Loyola faculty members pride themselves on being accessible to the media and part of the public discourse on news of legal significance. Visit Loyola's Summary Judgments faculty blog to read faculty opinions on current legal issues. Highlights of recent media appearances and quotations include:
Witness LA – 10.31.17
STUDY SHOWS “SIGNIFICANT” RACIAL DISPARITIES IN PLEA DEALS
White defendants generally get better plea deals than their black counterparts, and are more likely to avoid incarceration for low-level offenses, according to new research by Carlos Berdejó of Loyola Law School, who analyzed more than 48,000 cases occurring over a period of seven years.
Ars Technica – 10.31.17
RESEARCHERS WARN STATE SYSTEM TO CATCH VOTER FRAUD HAS 99% FALSE POSITIVE RATE
There were 31 incidents between 2000 and 2014 in which there was an allegation of voter fraud, according to an article by Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Mother Jones – 10.31.17
INDIANA SUED OVER ITS AGGRESSIVE NEW VOTER PURGE PROGRAM
“This is about an immediate purge based on list matching,” says Justin Levitt, an election law expert and former Justice Department official in the Obama administration who now teaches at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The statute is clear, he says, that “if you think the person might have moved, you’ve got a procedure for that.”
NBC.com – 10.31.17
WILL THE 25TH AMENDMENT SAVE AMERICA FROM TRUMP? NOT AS WRITTEN (also featured on Euro News)
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson analyzes the 25th amendment and how it can or should be in acted.
As it is currently written, the 25th Amendment's biggest problem isn't partisan overreach. The real question is who or whom the Vice President and the Cabinet should look to and rely upon for a determination of the President’s fitness. Or, in the event that Congress must make a determination about fitness, who or whom they should look to for guidance.
The Loyolan – 10.31.17
NOTHING HAS CHANGED SINCE THE VEGAS SHOOTING by Michael Teasdale
“In 2008, the Supreme Court decided that the 2nd Amendment protected an individual's right to bear arms, against regulation by both state and federal government,” said Justin Levitt, associate dean of research at Loyola Law School. “But the Court didn't decide how far that protection went.”
KABC-TV – 10.30.17
INDITMENTS IN RUSSIA INVESTIGATION
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Sam Pillsbury discusses Paul Manafort and George Papadopoulos’ indictments as part of the Russia investigation.
“This is the beginning…But we have one guilty plea which involves a lot of talks between the Russians and the campaign…And that’s certainly central to the whole collusion question.”
Politico – 10.30.17
WHERE IS BOB MUELLER HEADED NEXT?
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Laurie Levenson is quoted analyzing what’s next for the special counsel’s investigation.
“It is still not clear whether this will ever lead to charges against Trump… The stakes are high for everyone, and the big question is: Who will be next?
KCRW-FM – 10.30.17
WHAT'S NEXT FOR PROSECUTORS IN MANAFORT INDICTMENT?
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson discusses the election-law and related issues raised by the indictments against Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos, who are facing federal charges for their actions during the 2016 election.
TaxProf Blog – 10.30.17
SCHARFF PRESENTS PRICING EXTERNALITIES UNDER STATE LAW TODAY AT LOYOLA-L.A.
Erin Scharff (Arizona State) presents Green Fees: Pricing Externalities Under State Law at Loyola-L.A. today as part of its Tax Policy Colloquium Series hosted by Katie Pratt and Ted Seto.
KNX-1070 AM – 10.30.17
FEDERAL INDICTMENTS IN RUSSIA PROBE
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Laurie Levenson discusses what the indictments against Paul Manafort mean for President Trump. Excerpt: “This is no longer a “witch hunt,” as President Trump said it is. You have a grand jury that is a group of citizens who said there was criminal activity.”
KCAL-TV – 10.30.17
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson speaks on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.
KABC-AM – 10.30.17
FEDERAL CHARGES IN THE MANAFORT INVESTIGATION
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson lays out the charges leveled against Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and George Papadopoulos for activity during the election.
The Atlantic – 10.28.17
HOW REDISTRICTING BECAME A TECHNOLOGICAL ARMS RACE
Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Law School and an expert on redistricting, has kept track of these cases—and has testified in a few. “Since 2010, I’ve counted about 233 total challenges to the validity of state maps,” Levitt told me. “That’s not super dissimilar from 2000 or 1990; litigation is a sure thing. But you are starting to see the courts take an aggressive role towards policing harmful racial gerrymanders.”
