks as a way to deter consumption quotes economist W. Kip Viscusi, University Distinguished Professor of Law, Management and Economics. May 2009See a CNN.com video about Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor with Tracey George, professor of law and political science, May 26, 2009 Election of judges in Tennessee is rejected - May 29, 2009 - The Tennessean - An effort to directly elect high court judges in Tennessee has come up short, as state lawmakers voted to keep an independent panel to pick nominees to the bench. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. Vanderbilt picks new law school dean - May 28, 2009 - The Tennessean - Pending Board approval, Chris Guthrie will take over as the newest dean of Vanderbilt University Law School on July 1, serving a five-year term. Sonia Sotomayor story inspires, concerns Nashvillians - May 27, 2009 - The Tennessean - If Judge Sonia Sotomayor is confirmed to the Supreme Court, she is unlikely to upset the balance of conservative and liberal views on the bench. James Blumstein, University Professor of Constitutional Law, and Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted. Even with Souter retirement, Obama faces limits on remaking courts - May 1, 2009 - U.S. News & World Report - It may take two terms for Obama to make a significant difference in the makeup of the federal court system. Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted. Obama has chance to select justice with varied résumé - May 1, 2009 - New York Times - Justice Souter’s departure from the Supreme Court presents President Obama with more than the usual array of choices based on credentials, ideology and demographics. Obama also has the opportunity to move the court back toward what it has been for most of its history: a collection of prominent individuals with broad experience. Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted. April 2009American idling: The ecological cost of keeping the engine running - April 28, 2009 - ClimateWire - The quick, simple act of turning your car off instead of idling whenever possible could play an enormous role in slowing the rate of climate change. Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law, is quoted. Judge selection debate flares in Tennessee - April 26, 2009 - The Tennessean - Tennessee's judicial system is coming under its sharpest attack in a generation, as groups of lawmakers and activists are trying to overturn the state's process for selecting judges. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. Missouri brakes - April 18, 2009 - Wall Street Journal - The Missouri plan for choosing judges may be the law of the land in some two dozen states, but its home court is having second thoughts. Last week, the Missouri House of Representatives approved a ballot measure that would modify the state's namesake selection process. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. U.S. shifts stand on global warming - April 18, 2009 - The Tennessean - The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday officially adopted the position that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions pose a danger to the public's health and welfare, a move that could trigger a series of federal regulations affecting polluters from vehicles to coal-fired power plants. Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law, is quoted. The fairer sex - April 11, 2009 - Slate - Is the pressure to appoint another female justice to the Supreme Court simply a matter of appearance? Is gender balance necessary for the court to have what political scientists like to call "social legitimacy"? Or is there something more fundamental that women bring to the bench that makes the need for more of them so urgent? Research by Suzanna Sherry, Herman O. Loewenstein Professor of Law, is referenced. Immigration reform: Will the climate ever be right? - April 10, 2009 - CNN - Word that President Obama might pile comprehensive immigration reform onto his already-full plate reignited calls from some for an urgent overhaul and brought cries from others that the timing couldn't be worse. Carol Swain, professor of political science and law, is quoted. Do smokers cost society money? - April 7, 2009 - Associated Press - A recent bill debated in Congress that would give the FDA the power to regulate tobacco products has raised the question of whether smokers really do cost society money or if their premature deaths result in savings. W. Kip Viscusi, Distinguished University Professor of Law, Economics and Management, is quoted. Curbing crass compensation - April 1, 2009 - MarketWatch - As tax dollars flow into troubled banks—and often directly into the pockets of the executives responsible for their banks’ precarious position—new regulations are likely to give outraged shareholders more of a say in executive compensation. Randall Thomas, John Beasley II Professor of Law and Business, is quoted. March 2009Listen to a March 17 WCPN-Cleveland interview with Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, and his coauthor, Michael Sharf, addressing their book, Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein. Legal opinion says ending Tennessee Plan for appellate judges could create problems - March 28, 2009 - Chattanooga Times-Free Press - Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper says in a new opinion that officials will be unable to fill vacancies on the state Supreme Court and appellate courts if lawmakers do not renew two judicial commissions. