Student Scholarship Series, 2015

April 8, 2015 Presentations

The following students presented their work on Wednesday, April 8, 2015.

Nathaniel Martens will present his Comment, ""The Statutorily Permissible Complete Miscarriage of Justice—The Fourth Circuit's Misapplication of Collateral Review [United States v. Whiteside, 748 F.3d 541 (4th Cir. 2014)]." Mr. Martens will discuss the Fourth Circuit's decision in United States v. Whiteside and its interrelation with the Federal Sentencing and Career Offender Guidelines. The presentation will highlight arguments presented and rejected in Whiteside and the arguments adopted in subsequent history, as well as those adopted in other circuits.

Jordan May will present her Note, "'Are We Corrupt Enough Yet?'" The Ambiguous Quid Pro Quo Requirement in Campaign Finance Restrictions." She will discuss the evolution of the corruption requirement in campaign finance and the current U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of quid pro quo corruption.

Kevin Miller will be presenting his Comment that discussed case United States v. Garcia. Revolving around a Terry stop and frisk, this case presents an interesting question about what the "armed and dangerous" prong of the test requires. The presentation will focus on the potentially dangerous precedent this case sets and the degradation of the original Terry interest balancing test.

March 4, 2015 Presentations

The following students presented their work on Wednesday, March 4, 2015.

Taylor Kramer will present her Note, "Giving Children Conceived Through Assisted Reproductive Technology Rights to their Parents." She will discuss the current issue with the Kansas Assisted Reproductive Technology statutes, which now give children rights to their parents only if they are "husband and wife." Ms. Kramer will argue that the Kansas Assisted Reproductive Technology statutes should be amended to include all children, regardless of the marital status of their parents.

Destiny Bounds will present her Comment, "Embodying Daubert’s Stricter Standards: A Discussion of the Tenth Circuit’s Exclusion of Narco-saint Expert Testimony under Federal Rule of Evidence 702 [United States v. Medina-Copete, 757 F.3d 1092 (10th Cir. 2014)]." She will discuss the Tenth Circuit's decision in United States v. Medina-Copete and its impact on Federal Rule of Evidence 702's expert testimony requirements. Ms. Bounds will highlight why the Tenth Circuit was correct in reversing narco-saint expert testimony in light of U.S. Supreme Court cases such as Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals.

Hannah Norman will present her Comment, "Drawing the Line Between Permissible and Impermissible Religious Involvement in Government Practices: A Discussion of the Supreme Court's Changing Precedent in Regards to the Establishment Clause [Town of Greece v. Galloway, 134 S. Ct. 1811 (2014)]. She will discuss the prayer situation at the Town Board meetings in Greece, New York, the Supreme Court's decision, and the Court's application of the Marsh test to uphold the prayer practice as constitutional. Ms. Norman will argue that Marsh is inapplicable to the prayer situation in Greece and point out the critical differences between the Marsh case and the facts in the Town of Greece case. Finally, she will present the test she believes the Supreme Court should have applied in Town of Greece and its result.