*Sarah Steinberg I. Introduction On July 20, 2018, the City of Baltimore filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City against twenty-six fossil fuel companies (collectively, the “defendants”).[1] The City contends that these energy companies should pay the costs associated with climate change in Baltimore.[2] The City alleged that the oil companies engagedContinue reading “The Future of Climate Change Liability: A Jurisdictional Battle”
Category Archives: Issues to Watch
The Legality and Ethics of Court-Ordered Defendant Vaccination
*Samantha Laulis I. Introduction As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, concern regarding vaccination rates continues increasing.[1] The Delta variant has raised additional concerns about community spread and underscored the importance of vaccination.[2] As a result, many employers, universities, and private businesses now mandate vaccines for in-person return.[3] However, the vaccine mandates continue to generate considerable debateContinue reading “The Legality and Ethics of Court-Ordered Defendant Vaccination”
Bracing for the Storm: Maryland’s Options for Braving a Wave of Evictions and Foreclosures
*Victoria Skinner I. Introduction In March 2020, COVID-19 became a household name in the United States.[1] Due to the contagious nature of the virus, state governments took unprecedented action, issuing stay-at-home orders and mandating remote learning.[2] The federal government offered relief in the form of stimulus payments, increased unemployment benefits, eviction moratoriums, and foreclosure moratoriumsContinue reading “Bracing for the Storm: Maryland’s Options for Braving a Wave of Evictions and Foreclosures”
Aching Joints: The Shrinking Space Between the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause
*Zachary Babo I. Introduction The First Amendment provides religion unique but potentially contradictory protections.[1] “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”[2] In guaranteeing these bedrock rights, the competing principles of the “Religion Clauses” may conflict.[3] To solve this paradox, the Supreme Court once recognized “there isContinue reading “Aching Joints: The Shrinking Space Between the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause”
The Future of Maryland Law Enforcement’s Cooperation with ICE and its Impact on Domestic Violence Among Undocumented Women
*Felicia Rugh I. Introduction This year, a number of bills were introduced in Maryland’s House and Senate that addressed immigration and how local law enforcement would handle cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.[1] The purpose of these bills is to make Maryland a safer place for the immigrant community and to buildContinue reading “The Future of Maryland Law Enforcement’s Cooperation with ICE and its Impact on Domestic Violence Among Undocumented Women”
University of Baltimore Law Review 