Daily Journal – 10.27.2017
SAMFORD UNIVERSITY WINS NATIONAL CIVIL TRIAL COMPETITION
Student trial teams from 16 law schools took part in the 16th annual National Civil Trial Competition Oct. 20 through Oct. 22 at the Santa Monica Courthouse and on the Loyola Law School, Los Angeles campus.
Business Wire – 10.27.17
PANISH SHEA & BOYLE LLP PARTNER RAHUL RAVIPUDI NAMED 2017 TRIAL LAWYER OF THE YEAR
Panish Shea & Boyle LLP partner [and Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Adjunct Professor] Rahul Ravipudi has been named 2017 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles (CAALA).
Equal Justice Initiative – 10.26.17
RESEARCH FINDS EVIDENCE OF RACIAL BIAS IN PLEA DEALS
A new study from Carlos Berdejó of Loyola Law School finds significant racial disparities in plea deals that suggest that prosecutors may be using race as a proxy for criminality.
The Loyolan – 10.26.17
LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL’S PROJECT FOR THE INNOCENT RECEIVES $223,500
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) named Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent (LPI) as the recipient of a quarter-million dollar grant on Sept. 7. LPI was created over six years ago to advocate on behalf of defendants wrongfully convicted of crimes.
TaxProf Blog – 10.26.17
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Katherine Pratt discusses Morrissey v. United States and uncertainty it creates related to tax deductions for fertility treatments. Excerpt: The most confusing aspect of the Morrissey opinion is the court’s use of the term “IVF-related expenses” to refer to an entire series of fertility treatment procedures. The term erroneously conflates many different types of medical fertility procedures, each of which must be analyzed separately under the tax definition of medical care.
KQED – 10.26.17
BIG OIL PULLS DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR
Still, even if legal, the idea that personal relationships may influence statewide policy can be disconcerting, said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School and president of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission. “If we think about what we’re worried about when it comes to any lobbyist, it’s the idea that our lawmakers are making decisions based on what hired guns are asking them to do as opposed to what’s good public policy,” Levinson said.
Pasadena News Now – 10.26.17
CONCERN OVER PASADENA POLICE LICENSE PLATE READERS: UNWARRANTED SURVEILLANCE?
Laurie Levenson, professor of law at Loyola Law School, said that “using license plate scanners does not violate the 4th amendment and they’ve been around for a long time, many departments use them.”
SSRN – 10.25.17
POETIC EXPANSIONS OF INSIDER TRADING LIABILITY
Professors Michael Guttentag and Donna Nagy have each offered arguments suggesting that the entire tipper-tippee framework first laid out by the Supreme Court in Dirks, including the personal benefit test, has been rendered obsolete by subsequent common law and regulatory developments that have fundamentally transformed the U.S. insider trading enforcement regime.
CNN International – 10.25.17
COMPANY LINKED TO TRUMP CAMPAIGN CONTACTED WIKILEAKS
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson discusses breaking news related to the Trump campaign seeking Hillary Clinton’s email records and opposition research done by the DNC related to the dossier.
Journal Sentinel – 10.25.17
BIAS IN PLEA BARGAINS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO MASS INCARCERATION OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS, STUDY FINDS
And when it comes to those deals, white defendants fare far better than African-Americans, according to new research by Carlos Berdejó, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Antelope Valley Times – 10.25.17
LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPOINTS 10 MEMBERS TO PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSION
Supervisor Hilda Solis named Jose Osuna and [Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor] Priscilla Ocen. Osuna is external affairs director for the nonprofit Homeboy Industries, which provides training and support for former gang members and inmates to rejoin and contribute to their communities.
Bloomberg – 10.25.17
STARBUCKS IS IN HOT WATER OVER CALIFORNIA’S TOXIC WARNING LAW
Lauren Willis, a consumer law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, gives the law credit for prodding manufacturers to cut back on harmful substances in many products, including chips, cookies and candy...“These disclosures at the point of sale have created an incentive in the market place to figure out ways to get rid of things like lead in candy,” says Willis. “When shoppers are informed and can make better choices, it will get producers to make safer products.”
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.25.17
LOYOLA’S PROJECT FOR THE INNOCENT RECEIVES FEDERAL GRANT
Loyola Law School’s Project for the Innocent has been awarded a $223,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to advance its work…“We are thrilled and honored that the Department of Justice has made it possible for the LPI to grow so that we can fulfill our mission of helping all individuals who may have been wrongfully convicted,” said Loyola professor Laurie Levenson, the founder of the project.
