Mississippi College Law Review Announces Publication Awards and New Executive Board
Written By: Elissa Furlong
An Exciting Time
A spring season often brings changes. Indeed, this is an exciting time of transition for the Mississippi College Law Review. As 3L members quickly approach the end of their law school career, a new and enthusiastic executive board has just been finalized. McKenna Cloud will serve as Editor-In-Chief, Stephanie Durr will be Managing Editor, and Sam Sturgis has been elected Chief Executive Editor. Amber Cain will serve as Casenote and Comment Editor. Harli Sesser will serve as Production Editor. Hunter Ransom will serve as Articles Editor. Brianna Caldwell will serve as Technical Articles Editor. Finally, the Executive Editors will include Chandler Sessums, Jaime Weida, Kaelyn Mack, and Nick Toca. The current executive board is ready to pass the torch and confident that the 2021-2022 academic year will be a productive one for the Review. A formal transition meeting will take place later this month.
Publication Awards
In other exciting news, James “Bud” Sheppard recently hosted our annual publication awards event. Melanie Mitchell was awarded “Outstanding Board Member of the Year,” having gone above and beyond as an Executive Editor and our inaugural Blog Chair. Katelyn Pearson, who served as the Bylaws Committee chair, actively contributed to the blog, and assisted the Symposium Committee, was awarded “Outstanding Associate Editor of the Year.” Kristen Jones was also recognized for her indispensable role as Casenote and Comment Editor after spending numerous hours performing her duties and assisting the 2Ls in the writing process.
The following staff members received a publication award and will be published in Volume 40 of the Mississippi College Law Review:
McKenna Cloud, Discrimination and Disparity: Violating Olmstead v. L.C. Discriminates Against the Psychiatrically Vulnerable and Fosters Racial/Ethnic and Socioeconomic Mental Health Disparities. This article received the “Best Comment Award” and discusses the discriminatory impact of Olmstead v. L.C. ex rel Zimring, and how Mississippi must increase access to community-based mental health services. Dean Jonathan Will served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of McKenna’s Comment.
Kord Wilkerson, The Clean Water Act: Wading Back Into Muddy Interpretations. This Casenote received the “Best Casenote Award” and discusses the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund and its impact on environmental law legislation. It explores problems created by this ruling and its rocky future going forward. Professor Donald Campbell served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Kord’s Casenote.
Stephanie Durr, The Intersection of the U.S. Immigration System and Human Trafficking: A Legalized Labor of Injustice. This Comment examines the intersection between human trafficking and the U.S. immigration system, with a specific focus on how traffickers are able to use the current immigration system to continually exploit immigrant workers. Professor Amelia McGowan served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Stephanie’s Comment.
Samuel Sturgis, An Appeal to Heaven- The Timeless Plea for Nollan/Dolan Extension to the Sphere of Legislative Exactions. This Comment discusses the rulings of Nollan v. California Coastal Commission and Dolan v. City of Tigard and argues that they should be applied to legislative to “clarify an area of law long shrouded in mystery and provide solid footing for city governments and property owners alike.” Professor Donald Campbell served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Samuel’s Comment.
Hunter Ransom, Constitutional Standoff: An Example of Practical Difficulty in Mississippi Venue Rules. This Comment discusses a clash between Mississippi’s legislative and judicial branches over the power to make procedural rules. It explores the potential practical difficulty in Mississippi venue rules due to a possible conflict between the state venue statute and the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure. Assistant Dean Deborah Challener served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Hunter’s Comment.
Chandler Sessums, Able but Unwilling to Work: Why the Current State of Workers’ Compensation Law in Mississippi Deters Workers from Returning to Work as Soon as They are Physically Able. This Comment discusses Hudspeth Regional Center v. Mitchell, and how following that ruling, Mississippi workers are discouraged from returning to work as soon as physically able to do so. This is due to the presumption that they have suffered no loss of wage-earning capacity if they return to work before reaching maximum medical improvement. Dean Mary Miller served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Chandler’s Comment.
Audrey Hurt, Fifty Years After the Enactment of Federal Laws Forbidding Discrimination in Pay, the Wage Disparity Based on Sex Continues: Focusing on the Circuit Courts’ Differing Interpretations of “Factors Other Than Sex.” This Comment analyzes the lasting effects in pay disparity since the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, focusing specifically on the differing circuit court interpretations of the “Factor Other Than Sex” defense available to employer defendants. It offers suggestions for consistently interpreting the defense as a means of reducing the disparity and fulfilling the purpose of the Equal Pay Act. Professor Judith Johnson served as the advisor during the drafting and editing process of Audrey’s Comment.
We congratulate all Staff Members selected for publication! Volume 40 of the Mississippi College Law Review should be one of excellent quality, and the graduating Associate Editors look forward to seeing what the journal accomplishes in the years to come.
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