53268

Section 1983 Litigation

A leading scholar of Congress and the Constitution analyzes Congress’s surprisingly potent set of tools in the system of checks and balances. Congress is widely supposed to be the least effective branch of the federal government. But as Josh Chafetz shows in this boldly original analysis, Congress in fact has numerous powerful tools at its disposal in its conflicts with the other branches. These tools include the power of the purse, the contempt power, freedom of speech and debate, and more. Drawing extensively on the historical development of Anglo-American legislatures from the seventeenth century to the present, Chafetz concludes that these tools are all means by which Congress and its members battle for public support. When Congress uses them to engage successfully with the public, it increases its power vis-à-vis the other branches; when it does not, it loses power. This groundbreaking take on the separation of powers will be of interest to both legal scholars and political scientists.

This unique book is the first of its kind to address the specific issue of the sexual exploitation of children in a casebook format in a way that provides a measure of consensus and a basis for judicial and legislative responses. The book is suitable for traditional classroom teaching or a seminar setting. With a variety of current and teachable cases, statutes, and commentaries, the authors provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the issues pertaining to the sexual exploitation of children, including the common characteristics of exploiters and their victims; the legal parameters of the interactions between perpetrators and children; and the full nature of commercial exploitation, including child pornography, prostitution, and sex trafficking, and the significance of Internet technology to these issues. The authors provide a strategic perspective of the civil and criminal aspects of the sexual exploitation of children, including mandatory reporting laws; the admissibility of evidence, including expert and child testimony; the application of relevant statutes of limitations; sentencing variables and conditions; and civil commitment and victim restitution reforms. In discussing the Federal and state responses to child sexual exploitation, the authors also address the legal basis for institutional liability, including relevant common law and statutory defenses, insurance coverage, and damages. The authors discuss timely examples of institutional liability, including religious, social, and educational icons, to offer a clear and comprehensive perspective on the need for judicial, legislative, and social reform. This casebook is an ideal resource for a comprehensive but detailed exploration of the practical legal issues involving the sexual exploitation of children. The casebook includes a clear and concise Teacher's Manual, with summaries of all cases and commentaries and notable points of discussion for each case.

Previous edition, 2nd, published in 1994.

The Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides an up-to-date resource for information on legal ethics. Federal, state and local courts in all jurisdictions look to the Rules for guidance in solving lawyer malpractice cases, disciplinary actions, disqualification issues, sanctions questions and much more. In this volume, black-letter Rules of Professional Conduct are followed by numbered Comments that explain each Rule's purpose and provide suggestions for its practical application. The Rules will help you identify proper conduct in a variety of given situations, review those instances where discretionary action is possible, and define the nature of the relationship between you and your clients, colleagues and the courts.