Author Archives: Samantha Pallini

SDNY Dismisses Challenge to New York’s Zero Emission Credit Nuclear Subsidy Program

Written By Conor Tallet On July 25, 2017, District Judge Valerie Caproni, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, dismissed a challenge to New York’s… Read more »

Is Banning Transgender Individuals from the Military Unconstitutional?

“After consultation with my [g]enerals and military experts, please be advised that the United States Government will not accept or allow [t]ransgender individuals to serve in any capacity in the… Read more »

Common Sense, Close Family, and Bona Fide Relationships: Hawaii Judge Expands Classes Exempt from Travel Ban

Photo via The Guardian Written By Ian Ludd   ABSTRACT Hawaii U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson ruled last Thursday that the government definition of “close family member” with respect to… Read more »

Supreme Court Finds Arkansas Statute Unconstitutional; Holds Both Same-Sex Parents’ Names Should Be On Child’s Birth Certificate

Photo via Arkansas Online Written by Joseph Railey ABSTRACT In a brief per curium opinion, the Supreme Court found Arkansas’ birth certificate statute to be unconstitutional because it treated same-sex… Read more »

Making a Murderer: Seventh Circuit Agrees Dassey’s Confession was Coerced

Photo courtesy of Lex18.com Written by Melanie-Ann DeLancey Brandon Dassey, one of two men convicted of murder and featured in the Netflix docu-series Making a Murderer, made headlines again when… Read more »

Increasing the Scope of Legal Responsibility: Can Words Kill?

Written by: Emily Keable In a rare legal ruling, a Massachusetts judge found Michelle Carter, 20, guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Carter was accused of encouraging her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to… Read more »

Common Sense Prevails: SEC Disgorgement Damages are Deemed a Penalty

Written by: Mike Corelli Facts & Procedural History In 2009, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) commenced an action against Charles Kokesh for violating federal securities laws by misappropriating funds…. Read more »

Mississippi Man First to be Prosecuted and Sentenced Under Federal Hate-Crime Statute

Written by: Brianne Szopinski On Monday, May 15, 2017, Joshua Vallum became the first individual to be prosecuted and sentenced for a federal hate crime after the murder of his… Read more »