The Appellate Litigation Clinic recently won its case before the Georgia Supreme Court. In Ricky J. Johnson v. The State, the clinic’s client had been convicted of multiple theft-by-taking counts for stealing trucks and other property from a construction company. The court ultimately vacated a lower court’s order after finding that its merger analysis was flawed. Third-year students Courtney Hogan and Kirstiana Perryman wrote the brief.
Eleven grants totaling $1.5 million were recently awarded to recipients of the third round of UGA Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants. Overall the awards went to faculty from 13 UGA units and target significant challenges at the local, national or global level. Associate Professor Alexander W. Scherr and Associate Dean Jason A. Cade were among the recipients and will work on projects relating to a cognitive aging research and education center and an interdisciplinary school-based health center, respectively.
Summer public interest fellowships provide important hands-on learning opportunities for law students. At the School of Law, financial support for these experiences has been on an upward trajectory since 2017. In fact, over the last five years, there has been a roughly 450% increase in support. This growth continues with the establishment of the Bool Simkins Summer Fellowship for Public Interest Fund. Created by married 2010 graduates Kevin Murphy and Elizabeth (Freeman) Murphy, the fellowship will be the law school’s largest annual public interest fellowship award and will support a top performing student with a full summer public interest/pro bono placement after completing his or her second year of law school.
Due to anticipated inclement weather and as a state of emergency will be in effect for Clarke County, the Alexander Campbell King Law Library will remain closed through Sunday (1/16). Please note this is a complete closure and includes the 24/7 card swipe access. Current plans are for the library to re-open at 1 p.m. on Monday (1/17). At this time, the law school buildings will remain open. Further updates will be sent as they become available.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic successfully settled Oviedo de la Cruz et. al. v. Mayorkas et. al., a lawsuit filed in 2021 against the Department of Homeland Security in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. The lawsuit alleged violations of the Administrative Procedure Act. As a result of the lawsuit, 17 clients received favorable agency determinations resulting in deferred action and employment authorization pending final adjudication when their visa numbers become current. Additionally, three family members currently residing abroad were granted relief through the lawsuit, which will help one of the individual plaintiffs reunite her family.