Slate – 10.24.17
WHEN RACE TIPS THE SCALES IN PLEA BARGAINING
A new study from Carlos Berdejó of Loyola Law School demonstrates for the first time that there are significant racial disparities in the plea deals white and black people receive on misdemeanor charges—with black people facing more severe punishments.
Newsweek – 10.24.17
WHITE PEOPLE GET BETTER PLEA DEALS FROM PROSECUTORS, STUDY SHOWS
Loyola Law School professor Carlos Berdejó discovered white people facing misdemeanor charges were more than 74 percent more likely than black people to have a judge drop, dismiss or shorten their prison sentences…"Prosecutors use race — whether it be consciously or subconsciously — as a proxy for defendants' capacity to commit crimes in the future or to assess the level of threat a person poses to society.”
Newsweek – 10.24.17
WHITE AMERICANS FEEL THEY ARE VICTIMS OF DISCRIMINATION, A NEW POLL SHOWS
A new study from the Carlos Berdejó of Loyola Law School found that black people face more severe punishments on misdemeanor charges than white people, according to Slate.
Take Care – 10.24.17
TAX CONSEQUENCES OF LEGAL DEFENSE FUNDS
Loyola Law School Los Angeles, Professor Ellen Aprill examines the consequences of legal defense funds that President Trump and his associates have established. Excerpt: Over the years, the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) has given some guidance on LDFs for members of the executive branch, particularly with regard to the solicitation and receipt of gifts.
Independent UK – 10.24.17
PROSECUTORS MORE LIKELY TO GIVE WHITE DEFENDANTS BETTER DEALS THAN BLACK DEFENDANTS, RESEARCH CLAIMS
There are “significant” racial disparities at the plea-bargain stage of criminal proceedings, particularly in lower-level cases, according to law professor Carlos Berdejó…Mr Berdejó, of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, analysed tens of thousands of cases from circuit courts in Wisconsin, and discovered that white defendants “were 25 per cent more likely than black defendants to have their most serious initial charge dropped or reduced to a less severe charge”.
The New Political – 10.24.17
WHAT HAPPENED TO MY OHIO VOTER’S REGISTRATION?
Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School who worked in the Obama administration on this issue said the brief suggested that Ohio “can purge people who have ostensibly moved without any evidence that they have actually moved.”
KCRW-FM – 10.23.17
DOES THE SUPREME COURT NEED FACT CHECKERS?
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson joins Press Play to discuss cases where the Supreme Court relied on faulty research and a lawsuit alleging President Trump violated the Emoluments Clause.
TaxProf Blog – 10.23.17
TODER PRESENTS HOW DO WE TAX THE INCOME OF ENTREPRENEURS? TODAY AT LOYOLA-L.A.
Eric Toder (Tax Policy Center) presents How Do We Tax the Income of Entrepreneurs? at Loyola-L.A. today as part of its Tax Policy Colloquium Series hosted by Katie Pratt and Ted Seto.
Governing – 10.23.17
MEMBER OF TRUMP'S VOTER COMMISSION DEMANDS MORE TRANSPARENCY
Nationally, numerous voter fraud investigations have concluded the problem is vanishingly small, with one study by Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Justin Levitt finding just 31 credible allegations of identity fraud in all primary, general, special and municipal elections between 2000 and 2014, despite over a billion votes being cast.
San Francisco Chronicle – 10.22.17
4 DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR TO MAKE EARLY APPEARANCE ON SAME STAGE
Tuesday’s forum is early in the campaign for the candidates, too, which is likely to make them wary of making any ground-breaking pronouncements, said Jessica Levinson, a law professor and political commentator at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles…“This is the rehearsal dinner for the candidates, not the wedding,” she said.
San Francisco Chronicle – 10.22.17
IMMIGRATION UPROAR LOOMS OVER TRIAL IN KATE STEINLE’S DEATH
“We are all human, and it’s nearly impossible to come in with a clean slate,” said Laurie Levenson, a criminal law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and a former federal prosecutor. “And you have to think about whether you really want jurors who don’t have knowledge or opinions. ... The best that the law hopes for is that people will decide this case just on its facts and not on their prejudices.”
