PATENT APOCALYPSE: WILL OIL STATES RESURRECT THE VICTIMIZED PATENT RIGHTS OF IPR? By: Clint Maynard, Volume 102 Staff Member Where does a patent go to die? Some patent holders might say the Patent Trials and Appeals Board (PTAB). Since the enactment of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act [1] (AIA), patent holders have seen the rise…

“UBER” UNCERTAINTY: WHY COURTS ARE ILL-EQUIPPED TO DETERMINE COMPENSABILITY IN A GIG ECONOMY By: Joshua Greenberg, Volume 102 Staff Member In an increasingly digital world, people are finding new ways to earn a living. Specifically, the “gig economy,” also known as “on-demand employment,” continues to “grow[] at a rapid rate along with the supply of…

A COURT HEARS ALABAMA PRISONERS’ CRY FOR HELP By: J.D. Davis, Volume 102 Staff Member In June of 2017, Judge Myron Thompson issued his second major opinion in a three-part class action lawsuit.[1] This 302-page ruling came out of a massive 2014 lawsuit filed by inmates held by the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC).[2] In…

THE ALGORITHM MADE ME DO IT AND OTHER BAD EXCUSES: UPHOLDING TRADITIONAL LIABILITY PRINCIPLES FOR ALGORITHM-CAUSED HARM By: Rebecca J. Krystosek, Volume 101 Staff Member As the outputs of algorithms increasingly pervade our everyday lives—from wayfinding apps and search engine autofill results to investment advice and self-driving cars—we must also come to terms with who…

ALL (PRIVACY) IS NOT LOST: ATTORNEYS GENERAL AND PRIVACY PROTECTION By: Mitchell Noordyke, Volume 101 Staff Member In March, the House and Senate voted to prevent portions of the FCC Privacy Rule from going into effect.[1] This rule would have required more demanding protocol from broadband internet access service and telecommunications service providers to ensure…

POT, PRINTZ, AND PREEMPTION: WHY STATES CAN “JUST SAY NO” TO JEFF SESSIONS AND THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT By: Franklin R. Guenthner, Volume 101 Staff Member Attorney General Jeff Sessions is not a fan of marijuana. Before assuming his role at the Department of Justice, the former Senator from Alabama remarked in April of 2016…

KEEFE V. ADAMS: OVERREGULATING OFF-CAMPUS SPEECH UNDER PROFESSIONAL CODES OF CONDUCT By: Maximilian Hall, Volume 101 Staff Member The Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit recently held that a student’s off-campus speech, which violated the American Nursing Association Code of Ethics, could be regulated by a nursing program as an academic issue.[1] A subsequent…

Protecting Senior Citizens from Their Mail: The Growing Threat of Direct Mail Solicitation at Senior Living Communities By: Mike Sikora, Volume 101 Staff Member Many of us hear stories of scammers targeting the elderly: fake grandsons trapped in jail, fake nieces stranded at airports, and fake friends offering a chance to make a quick buck.…

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: ELIMINATING CHEVRON DEFERENCE WOULD LIKELY HAVE A MINIMAL IMPACT ON SUPREME COURT JURISPRUDENCE By: Jessica Sharpe, Volume 101 Staff Member Neil Gorsuch’s nomination to the Supreme Court was confirmed by the Senate in recent weeks.[1] Throughout his confirmation hearings, his views on Chevron deference[2] sparked controversy.[3] This Post argues that the…

EDUCATIONAL PRIVILEGES: A PERPSECTIVE ON U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION REGULATIONS BANNING PRE-DISPUTE, MANDATORY ARBITRATION IN UNIVERSITIES By: Kate Kelzenberg, Volume 101 Staff Member During the Senate confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) questioned the nominee on his opinions about arbitration as a form of dispute resolution.[1] Gorsuch conceded that,…