Posts

Hearsay, Hearsay!

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Hearsay, Hearsay! by Josh Simmons, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2023 On June 28th, the House Judiciary GOP tweeted out “It’s literally all hearsay evidence. What a joke” —in reference to the recent hearings held by the House Select Committee on the January 6th Attack. House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOPD), Twitter (June 28, 2022, 10:19 AM), https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1541833774966636544 . The tweet raises eyebrows among those familiar with the concept of hearsay evidence. For one, House Rules state that “the committee is the sole judge of the pertinence of testimony and evidence adduced at its hearing.” House Rule XI cl. 2(k)(8). Therefore, hearsay and other evidentiary rules found in the Federal Rules of Evidence do not apply to the Committee. See also Co-Equal, Guide to Oversight Procedural Rules in the U.S. House of Representatives, RESOURCES, https://www.co-equal.org/guide-to-oversight#guideIntro (last visited June 29, 2022). It is unclear, then, why the House GOP woul
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Law reView: Dark Waters

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  Law reVIEW is a blog series dedicated to investigating and reviewing both popular and documentary films in the Chastek Library film collection. by  Reanna Hicks, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2023 DARK WATERS (2019) Based on real life events, Dark Waters opens with Robert Bilott making partner at his firm, just in time to get a visit from a couple of men that Bilott’s Grandma has referred to him. Bilott reluctantly looks into their claims, that their cattle are being poisoned, because of the family tie and quickly uncovers that not only are they correct, but they carry much bigger implications. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS, are the chemicals that create the non-stick, stain-resistant, and water-proof products still used in Teflon. These chemicals are found in the blood of 99% of people around the world. These chemicals do not break down in the environment and are linked to cancer and reproductive developmental harms. Dupont dumped PFAS into the local water supply for years. Bilot
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Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month

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Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month  by Christine Nishigaya, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2022 The month of May is dedicated to Asian American and Pacific Islanders. This celebrates the histories of Americans from across the Asian continent as well as the Pacific islands: Hawaiian islands, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. This year's theme is "Advancing Leaders Through Collaboration" which builds on leadership advancement series.   I would like to dedicate this blog post to the late senator of Hawaii, Daniel K. Inoye. Senator Inoye was a Japanese American who was born and raised in Hawaii  During World War II, Inouye served in the U.S. Army’s 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Composed of soldiers of Japanese ancestry, the 442nd became one of the most decorated military units in U.S. history. For his combat heroism, which cost him his right arm, Inouye was awarded the  Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star, and the Purple He
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Second Chance Month – Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

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Everyone Deserves a Second Chance by David Salgado, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2022 Second Chance Month is a nationwide effort to raise awareness of what having a criminal conviction means for people once they are released. An organization called the “Prison Fellowship” founded Second Chance Month to raise awareness, improve perceptions of people with a criminal record, encourage second-chance opportunities, and advocate for policy changes that support people with criminal convictions transition back into society. In the U.S., 1 in 3 American adults has a criminal conviction. 1 in 3! Having a criminal conviction affects these adults in numerous ways. It affects their access to an education, jobs, housing, and other things necessary for a productive life. Even though these individuals might physically be outside of prison walls, they still face numerous challenges once they are released which can render their life outside the walls almost like a second prison. These challenges make it
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month – Your Voice Has Power

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Your Voice Has Power  by David Salgado, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2022 Sexual Assault Awareness Month (“SAAM”) is an annual campaign observed in April which aims to raise awareness about sexual assault and to educate both communities and individuals on how to address and prevent sexual violence. Each year during this month, individuals and organizations take action to highlight the importance of speaking up on this issue and advocating for one another. Through the years that SAAM has been observed, advocates, organizations, and survivors alike have made tremendous pushes for increased action to prevent sexual violence. Through these efforts, we have seen immense changes take place. One of the most prominent changes this advocacy has brought about is the creation and implementation of the Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”). This was the first law that required law enforcement to treat gender violence as a crime rather than a private family matter. VAWA also aimed to increase legal prote
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Women's History Month

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Women's History Month by Reanna Hicks, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2023 Women’s History Month has been celebrated for over 30 years, initially it was an achievement that provided a platform for Women’s contributions to be highlighted, but now if feels like a lazy afterthought. The US government has a lackluster website that hits all the cliché talking points. The problem with scheduled annual celebrations is that they allow individuals a way to pat themselves on the back without making any real change. Businesses create social media post to “celebrate” their employees that are women, people like the post and everyone feels good and goes on with their day. You do not see any businesses posting that they will take measurable steps to pay women at the same rate as their male counterparts. To this day women earn 83 cents to every dollar men earn ( https://www.businessinsider.com/gender-wage-pay-gap-charts-2017-3 ). This idea is not new, over fifteen years ago Morgan Freeman said “I do
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