The Association of American Law Schools – 10.20.17
LEGAL EDUCATION IN THE NEWS - WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 20, 2017
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles initiatives are mentioned in a weekly digest:
Loyola Law Los Angeles's Project for the Innocent secures DOJ grant to grow team
Loyola Law Los Angeles hosts event on the First Amendment and disparaging trademarks featuring Supreme Court plaintiff
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.20.17
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE STOPS BY LOYOLA LAW
California Supreme Court associate justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar fielded an hour’s worth of lunchtime questions on Tuesday with Loyola Law School, Los Angeles dean Michael Waterstone during a standing-room-only event at the school’s downtown Robinson Courtroom.
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.20.17
EXAMINING KAEPERNICK’S PLAYBOOK
Loyola Law School Professor Emeritus Daniel Lazaroff said if Kaepernick has clear and convincing evidence of that fact, he should have a pretty straightforward path to victory… “He can’t just show that a bunch of clubs refused to sign him. He has to show that they did so pursuant to some sort of agreement,” Lazaroff said
Huffington Post – 10.19.17
GOP TAX PLAN: WHERE IS THE LOVE?
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Katherine Pratt writes an op-ed analyzing what the GOP tax plan is lacking. Excerpt: Perhaps naming our tax reform act the AGAPE Act – short for the American Growth, Ability, Participation and Equality Act of 2017 – could remind politicians in Washington that innovative reform of federal law, including tax law, can inspire and promote our shared values.
WGBH-FM – 10.19.17
THE POLITICAL LINES THAT DIVIDE US
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Justin Levitt joins Innovation Hub to discuss how gerrymandering shapes American politics.
People – 10.19.17
LAS VEGAS MASS SHOOTING SURVIVORS SUE HOTEL AND CONCERT ORGANIZERS, CLAIMING NEGLIGENCE
“I don’t have the facts, but I can say if they [the concert attendees] were unable to find an exit to escape that suggests a problem and it is going to hinge on what the evidence shows,” says John Nockleby, a Loyola Law School professor.
OC Weekly – 10.19.17
PANELISTS RAIL AGAINST PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT, WRONGFUL CONVICTIONS DURING UCI FORUM
Laurie Levenson of the Loyola Law Project for the Innocent and UCI Criminal Justice Clinic professor Katie Tinto built on the stories of exoneration to point out larger systemic problems during the panel. "We've had four exonerations just this year," Levenson noted to applause.
The Washington Post – 10.18.17
HE SAID IT WOULD BE 'AWESOME' TO HELP A FRIEND KILL HERSELF. NOW HE'LL BE TRIED FOR MURDER
Laurie Levenson, a criminal law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, told The Post that the conviction sent a strong message that “there are new means of committing old crimes,” and prosecutors will be more likely to look at these types of cases.
WGBH-FM – 10.18.17
CREATING THE POLITICAL LINES THAT DIVIDE US
According to Justin Levitt, a law professor and Associate Dean for Research at Loyola Law School, this immature behavior comes in full force when it comes to drawing boundaries for voting districts.
The Hollywood Reporter – 10.18.17
HARVEY WEINSTEIN COULD STILL BE PROSECUTED FOR RAPE IN UTAH (also featured on Bravo and MSN Canada)
Utah authorities “have the opening to [prosecute] and can't hide behind the statute of limitations,” said Loyola Law School criminal law professor and former prosecutor Laurie Levenson.
Press Herald – 10.18.17
MAINE’S SECRETARY OF STATE DEMANDS DOCUMENTS FROM TRUMP’S VOTER FRAUD COMMISSION
Nationally, numerous voter fraud investigations have concluded the problem is vanishingly small, with one study by Loyola Law School, Los Angeles professor Justin Levitt finding just 31 credible allegations of identity fraud in all primary, general, special and municipal elections between 2000 and 2014, despite over a billion votes being cast.
Bay Area News Group – 10.17.17
DUELING SUPER PACS LAUNCH IN FEINSTEIN-DE LEÓN SENATE RACE
“These aren’t mom-and-pop Super PACs, these are set up by professionals,” said Jennifer Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School. Increasingly, she said, groups like these operate as “shadow campaigns” that amplify candidates’ messages with only a “thin veneer” of independence.
Tax Prof Blog – 10.16.17
BURMAN PRESENTS A TAX CREDIT TO MAKE WORK REALLY PAY TODAY AT LOYOLA-L.A
Leonard Burman (Tax Policy Center) presents A Tax Credit to Make Work Really Pay at Loyola-L.A. today as part of its Tax Policy Colloquium Series hosted by Katie Pratt and Ted Seto.