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. The long goodbye - March 26, 2009 - World Magazine - Though critics of the surge say its success is a shallow one, and suggest that Iraq will descend into chaos when U.S. troops leave, some international law experts believe the slow withdrawal of troops will work. Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, is quoted. Voluntary climate programs may get a face-lift under cap and trade - March 19, 2009 - New York Times - The Obama administration and Democratic leaders in Congress hope to pass legislation that will cap absolute emissions of large sectors of the economy by the end of the year. Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law, is quoted. Bashir warrant leaves U.S. in tight spot - March 8, 2009 - The National - Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, is quoted in this article about the U.S.'s refusal to sign onto the International Criminal Court (ICC). Professor Newton serves on a panel assembled by the American Society of International Law that is investigating the U.S. relationship with the ICC. Briefing: A rocky start for war crimes world court - March 6, 2009 - Christian Science Monitor - The International Criminal Court's indictment Wednesday of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir prompted Sudan to expel more than a dozen aid groups, and some African leaders warn that the arrest warrant will damage fragile peace negotiations. Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, is quoted. Brouhaha quietly brews over selection of judges - March 6, 2009 - Memphis Commercial Appeal - The Tennessee Plan for staffing the state’s appeals court calls for appellate judges to be nominated by a Judicial Selection Commission, appointed by the governor and retained or removed from the bench by voters in periodic uncontested referendums. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. February 2009O'Connor favors Missouri method of filling bench - February 28, 2009 - Columbia Daily Tribune - Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor spoke yesterday in support of the Missouri Plan, the state’s nearly 70-year-old nonpartisan method of selecting judges to its supreme and appellate as well as some circuit courts. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, participated in a panel discussion. Judicial selection process up in air - February 25, 2009 - Memphis Commercial-Appeal - A Tennessee legislative subcommittee met this week to analyze the consequences of what will happen if the Judicial Selection and Judicial Evaluation commissions are allowed to expire on June 30. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, addressed the subcommittee. Read Professor Fitzpatrick's testimony. Pithissippi Burning: Race, white nationalism and American culture - February 23, 2009 - Nashville Scene - Blogger P. J. Tobia comments on the literature and culture of hate groups, including the Northwest Homeland. His essay includes a discussion of The New White Nationalism, a book by Carol Swain, professor of law and political science. Roberts sets off debate on judicial experience - February 16, 2009 - New York Times - For the first time, every member of the United States Supreme Court is a former federal appeals court judge, something Chief Justice John Roberts says is a good thing, because it keeps the Court focused narrowly on the law, not policy or politics. Tracey George, professor of law and political science, is quoted. And the Oscar goes to... not its voting system - February 6, 2009 - The Wall Street Journal - Academy Award nominees and winners are selected using two different voting systems that are, according to some political mathematicians, the worst way to convert voters' preferences into an election outcome. Paul Edelman, professor of math and law, is quoted. Nashville doctor in drug case served time for murders - February 6, 2009 - The Tennessean - Before this week's arrest on charges of drug-related organized crime in Kentucky, the anesthesiologist Visuvalingam Vilvarajah was a convicted murderer in Tennessee. Joshua Perry, assistant professor of biomedical ethics, is quoted. Brother, can you spare a payday loan? - February 4, 2009 - Associated Press - States are increasing oversight of payday lenders, but the risk of bankruptcy for borrowers is still high. Research on payday loans by Paige Marta Skiba, assistant professor of law, is mentioned. January 2009The Legal Brain: How Does the Brain Make Judgments about Crimes - January 27, 2009 - Scientific American - Research by Owen Jones, professor of law, and co-authors Rene Marois, assistant professor of psychology, and Joshua Buckholtz, graduate student is the focus of a discussion of the cognitive process of decisions regarding punishment. How about a stimulus for financial advice? - January 17, 2008 - New York Times - A number of government agencies already have begun small-scale financial literacy programs to help citizens make better financial decisions. A study on payday lending by Paige Marta Skiba, professor of law, is mentioned. A related story also examining Professor Skiba’s study appears in The Tennessean. The brain, your Honor, will take the witness stand - January 16, 2009 - Wall Street Journal - In an experiment at the frontier of law and philosophy, Vanderbilt