Last year, a Franklin County Municipal Judge presiding over a case between the City of Columbus and Greyhound Bus faced an unusual situation when the Mayor of Columbus contacted her directly on her private cell phone to express his opinion on the case. The Judge promptly disclosed the communication to both parties but kept the caller’s identity secret, only revealing that it was “an elected official.” Eventually, she disclosed the Mayor’s name, recused herself, and a new judge from outside Columbus was assigned. Despite the incident, the Mayor (whose identity was still unknown) easily won reelection. 

The question presented to several ethics-law professors was whether the Judge’s decision – to refuse to disclose the identity of the ex-parte communicator – was in line with the Judicial Code of Conduct. Professor Kalir opined that it was not. Insisting on hiding the identity of the ex-parte communicator runs flatly against the main tenets of Judicial Ethics, which includes impartiality, integrity, and independence of the Judiciary. In particular, such refusal violates Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct 2.9, which prohibits ex-parte communications with Judges.

The Columbus Dispatch article can be found here: https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2024/01/25/scholars-say-judge-mingo-should-have-disclosed-ginther-made-call/72273272007/

Professor Milena Sterio has contributed as a co-author to a White Paper addressing “Seizure of Russian Corporate Assets: Prosecution of Russian Corporations for War Crimes in Ukraine as a Precursor to Seizure of Frozen Corporate Assets in Foreign Jurisdictions.” Other authors include Professor Michael Kelly (Creighton University), Federica d’Alessandra (Oxford University), Dmytro Koval (National University of Kyiv-Mohla Academy and Stanford University), and Lydia Korostelova (Harvard University).

Professor Milena Sterio has been selected to serve as an Observer on behalf of the American Society of International Law at the 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. This session will take place from March 11-22, 2024, at United Nations Headquarters in New York, New York.

Earlier this month, Professor Christa Laser was featured on the Silicon Valley Investor Club podcast, where she covered the lawsuit filed by the New York Times against Microsoft and OpenAI, alleging copyright infringement and business damage due to the use of the newspaper’s content in training AI tools like ChatGPT and Bing Chat.

For the complete podcast, you can listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ea0SLSzSyyA

On Jan. 10, Professor Doron Kalir engaged in an extensive interview with Business Insider, discussing the “absolute immunity” claims presented by Mr. Trump’s lawyers during oral arguments before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

In this interview, Professor Kalir expressed the view that if a student were to present similar arguments, they would likely receive a grade ranging between a “C” and a “D.” Despite the apparent legal setback, Professor Kalir acknowledged that strategically, the lawyers have likely achieved their goal. By steering the case toward the U.S. Supreme Court, they have effectively delayed the commencement of the trial scheduled for March 2024, which was, presumably, their intended objective from the outset.

The interview is available here: A law professor grades the legal argument Trump’s lawyer just made about presidential immunity: C or D

Professor Brandon Stump has authored a contribution titled “Using Prose to Create Legal Pros” in the second volume of Carolina Academic Press’ Beyond the First Year: Integrating Doctrine & Diversity. The table of contents can be accessed at https://cap-press.com/pdf/9781531024505.pdf

The book launch party is scheduled for Thursday, February 15, 2024, where Professor Stump will participate as a panelist. In alignment with discussions held with the editorial team, the celebration is set to feature engaging conversations with professors who have authored submissions in this latest volume. The event will offer a sneak peek into various essays delving into classes across the upper-level curriculum.

On Saturday, December 23, Professor Doron Kalir published an Op-Ed in the Plain Dealer. The piece discussed the recent decision of the Colorado Supreme Court to bar former President Trump from appearing on the state ballot in the upcoming presidential race. Kalir explained that, with the likely reversal by the U.S. Supreme Court at a crucial time for the Election, the Colorado Court just handed Trump the best Christmas present he could wish for.

Professor Mark Sundahl was recently featured in a South Korean news broadcast, offering crucial insights and analysis on the geopolitical ramifications of the DPRK’s reconnaissance satellite launch. Watch the broadcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ukVzlF30A

Professor Laura Hoffman’s recent contribution to the Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics (JLME), published last week, stands as a highly esteemed work within the realm of health law. Focused on addressing the escalating incidence of elder abuse, the article explores the evolving landscape of state interventions in regulating electronic monitoring within institutional settings. The piece not only evaluates the current state of such regulations but also anticipates future developments in response to the anticipated rise in elder abuse cases.

This noteworthy publication is a product of Professor Hoffman’s recognition as an Inaugural Fellow for the 2022-23 Expanding Perspectives Fellowship Program, a prestigious initiative by the American Society of Law, Medicine, and Ethics (ASLME).

The article can be accessed via the following link: Current State of U.S. Regulation of Electronic Monitoring to Combat Elder Abuse and Its Future

Additionally, Professor Hoffman has recently been featured in the Harvard Law Bill of Health for her work on Combatting Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care: Challenges and Opportunities of Electronic Monitoring.

On December 20, 2023, Business Insider conducted interviews with several legal experts, among them Professor Doron Kalir, regarding the groundbreaking decision of the Colorado Supreme Court to bar Donald Trump from the 2024 Presidential Elections ballot. The Court cited Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, asserting that the former President had “engaged in insurrection…against the Constitution of the United States,” rendering him ineligible for the highest office. The article emphasized the anticipated scrutiny and potential overturning of this opinion through Supreme Court review.

The article can be accessed here: Trump’s fate now rests in the hands of the Supreme Court. Here are their 3 options.