Why a Prenup Isn’t Enough: How to Protect Your Wealth When Moving In Together or Remarrying
If you’re considering moving in with a partner, blending families, or getting remarried, you’ve probably heard the standard advice: Get a prenup. As an attorney, I agree that prenuptial agreements, and cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples, can be extremely valuable. But there’s something I wish more people understood: A prenup is not a magic wand. […]
Lanfranc of Bec: How an 11th Century Norman Monk Established U.S. Common Law and Evidentiary Standards
This is part III (and the final part) of a series I wrote on Lanfranc of Bec, which was originally posted in 2015. I am reposting it today because 1. It’s my birthday, and 2. You have never met a bigger medieval history nerd than Yours Truly. Enjoy! I know you all have been anxious […]
Your Rights during an Auto Stop: You don’t have anything illegal in there, do you?
In my novel Acceptable Misconduct, the main character, Isabel, gets pulled over by a police officer for an unknown infraction. Anxiety-ridden, she tries to figure out how to handle it and what to say. When a police officer pulls you over while you’re driving, you may be too nervous to think about what the officer […]
Eleanor of Aquitaine: The first feminist
This is the third year in a row I’ve published this post on my birthday. On my birthday, few things give me more pleasure than to write about my all-time favorite historical personage, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Those of you who know me well know that I’ve studied Eleanor’s life since I was about 15 years old. She […]
Eleanor of Aquitaine: The first feminist
June 14, 2016 – Alexandria, VA For my 40th birthday post, few things give me more pleasure than to write about my all-time favorite historical personage, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Those of you who know me well know that I’ve studied Eleanor’s life since I was about 15 years old. She was an exceptional woman during a time […]
Moore v. Regents of the University of Southern California: Do We Own Our Cells, and Can We Sell Them?
Alexandria, VA – October 18, 2016 Moore v. Regents of the University of Southern California (51 Cal.3d 120 (July 9, 1990)) was one of the most interesting cases I read in law school. The main issue it raises is whether individuals have property rights over their own cells. First, Moore is a 1990 California case, […]
Eleanor of Aquitaine: The first feminist
June 14, 2016 – Alexandria, VA For my 40th birthday post, few things give me more pleasure than to write about my all-time favorite historical personage, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Those of you who know me well know that I’ve studied Eleanor’s life since I was about 15 years old. She was an exceptional woman during a time […]
Corporations exist to make money. Who knew?
Alexandria, VA – June 9, 2016 Today we’re going to talk about profit. I like profit. Who doesn’t, right? Seriously, money is not an end in itself; it is a means to an end. It brings a certain level of security. Corporations are formed to raise profits for shareholders. The objective of the corporation is […]
Helling v. Carey: Courts establishing medical malpractice standards
January 27, 2016 – Alexandria, VA Let’s switch gears a little and talk about a tort law case, rather than a constitutional law case. And I seem to be picking on eye doctors recently, but I swear that is unintentional! That is just how it turned out. Helling v. Carey is not a Supreme Court […]
Williamson v. Lee Optical (1955): Rational basis scrutiny = No scrutiny
Alexandria, VA – January 11, 2015 In my post on Lochner v. New York and the subsequent cases that overruled it, we talked about how the Supreme Court allowed the legislature to restrict economic rights under the Constitution as long as the restriction was “reasonable.” In this post, we’ll talk more about the so-called rational […]