researchers used a brain scanner to examine the impartial judgments at the heart of our legal system, recording how brain cells behave when assessing criminal responsibility and meting out sentences. Owen Jones, professor of law and study author, is quoted. Co-authors Rene Marois, assistant professor of psychology, and Joshua Buckholtz, graduate student, are mentioned. Mr. Professor goes to Washington - January 16, 2009 - Chronicle of Higher Education - The imminent turnover of presidential administrations opens the door for a lot of academics to move into government jobs, but expertise is not the only consideration when choosing political appointees. David Lewis, professor of political science, is quoted. Ford crusade targets baggy pants - January 16, 2009 - Associated Press - Robert Ford, a prominent black South Carolina state senator, has filed bills banning droopy pants and profanity-laced songs in an effort to ignite debate about the behavior of young people, particularly in the African-American community. David Hudson, research attorney at the First Amendment Center, is quoted. Neurolaw: A New Interdisciplinary Research - January 15, 2009 - New York Law Journal - This article by Ken Strutin addresses neurolaw, an entirely new body of interdisciplinary research into the postulates of our legal system, mentioning that "a team of researchers at Vanderbilt University uncovered the inner workings of the brain in making decisions about guilt and punishment." New niches mean more power for Vanderbilt's law faculty - January 9, 2009 - Chronicle of Higher Education - At Vanderbilt University Law School, an effort to offer students an array of distinct academic programs has led not just to curriculum changes, but also to a transformation in how the school is governed. Dean Edward Rubin is quoted. A related story also quoting Dean Rubin: Law schools customize degrees to students' taste. December 2008Did Israel Use "Disproportionate Force" in Gaza? - December 29, 2008 - Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, Israel - Michael Newton is quoted in an online discussion of the charge that Israel uses disproportionate force in defending its citizens from rocket attacks. More cops in Tennessee caught snooping - December 21, 2008 - The Tennessean - In 2006, the state rolled out a new crime-fighting weapon designed to give police across Tennessee quick Web access to privileged information collected on many of the state's 6 million citizens. However, a spate of recent violations of the use of such sensitive data highlights a lack of training and oversight. James Blumstein, University Professor of Constitutional Law, is quoted. Obama projects 'steady hand' with Cabinet picks - December 19, 2008 - FoxNews - Barack Obama's Cabinet lineup, completed Friday with a month to spare, sends a signal that the fresh-faced president-elect will lean on experienced hands and moderate voices to steer the nation through turbulent times. David Lewis, professor of political science, is quoted. Boult law firm will merge - December 17, 2008 - The Tennessean - Boult, Cummings, Conners & Berry, one of Nashville's largest law firms, will merge with a Birmingham, Ala.-based regional firm in a transaction that reflects continuing consolidation in the legal industry. Randall Thomas, the John S. Beasley II Professor of Law & Business, is quoted. Origins of crime and punishment - December 12, 2008 - Financial Times - The origins of our modern criminal justice system may lie in ancient brain mechanisms, according to Owen Jones, professor of law and of biology, René Marois, a neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology, and Joshua Buckholtz, graduate student in neuroscience. (Subscription required) Owen Jones, Justice may be hard-wired into the human brain - December 11, 2008 - New Scientist - Our sense of fairness in dealing with others directly could lay the biological foundation for legal systems built on the judgments of supposedly impartial jurors, say Owen Jones, professor of law and of biology, René Marois, a neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology, and Joshua Buckholtz, graduate student in neuroscience. In the brain, justice is served from many parts - December 10, 2008 - Science News - For the first time, scientists have peered into the brains of people who are deciding whether a crime deserves punishment and how severe the penalty should be. The research was conducted by Owen Jones, professor of law and of biology, and René Marois, a neuroscientist and associate professor of psychology. Payday loans can lead to bankruptcy - December 5, 2008 - Consumer Affairs - New research by Vanderbilt Law School Assistant Professor Paige Marta Skiba found that payday loan applicants who received the quick cash after their first application were significantly more likely to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy than those whose initial application was denied. November 2008Who are the better managers -- political appointees or career bureaucrats? - November 23, 2008 - Washington Post - One school of thought argues that lots of political appointees can sweep away bureaucratic cobwebs. The other suggests that appointees mostly get in the way of the career professionals who really know how to make government work. David Lewis, professor of political science and professor of law, is quoted. Mineral resources propel conflict - November 19, 2008 - The Tennessean - Klint Alexander, senior lecturer of law and international relations, explains how profits from the minerals used to make components for cell phones and other electronics exacerbate the genocide in eastern Congo. Illegal staff may bring arrest, fine - November 17, 2008 - The Tennessean - At an immigration seminar this month given by Linda Rose, adjunct professor of law, much of the audience wanted to talk about immigration enforcement that comes in the mail, not through the door: the no-match letter. Envoy can be enviable gig - Chicago Tribune - November 14, 2008 - Since the Kennedy era, both Democratic and Republican administrations have given away about one-third of ambassadorships in desirable cities abroad as political rewards. The 25-year-old academy of diplomacy has called for fewer political appointees this time, citing the number of foreign challenges facing the incoming administration and the importance of promoting seasoned diplomats. David Lewis, professor of political science and professor of law, is quoted. Circuit City files for bankruptcy protection - Memphis Daily News - November 11, 2008 - One week after announcing it would close 155 of its stores, including two in the Memphis area, Circuit City Stores Inc. reported Monday that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Margaret Blair, professor of law, is quoted. How Brain Science May Change the Way We Live - November 2008 - O, the Oprah Magazine - Nita Farahany and Owen Jones are quoted in an overview of the different ways cutting-edge neuroscience is now being applied to marketing, financial services, criminal punishment and other aspects of life. Here's an excerpt: "Nita Farahany, JD, PhD, assistant professor of law and philosophy at Vanderbilt University, cites one telling case in a report she recently presented on the subject. In People v. Stokke (2007), she writes, 'the defendant was charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. ... An expert on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders testified that he had reviewed the defendant's brain scans and that, beyond a reasonable doubt, the defendant suffered brain damage caused by heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.' Stokke was eventually found guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter, a lesser crime than the murder charge.Another legal area that's getting what you might call 'neurocized' is lie detection. Two companies, Cephos Corp. and No Lie MRI, are now marketing tests based on fMRIs, claiming better than 90 percent accuracy. Some experts argue, however, that applying the technology for lie detection is premature. 'The problem is, there's more to a thought than blood flow and neurons calling up oxygen,' says Owen D. Jones, JD, a professor of law and biological sciences at Vanderbilt, referring to how fMRIs indicate activity. 'There's a big difference between how the brain thinks and what the brain thinks.' Nevertheless, researchers are rushing to find the keys to the neuro-lockbox: Both the government's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and NASA are funding the development of technology that could conceivably decipher someone's intentions (make a deposit, or blow up the bank?) from a distance. 'I think this could have positive implications for the criminal justice system, but if it happens without transparency, it will be problematic,' Farahany says. 'Our expectations of privacy will have to change quite a bit.'" October 2008Listen to a discussion of a book co-authored by Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein, on the Larry Kane Show, broadcast on KYW-1060 News Radio, Philadelphia. This discussion also encompassed events in Georgia, Iran, and North Korea. TRIPS may evolve to keep pace with modern IP concerns - October 24, 2008 - Intellectual Property Watch - Daniel Gervais, professor of law, delivered the 4th annual Finnegan and Harrison Distinguished Lecture of IP at American University's Washington College of Law. This article reporting on Professor Gervais' lecture outlines his overview of the evolution of the World Trade Organization Trade-Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights Agreements (TRIPS). Downtown offices go dark to reduce costs - October 23, 2008 - The Tennessean - Many owners of large buildings have moved toward automatic shutoffs of lights. The other route involves changing the behavior of the people who work there, which can be inexpensive but is not necessarily easy. Michael Vandenbergh, professor of law and member of the Governor's Energy Policy Task Force, is quoted. WTO panel ruling in IPR enforcement case could lead to U.S. appeal - October 15, 2008 - Inside US-China Trade (online) - An interim ruling by a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement panel could result in an appeal by the U.S., as the panel ruled that the U.S. provided insufficient evidence to support their key point that Chinese legal thresholds do not adequately capture commercial-scale piracy. The panel came down against China's enforcement regime on two other points. Intellectual property expert Daniel Gervais, professor of law, is quoted. Available to subscribers only. Female majority on high court puts Tennessee in rare company - October 7, 2008 - The Tennessean - Tennessee has joined the ranks of a small and progressive group: states with a female majority