KCRW-FM – 10.16.17
WHY NEO-NAZI ARE BEING SUED FOR ORGANIZING THE CHARLOTTESVILLE RALLY
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson discusses organizers of the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville being sued and Kevin de León challenging Dianne Feinstein for her seat.
Wall Street Journal – 10.15.17
DIANNE FEINSTEIN FACES CHALLENGE FROM WITHIN PARTY
Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said she expects Mr. de León would position himself as “the true anti-Trump candidate” but said he faces a tough, uphill climb against an 84-year-old senator with decades of political experience on her résumé…“Most people in California can’t remember a time when Dianne Feinstein wasn’t an elected official,” Ms. Levinson said.
KNBC-TV – 10.15.17
HARVEY WEINSTEIN AND POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson discusses the allegations against Harvey Weinstein and the possibility of a congressional probe or other political fallout.
The Nation – 10.15.17
HARVEY WEINSTEIN’S GREATEST ENABLER WAS HOLLYWOOD ITSELF
“I expect a flood of lawsuits to be headed his way if they are timely and he hasn’t already bought off the victims,” Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times.
CrimProfBlog – 10.14.17
TOP-TEN RECENT SSRN DOWNLOADS IN CRIMINAL PROCEDURE EJOURNAL
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles’ Professor Carlos Berdejó’s article Criminalizing Race: Racial Disparities in Plea Bargaining makes the top 10 SSRN downloads.
World Journal – 10.14.17
CHINA WANTS TO IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT "FROM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PATENT"
第六屆中美知識產權峰會（U.S. - China Intellectual Property Summit）13日在洛杉磯Loyola法學院舉行，來自中美兩國的學術界、企業人士參加。上海交通大學法學院主任劉永沛發表，主題為氣候變化及科技專利轉變，闡明中國環境污染改善，還要靠科技專利的發展。
Law360 – 10.13.17
ALICE WORRIES TURN TO ADMIRATION FOR FED. CIRC. JUDGE
Judge Chen made the remarks as the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual U.S.-China Intellectual Property Summit held at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. The event, co-hosted by Renmin University of China and Berkeley Center for Law and Technology of the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, was devoted to novel IP developments in both countries.
NBC News – 10.13.17
FIGHT OVER GERRYMANDERING IS YEAR'S MOST IMPORTANT COURT CASE
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson explains the importance of the Supreme Court’s ruling on partisan gerrymandering.
When lawmakers engage in partisan gerrymandering they essentially pick who representatives will be before anyone ever sets foot in a ballot box. This is deeply and imminently important because, in the endless election cycles that dominate American politics, the 2018 midterms are just around the corner.
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.13.17
ROCKERS JOIN LOYOLA LAW PROFESSORS FOR FIRST AMENDMENT PANEL
Following a notable U.S. Supreme Court victory over a challenge to his band’s trademark application, named plaintiff and bassist Simon Tam joined Loyola Law School, Los Angeles professors earlier this month for a panel discussion entitled, “The Slants Case from the Inside: The First Amendment & Disparaging Trademarks.
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.13.17
NY, UK POLICE CONFIRM WEINSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS
Stanley Goldman, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said that in general, prosecutors need to tread lightly when pressing charges for sexual assault. It’s not uncommon for victims of sexual assault or domestic violence to be hesitant to cooperate with authorities, Goldman said, though he noted that the mounting public scrutiny against Weinstein in this instance might embolden his accusers.
KPCC-FM – 10.12.17
ORANGE COUNTY PROSECUTOR SUSPENDED
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Stanley Goldman discusses the State Bar recommending a suspension for a prosecutor who withheld evidence. Excerpt:
“The last thing we need in the criminal justice system is prosecutors, let’s say intentionally, deny a defendant evidence that could prove they are not guilty."
Daily Breeze – 10.12.17
POLICE AGENCIES MUST TAKE DRONE CONCERNS SERIOUSLY
Last month, the Civilian Oversight Commission voted to call on the sheriff to stop using drones. “The community has told us they’re already feeling over-policed and over-surveilled,” said Commissioner Priscilla Ocen, a Loyola Law School professor.
