American Journal of Trial Advocacy

Photo Credit: https://decaturish.com/2021/03/photos-voters-protest-senate-bill-202-georgias-new-voter-suppression-law/ (last visited August 19, 2021).

Written By: Lorel Stano

Student Materials Editor, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          On the evening of March 25^th, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 202 into law just an hour after it cleared the General Assembly, with the asserted purpose of “ensur[ing] elections in Georgia are secure, fair, and accessible.” Continue reading “SB 202 or Jim Crow 2.0: How Georgia’s New Voting Law Changes Its Election System and Why It’s Being Challenged as Unconstitutional”

Photo Credit:
https://www.al.com/news/2019/04/lottery-in-alabama-will-it-finally-happen-heres-what-you-need-to-know.html (last visited July 22, 2021). 

Written By: Savannah Nixon 

Managing Editor, American Journal of Trial Advocacy 

            At the beginning of March, Republican Senator Del Marsh proposed a constitutional amendment to allow lottery and casinos in the state of Alabama.^[1]  However, the proposal fell short by only two votes, gaining 19 out of the required 21 to get the proposed constitutional amendment through the Senate. ^[2]  19 senators voted in favor of the bill, while 13, all Republicans, opposed the proposal. ^[3]  The proposal was an attempt to get the issue of gambling in front of Alabama voters for the first time since 1999.^[4]  But the questions remain, why did the legislature reject the amendment, and what does this mean for the state of Alabama? Continue reading “Has the Alabama Senate Missed the Jackpot?”

Photo Credit:

https://tommybeautypro.wordpress.com/2013/01/05/makeup-101-colour-theory-make-up-artistry/ (last visited July 15, 2021).

Written By: Mickala Lewis 

Research and Writing Editor, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          Two class actions against Huda Beauty were recently consolidated in the Central District of California.^[1]  Huda Beauty is a cosmetics company that sells over 140 different products and brings in over 250 million in sales annually.^[2] In 2019, Huda Beauty released Neon Obsession, a line of three different “pressed pigment palettes.”^[3]  Plaintiffs purchased Neon Obsession products from Huda Beauty, believing the products to be eyeshadow palettes.^[4]  However, after applying the products to their eyes, they experienced eye irritation, redness, and itchiness that lasted for several days.^[5]  They also experienced stained the skin around their eyes where they applied the product.^[6]  Upon a closer examination of the packaging, they discovered a disclaimer on the inner page of the back label that read, “not intended for the eye area.” Continue reading “Is Your Eye Makeup “Not Intended for the Eye Area”?”

Photo Credit: 

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/court-appointed-guardian-system-failing-elderly_n_59d3f70be4b06226e3f44d4e (last visited June 24, 2021). 

Written By: Claire Young

Member, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          They say you can tell a lot about a culture by how they treat their dead and dying.  Well, if that is true—I have some bad news for us, America.  That bad news specifically applies to the elderly who are, due to their lack of living relatives or a trustworthy support system, ripe targets for abuse and exploitation.  This article will discuss the current affairs of court-appointed guardianship programs for the elderly and why the system is in need of help.    Continue reading “I’m Not Delusional You Are: A Push for Court-Appointed Guardianship Reform”

Photo Credit: https://www.laingbuissonnews.com/imtj/scientists-warn-against-stem-cell-medical-tourism/ (last visited June 17, 2021)

Written By: John Tully

Articles Editor, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          Stem-cell research has long been a hotly debated and highly regulated area of the medical and science fields.  Legislators have attempted to embrace the potential for great medical and scientific advance while balancing the moral and ethical cost of this research.^[i]  As we look to the future of stem-cell research and its patentability, it is important to first take a look back at its history.

            There are two primary characteristics that highlight the usefulness of stem-cells: “(1) they are able to differentiate into different types of cells, and (2) they are able to self-renew, or multiply into more stem cells.^[ii] Continue reading “IPSCs: An Analysis of Changing Landscape of Stem-Cell Research and the Need for the Legal Field to Catch Up”

Photo Credit: https://seekingalpha.com/article/4371893-gamestop-short-squeeze-part-ii (last visited May 13, 2021).

Written By: Ken Thompson
Member, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          The start to 2021 brought in a new era of trading to Wall Street in the form of “meme stocks.”[1]  Investors—inspired by social media forums like Reddit’s ‘/r/wallstreetbets’—sought to raise the share price of companies like GameStop, Nokia, and AMC by purchasing shares of each in massive numbers. Continue reading “The Rise and Fall of the “Meme Stock”: A Look at the Backlash Following Robinhood’s Decision to Restrict the Trade of Certain Stocks.”

Photo Credit: https://www.wkyufm.org/post/free-speech-debate-swirls-officials-block-social-media (last visited April 7, 2021).

Written By: Robert J. Griggs
Member, American Journal of Trial Advocacy

          The First Amendment, at its core, is used to foster “an uninhibited marketplace of ideas,”^[i] testing the truth of various ideas “in the competition of the marketplace.”^[ii]  Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are important venues for people to express themselves and exercise their First Amendment rights.  The Supreme Court has recognized that the internet and social media sites are important places for people to “speak and listen,” observing that “social media users employ these websites to engage in a wide array of protected First Amendment activity.”^[iii]   Continue reading “Social Media and Its Power to Control Speech”