on their highest court, in a profession long dominated by men. James Ely, Underwood Professor of Law and History, is quoted. Trying tyrants - October 2, 2008 - Nashville Scene - A discussion of a book co-authored by Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, Enemy of the State: The Trial and Execution of Saddam Hussein, which chronicles the experiences of Professor Newton and his co-author, Michael P. Scharf, a law professor at Case Western, after they were charged with creating the Iraqi tribunal that would try Saddam Hussein for crimes against the Iraqi people in 2005. Due Processors: Educators Seek a Digital Upgrade for Teaching Law - October 1, 2008 - Chronicle of Higher Education - Legal scholars held a workshop at Seattle University of Law School to discuss the efficiency of casebooks in effectively teaching the practice of law. Edward L. Rubin, dean of the law school, was one of the participants. September 2008Law school profs ponder printed books - September 29, 2008 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer - Law professors from around the country gathered in Seattle on Saturday to put the printed textbook on trial. Edward L. Rubin, dean of Vanderbilt Law School, is quoted. VU profs argue private equity more vigilant in new financial world - September 28, 2008 - Venture Nashville - A discussion of a recent report by Ron Masulis, Frank K. Houston Professor of Finance, and Randall Thomas, John Beasley II Professor of Law and Business, on whether private equity generates wealth. When acquitted doesn’t mean acquitted - September 15, 2008 - ABCnews.com - Judges can use their discretion to add years or decades to a sentence even after the defendant has been acquitted of some charges. Nancy King, Lee S. and Charles A. Speir Professor of Law, is quoted. Lawmakers delay judicial selection review - September 10, 2008 - The Tennessean - State lawmakers have yet to review the Judicial Selection Commission, a body that winnows down candidate lists for appellate judgeships in Tennessee, and sends nominations to the governor for appointment. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is quoted. August 2008Web privacy on the radar in Congress - August 10, 2008 - New York Times - Members of the government admit that they do not have a clear grasp of what companies are able to do with the wealth of data now available to them, so a Congressional committee has been formed to explore the problems of online privacy. Stephen Hetcher, professor of law, is quoted. July 2008Voters likely to approve judges - July 30, 2008 - Knoxville News Sentinel - Will two Tennessee Supreme Court judges and five appeals court judges be retained when voters go to the polls on Aug. 7? Based on the Tennessee voter patterns with past judges, they will likely remain on the bench. Brian Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of law, is referenced. Legal options for trying Khadr in Canada fraught with difficulty: legal experts - July 20, 2008 - Canadian Press - Some legal experts say Omar Khadr, a Canadian citizen detained in Afghanistan at age 15 and held at Guantanamo Bay, would likely never face conviction in Canada, even if there was a way to charge him with an offense under Canadian law. Michael Newton, professor of the practice of law, is quoted. The story has received widespread coverage in the Canadian media. Cosmic Markdown: EPA Says Life Is Worth Less - July 19, 2008 - Washington Post - Someplace else, people might tell you that human life is priceless. In Washington, the federal government has appraised it like a '96 Camaro with bad brakes.Economist W. Kip Viscusi, University Distinguished Professor of Law, Management and Economics, is quoted in this story about the "value of a statistical life" assigned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Courts & the law: Damage controlled - July 14, 2008 - Kenneth Jost/CQ Weekly - A recent Supreme Court decision on punitive damages is explained. - Richard Nagareda, director of the Cecil D. Branstetter Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program, is quoted. (Online only) An American life is worth less today - July 10, 2008 - Associated Press - Economist W. Kip Viscusi, University Distinguished Professor of Law, Management and Economics, is quoted in this story about the "value of a statistical life" assigned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The "value of a statistical life" is now $6.9 million, according to the Environmental Protection Agency — a drop of nearly $1 million from just five years ago. The story ran in many newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. New drive to ban race preferences - July 3, 2008 - Christian Science Monitor - In Arizona, Nebraska, and Colorado, supporters of ballot initiatives that would ban "preferential treatment" based on race are counting up petition signatures to see if there's enough support to bring the issue to voters in November. Carol Swain, professor of law and political science, is quoted. June 2008It's mine, I tell you - June 19, 2008 - The Economist - Research by professor of law and professor of biology Owen Jones and colleague Sarah Brosnan of Georgia State about the "endowment effect " -- a tendency to value things more once you own them than you do when you acquire them -- is discussed in a Science & Technology column that appears with the subhead: "Mankind's inner chimpanzee refuses