Epoch Times – 10.12.17
"EMPIRE" OVERNIGHT BOMBARDMENT OF WEINSTEIN OR FACE TIDE LITIGATION
洛约拉法律学校（Loyola Law School）的教授李维森（Laurie Levenson）估计，韦恩斯坦可能会面临大量起诉，只要是没过追溯期也没有与他达成和解的。
Los Angeles Times – 10.11.17
THE LEGAL FALLOUT FROM THE MUSHROOMING WEINSTEIN SEX SCANDAL COULD BE BIG
“I expect a flood of lawsuits to be headed his way if they are timely and he hasn't already bought off the victims,” said Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School.
The Loyolan – 10.11.17
“According to the [Supreme] Court, [the Second Amendment] clearly includes the right to have a handgun in the home for self-defense purposes,” said Justin Levitt, Associate Dean of Research at Loyola Law School. “But the Court also said that the Constitution doesn’t protect against some regulation by the government.”
Variety – 10.10.17
MANHATTAN D.A. URGES MORE HARVEY WEINSTEIN VICTIMS TO COME FORWARD
Any confidential settlements with victims would not prevent prosecutors from bringing a charge, but it could make it difficult to win a conviction, says Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. A jury might be less likely to accept the word of someone who took a payment, she says.
LMU Magazine – 10.11.17
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Justin Levitt is interviewed on partisan gerrymandering and the Supreme Court arguments over Gill v. Whitford, in which a Wisconsin district court found that the drawing of the state’s state legislative districts violated the Constitution.
KCRW-FM – 10.10.17
DOZENS OF WOMEN ACCUSE HARVEY WEINSTEIN OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
Loyola Law School, Professor Laurie Levenson discusses the possibility of Harvey Weinstein being prosecuted.
Patch – 10.10.17
BIG OIL PULLS DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS THROUGH THE REVOLVING DOOR
Still, even if legal, the idea that personal relationships may influence statewide policy can be disconcerting, said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School and president of the Los Angeles Ethics Commission...“If we think about what we’re worried about when it comes to any lobbyist, it’s the idea that our lawmakers are making decisions based on what hired guns are asking them to do as opposed to what’s good public policy,” Levinson said.
TaxProf Blog – 10.09.17
LISCOW PRESENTS IS EFFICIENCY BIASED? TODAY AT LOYOLA-L.A.
Zachary Liscow (Yale) presents Is Efficiency Biased? at Loyola-L.A. today as part of its Tax Policy Colloquium Series hosted by Katie Pratt and Ted Seto.
KCRW-FM – 10.09.17
TRUMP TAKES AIM AT MAJOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION RULE
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson discusses the Trump administration’s roll back of the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and push the energy industry toward cleaner sources.
KQED-FM – 10.09.17
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION: ‘I’M ALL IN!’
Still, Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said it seems likely that Feinstein will face some sort of challenge from the left...“I don’t know if that will be somebody who can unseat her,” Levinson said. “She’s been a fixture of California politics for as long as most people who are voting can remember — she has great fundraising prowess, she has a great established network of support and she happens to be an incumbent, which we all know is a great advantage if you’re running to be a senator.”
Los Angeles Daily Journal – 10.06.17
GERRYMANDERING AND ‘GOBBLEDYGOOK’
Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt unpacks this week's SCOTUS arguments on political gerrymandering, and UC Davis School of Law Dean Kevin Johnson offers insights on the case considering constitutional rights of detained non-citizens
ProPublica – 10.05.17
WHO’S REALLY IN CHARGE OF THE VOTING FRAUD COMMISSION? (also featured on Salon)
That stance puzzled Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola University School of Law and former Department of Justice civil rights official. “At the time, they were private individuals, not members of the commission,” he said. “This is not how you run a legitimate commission that is attempting to, through a neutral process, get information to inform deliberations.”
Politifact – 10.05.17
BERGER SAYS NC HAS THE "STRICTEST ANTI-GERRYMANDERING" STANDARDS IN AMERICA
In most of the states where legislatures draw the maps, the governor is involved in the map-drawing process and may have veto power, according to Justin Levitt, a redistricting expert at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.
Governing – 10.05.17
THINK AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION JUST BENEFITS DEMOCRATS? NOT NECESSARILY.
Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and the former deputy assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice under President Barack Obama, agrees that it’s too simple to say that only one party would inevitably benefit from AVR. “Not all minorities are Democrats,” he says. “Not all Anglos are Republicans. Not all of either group would register even in an automatic registration structure. So there's no way to know whether more of one group would register than the other.”
