Andrew Pyles discusses the Supreme Courtโs recent decision in Olivier v. City of Brandon and argues that the decision will have a disparate effect on municipal governments, their ability to enact local laws, and the number of lawsuits brought against them under 42 U.S.C. ยง 1983.
Punished for Pregnancy: When Medical Neglect in Local Jails Becomes Cruel and Unusual Punishment
In this Article, Mofe Koya examines how systemic medical neglect of pregnant women in state jails raises serious Eighth Amendment concerns. She further explains how inadequate medical care and the absence of federal standards that require a minimum level of prenatal care during incarceration have transformed pregnancy in custody into cruel and unusual and therefore unconstitutional punishment.
Regulating the Climate Crisis: Federal Authority and the Future of Environmental Governance
Jack Frischen examines how climate change escalation could strain existing U.S. environmental law and emergency powers, raising the risk of expanded federal control if meaningful reform is delayed. He argues that strengthening environmental regulation is essential to safeguard democratic governance and prevent crisis-driven overreach.
Residential or Commercial: Legal Ambiguity in Short-Term Rental Regulation
Katie Bunch examines the legal regulation of short-term rental platforms under municipal zoning law, analyzing how traditional land use classifications, varying ordinance language, and differing judicial interpretations influence the treatment of Airbnb and Vrbo properties. She evaluates how clearer statutory definitions and balancing approaches could reduce ambiguity and improve consistency in zoning enforcement.
Elon Musk’s Twitter Acquisition: Securities Fraud Regulation on Social Media
Stella Brocker analyzes a recent class-action lawsuit against Elon Musk, where a jury found that he committed securities fraud during his 2022 Twitter acquisition. She analyzes whether Muskโs actions legally constituted securities fraud and the broader policy implications of this verdict. Ultimately, she argues that the current securities fraud regulations should be modified to allow for actions brought under a lower standard of culpability to hold rich and powerful actors accountable for negligent behavior on social media.
Fueling a Trademark Fight: Buc-ee’s and Mickey’s Gas Station Dispute
Josh Smith explores a recent trademark infringement lawsuit filed by the well-known gas station brand, Buc eeโs, against Mickeyโs, a regional gas station in northeast Ohio. This article examines the application of the Lanham Act to the facts of the case while also considering whether Buc eeโs is asserting a trademark overreach rather than protecting a legally distinctive and enforceable mark.
A Retreat from Equality: How Rodriguez Reshaped the Right to Education
Maggie Traubert explores how San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez reshaped the constitutional landscape of public education by declining to recognize education as a fundamental right and permitting funding disparities based on local property wealth. The article traces the historical commitment to educational equality from early American ideals through Brown v. Board of Education, and argues that Rodriguez marked a retreat from those principles. The result is a system in which educational opportunity remains closely tied to wealth, with enduring consequences for equity and access.
Addressing the Lack of Statutory Remedy for Violations of Ohio Revised Code ยง 2933.82
Joanna Swaiss discusses how Ohioโs biological evidence retention statute lacks a remedy for criminal defendants when governmental entities violate it. She argues that this lack of remedy severely disadvantages wrongfully convicted individuals who stand to benefit from evidence preservation, and she proposes an avenue for post-conviction relief in cases of intentional evidence destruction.
Estรฉe Lauderย v. Walmart: The Rise of E-Commerce and the Issue of Brand Protection
Brookelynn Stone examines the recently filed case Estรฉe Lauder Inc. et al. v. Walmart Inc. et al., which accuses Walmart of trademark infringement and seeks to hold Walmart accountable for non-genuine products sold by third party sellers on its online marketplace. She explores the key issues likely to shape the outcome of the case and what a ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could signal to large e-commerce platforms and its potential impact on the future of third-party sales.
Pure Versus Professional Speech: Limits to Revoking Public Employee Benefits
Nathan Steineker analyzes a public pension fund policy permitting the revocation of a retireeโs benefits based on conduct that may raise concerns under the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