to let go. This matters to everything from economics to law." Judges: They're Just Like Us - June 2008 - ABA Journal - A study of judicial decision making conducted by Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Chris Guthrie and colleagues Jeffrey Rachlinski and U.S. District Judge Andrew Wistrich of Los Angeles is discussed. The study's results, published in November 2007 in a Cornell Law Review article, "Blinking at the Bench," ignited discussion in the legal blogosphere. A woman apart - June 6, 2008 - Nashville Scene - Carol Swain, professor of law and political science and a conservative commentator on “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” is profiled. May 2008Judicial selection debate expected to heat up - May 29, 2008 - Memphis Daily News - The Judicial Selection Commission wasn’t renewed by the Tennessee Legislature when the legislative session ended last week. But in the next year, the political debate over the commission and its central role in the selection of appellate judges in Tennessee is expected to intensify. Brian Fitzpatrick, professor of law, is quoted. Tennessee says illegal immigrants can marry - May 24, 2008 - The Tennessean - For the first time in a decade, immigration status won't stop couples from obtaining marriage licenses in Davidson County and marrying anywhere in Tennessee. James Blumstein, University Professor of Constitutional Law and Health Law and Policy, is quoted. Yahoo investors could get final say on a search sale - May 23, 2008 - CNet.com (online only) - Yahoo investors who feel their hands are tied while sitting on the sidelines of a potential Microsoft-Yahoo search transaction may find a crack in the door to weigh in on the deal, legal experts say. Randall Thomas, John Beasley II Professor of Law and Business, is quoted. Why Reid? Why now? - May 22, 2008 - WKRN - Criminal law expert Terry Maroney is quoted in a print story about the justification for assessing the mental competence of Paul Dennis Reid, who has been sentenced to death for a string of murders at fast-food restaurants in 1997. He's a Man, as Charged - May 6, 2008 - The Washington Post - Should young people who are accused of a crime receive the full force of laws intended for adults, given accumulating evidence that their brains are not fully matured? The debate over whether, how and when to charge minors as adults has gone on for years, but new insights into how the brain develops may not bring as much clarity as many hope. Nita Farahany, assistant professor of law, is quoted. April 2008Bad math = Mad politics - April 25, 2008 - The Wall Street Journal - The presidential candidates' Electoral College totals this year will depend on campaign strategy, voters' preferences and an enduring debate over mathematical calculations. Paul Edelman, a professor of law and math who has come up with an alternate method for calculating Electoral College votes, is mentioned. Edelman’s work is also discussed in a related WSJ blog post: The Electoral College’s subtle math. Our hidden prejudices on trial - April 25, 2008 edition - The Chronicle of Higher Education - Implicit bias research, which examines how racial bias operates unconsciously, has entered the legal field. Erin O’Hara, professor of law, is quoted. DNA tests offer deeper examination of accused - April 20, 2008 - The Washington Post - DNA is not just being used to identify people, but also to explain their behaviors or susceptibility to certain conditions. Nita Farahany, assistant professor of law, is quoted. Courts & the Law: Stones Left Unturned - April 20, 2008 - Kenneth Jost/CQ Weekly - Richard Nagareda, director of the Cecil D. Branstetter Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program, is quoted in an article that addresses ethical misconduct by plaintiffs' lawyers and their criminal prosecution, including the Milberg Weiss and Scruggs cases. March 2008High-profile trial lawyer agrees to guilty plea - March 21, 2008 - The New York Times - Melvyn I. Weiss on Thursday became the latest prominent--to some, notorious--trial lawyer to agree to plead guilty to federal criminal charges, acknowledging his role in a scheme to make hidden side payments to plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits filed by his firm, Milberg Weiss. Richard Nagareda, director of the Cecil D. Branstetter Litigation & Dispute Resolution Program and professor of law, is quoted. D.C.’s gun ban gets day in court - March 16, 2008 - The Washington Post - The Supreme Court will have an opportunity this week that is almost unique for a modern court when it examines whether the District's handgun ban violates the Second Amendment. Suzanna Sherry, Herman Loewenstein Professor of Law, is quoted. Zeppos' Vanderbilt vision focuses on the long term - March 5, 2008 - The Tennessean - Calling himself a professor first, new Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos wants to increase funding for graduate programs and tackle new health care issues, especially on the business side. VU gives interim chief the job - March 2, 2008 - The Tennessean - Nicholas S. Zeppos, Vanderbilt's provost and interim chancellor, was named to the university's top position on March 1, reflecting the board's desire for a chancellor more directly involved in Vanderbilt's academic endeavors, and one likely to finish his career at the school. Chancellor Zeppos is a member of the law faculty. |