Los Angeles Daily Journal - 10.03.17
AS LIKELY DECIDING VOTE, GORSUCH QUESTIONS GOVERNMENT LAWYER IN DEPORTATION CASE by Chase DiFeliciantonio certain conduct in decision making, Congress shouldn’t be charged with enumerating certain crimes that would be falling into the [crime of violence] category as opposed to leaving it to an immigration judge or other entities to hypothesize what it means,” said Emily Robinson, the co-director of the Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.
Radiolab – 10.02.17
WHO’S GERRY AND WHY IS HE SO BAD AT DRAWING LINES
“This is the first time in more than a decade that it’s going to take up the question of drawing the lines for partisan gains,” and this is Justin Levitt, he teaches law at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. “It’s going to do that right on the eve of everybody redrawing the lines everywhere. Local districts, state districts, Congressional districts. After the census in 2020, all sorts of different bodies will redraw all sort sorts of lines. And this case will help decide how and where.”
KCAL – 10.02.17
REPORTER AMBUSHES OJ AFTER RELEASE FROM PRISON AND HE WASN’T HAPPY ABOUT IT
Legal expert Laurie Levenson had this advice for Simpson...“I think the best thing O.J. can do for O.J. is to lay low,” she said. “He should stay with his family, stay with his friends, don’t get caught up in the media. Don’t go back to being the old O.J.”.
PrawfsBlawg – 10.02.17
SELECTION BIAS: THE CHARACTER OF POLICING ON THE STREET
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Eric Miller questions police practice on the street. Excerpt: The central question raised by the plaintiff's challenge was: what is police activity? If police activity is the sort of crime-fighting associated with the use coercive control on the streets—what Egon Bittner called “the distribution of situationally justified force in society”—then it turns out that very little of what the police do is actually crime-fighting.
McClatchy DC – 10.02.17
SUPREME COURT CASE ON GERRYMANDERING COULD WEAKEN GOP ADVANTAGE
In a 2004 case, Vieth v. Jubelirer, the Supreme Court said excessive partisanship in redistricting is unlawful, said Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles… “Four justices said “we can’t ever tell, so it’s not our job to say,’” Levitt said. “Another four said ‘of course, we can tell, and here's how.’ And Justice (Anthony) Kennedy, playing the center Hollywood Square, said ‘I think it’s our job, but I haven’t heard a standard (to measure unfair partisanship) that I like yet. Feed me something.’”
TaxProf Blog – 10.02.17
KLEINBARD PRESENTS THE RIGHT TAX AT THE RIGHT TIME TODAY AT LOYOLA-L.A.
Edward Kleinbard (USC) presents The Right Tax at the Right Time, 20 Fla. Tax Rev. ___ (2017), at Loyola-L.A. today as part of its Tax Policy Colloquium Series hosted by Ellen Aprill and Katherine Pratt.
Courthouse News – 10.02.17
HIGH COURT GEARS UP FOR PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING CASE
“There have been cases since,” Loyola Law School professor Justin Levitt said in an interview of the 2004 case, “but that was the last time that the court as a whole really confronted the issue.”
KCRW – 10.02.17
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NEW SUPREME COURT TERM
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Professor Jessica Levinson joins Madeline Brand to discuss the Supreme Court’s current term which will cover cases involving political gerrymandering, religious freedom versus gay rights, state-required union fees, cell phone privacy, and the purging of voter rolls.
Milwaukee Magazine– 10.02.17
THE LONG-LASTING EFFECTS OF REDISTRICTING IN WISCONSIN
“This is the first trial court that actually found unconstitutional gerrymandering of the lines in 30 years,” says Justin Levitt, an associate dean for research at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, who is submitting a brief that favors the plaintiffs. “The case is super important, not just for Wisconsin. Whatever rules the Supreme Court sets, everyone is going to have to follow.”
U.S. News & World Report – 10.02.17
WEIGH THE PROS, CONS OF PART-TIME LAW SCHOOL
For example, a commencement speaker and graduate of Loyola Law School Los Angeles' part-time program this past year was a new mom when she started her law studies.
The Mercury News – 10.01.17
CALIFORNIA BILL TAKES AIM AT DARK MONEY IN POLITICS — WILL JERRY BROWN SIGN IT?
And then there is the reality that people, lawmakers included, don’t like to regulate themselves, said Jessica Levinson, an election law, ethics and campaign finance expert at Loyola Law School...“People who win under the current system tend not to want to alter that system and put more limitation on themselves,” she said.