The School of Law recently honored several employees for their years of service to the institution. Additionally, four individuals who are retiring were recognized.
The First Amendment Clinic has settled its case involving online censorship by a public official. In Bohanan v. Robinson, a county commissioner blocked a county resident's access to his interactive Facebook page that he used to communicate with the public about his official activities after she criticized his response to constituent concerns. The settlement includes significant protections from online censorship for the county resident and other members of the public, as well as damages, including attorneys' fees. Third-year student Anish Patel and second-year students Mark L. Bailey and Davis M. Wright as well as First Amendment Clinic Legal Fellow Samantha Hamilton helped litigate the case, under the supervision of clinic Director Clare R. Norins.
The Community Health Law Partnership Clinic and the First Amendment Clinic joined forces to assist women who allegedly endured abusive gynecological and other medical treatments, as well as inhumane conditions and retaliation, while in the custody of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Georgia. Third-year student Anish Patel helped with the preparation of a motion addressing immigration and free speech issues that the U.S. District Court for Middle District of Georgia granted in its entirety. Specifically, the motion allows the women to submit their statements to the court under seal and using Jane Doe pseudonyms in order to protect the women against further retaliation for speaking out. The clinics also co-represent one of the detained women individually and are pursuing remedies for her release in multiple state and federal forums.
Appellate Litigation Clinic participant and third-year Sarah A. Nelson argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case Naranjo Garcia v. Barr. The argument involved issues of asylum, withholding of removal and relief under the Convention Against Torture. Recent graduates Jonathan Kaufman (J.D.'20) and Joe Scarborough (J.D.'20) helped write the briefs, while third-year student Madison "Maddie" Conkel assisted with oral argument preparations.
The University of Georgia School of Law recently swept the Region 5 round of the National Moot Court Competition. Third-year students Tyler D. Fabbri, Mollie M. Fiero and Devin Mashman won the regional title and the Best Brief Award, and Fiero was named the Best Oralist of the final round. This trio will represent UGA in February 2021 at the national tier of the tournament, where they will defend the 2020 National Moot Court Competition title the School of Law captured earlier this year.