The thesis will conclude by identifying issues that courts and legislatures will have to address in the coming years to adequately deliver justice in a dynamic society that is prone to powerful technological change.; Though the Internet and social media are fairly recent developments, the legal principles and issues embodied in them are well-represented in the Constitution. Take, for example, the freedom of expression enumerated in the First Amendment. Though traditionally in print, pamphlets, and film, recent developments in technology such as Facebook and blogs have become the new standard forms of communication. Like the physical mediums that arose before them, issues arise of what limits, if any, should be placed on the speech. Given the guise of anonymity, people on the Internet have less accountability in the comments they make, which has led to things ranging from passionate political speech to what is known as cyber-bullying, which is online harassment that has led people to suicide. This thesis, however, will primarily focus on the Fourth Amendment's reasonable expectation of privacy. Because the information involved with the Internet and social media is digital, it is more difficult to identify when privacy has been breached. With a paper envelope, for example, one can tell if the seal was broken and the contents were potentially disclosed to an unwanted party. Electronically, however, no such seal exists to notify the sender or recipient of a communication. Furthermore, the Government has found itself under stricter scrutiny for searches with these new developments in technology; the lack of physical intrusion poses difficult questions for courts that must decide how far a reasonable expectation of privacy goes in the social media age. The thesis will also address how private companies obtain and use individuals' information through the services they provide and the issues that arise from them. Private companies have fewer restrictions than the Government, and both perspectives are important to keep in mind when trying to understand the policy implications rapid technological growth has brought about.

As newer technological advancements are developed and introduced, a question regarding their adoption into society has become known. If such advancements in technology mutually benefit the people using them as well as the environment we live in, should there not be provisions in place to incentivize the creation and purchase of these technological advancements. Electric vehicles are an advancement of technology that is currently available for widespread adoption in the transportation sector of our country. However, questions as to why EVs should be adopted will be asked by critics. That is the question this thesis attempts to answer. Our global environment, specifically in our country is constantly dealing with environmental damage that pollutes our atmosphere and exposes us to natural disasters that lead to loss of life. The pollution that arising from the tailpipes of a vehicle that runs on fuel that is non-renewable is one of the largest contributors to this travesty. Electric vehicles attempt to dissolve this issue while still keeping modes of transportation as is. When such attributes are available to use, when and how we use them depends upon the law. This thesis determines the drawbacks of traditional, fuel-burning vehicles, suggests how electric vehicles can make the environment a safer place, and most importantly, whether there are any incentives on the state level promoting the use of electric vehicles, as well as an in-depth study of any such incentives at the federal level and why there needs to be more. By comparing electric vehicles with traditional vehicles, as well as the infrastructure that is required to both fuel and build these vehicles, this thesis will clearly outline the benefits of electric vehicles and why it is dangerous to continue the use of fuel-burning vehicles. Thereafter this work will compare incentives from numerous states that are already in place and compare the progress on the state level to the federal level and why it is important that more federal incentives come into play.

Article II of the United States Constitution reads, "The President, Vice President, and all civil Officers of the United States; shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of; treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors." The purpose of impeachment in the United States is to deal with public officials who have abused the power of their office in one form or another. Impeachment is reserved only for government officials because it is of a different nature than ordinary criminal law. Often, impeachment proceedings arise even without evidence of any criminal offense. However, it needs to be determined if the official is guilty of an impeachable offense. This thesis examines the role of impeachment in our government and looks at the considerations used in determining if an impeachable offense has been committed.

Globalization is the promise of the future, and it presents, quite literally, a world of opportunities not available in the past. International collaborations in science, research, and business now enjoy increased probabilities of success, in part, because of the advance in technology and the possibility of instantaneous communications. The convenience, simplicity and affordability of technology are helping to make the world accessible to almost everyone. With new availability of international concerns and the growth of global partnerships in all areas of interest, an increased need arises for agreements that memorialize collaborators' commitments, responsibilities and obligations. There is a corresponding concern that the agreements be enforceable across national and international lines should anything go wrong. There is no collaboration, partnership or venture that will not be touched in some way by the law. Whose law governs and how rules and regulations of different nations will be applied are of escalating concern. Empirically examining the state of international contract law is the overarching focus of my research. Adopting a research methodology involving both quantitative and qualitative techniques, I am investigating whether any consistency exists between attorneys of different practice sectors (academic, government, corporate and private) considering choice of law, enforcement of contract provisions, and the inclusion of preventative measures of international contracts. My results contribute to the future success of international collaborations of all concerns by empirically identifying the need for increased education on various dispute resolution options, as well as the effect cultural awareness has on the drafting of international contracts.

No description available.

Government propaganda has been a topic of interest since America was founded, and today is no exception. Every recent Presidential Administration has been accused of using taxpayer dollars to fund propaganda. Although the funding of propaganda has been prohibited by the Consolidated Appropriations Act since 1951, it still occurs frequently. There is no entity that reviews government correspondence before it is released to the public, so government agencies are free to produce what they feel is appropriate even if it is prohibited by the Act. Furthermore, there is no law that specifically forbids government propaganda, and the current punishments amount to a slap on the wrist making the production covert propaganda worth the risk. This thesis will also look at the Smith-Mundt Act and the media that it funds for foreign audiences. The material produced through this Act is banned from being disseminated in the U.S. The Smith-Mundt Act's ban does not take into account for the technological advances that have occurred since 1948 making the ban problematic for public diplomacy. The intent of this thesis is to evaluate the current state of government propaganda and determine what changes need to occur in order to curtail or eliminate government propaganda. This research will analyze the current laws and types of propaganda that are being used while taking into account the relevant history, frequently used types, and methods of propaganda.

Controversy surrounds the use of Genetically Modified organisms (GMOs): whether the process of developing GMOs should be allowed, and if so, how they should be labeled. Efforts by activist groups have caused food associated with GMOs to carry a stigma, but farmers across the nation are fighting to continue to grow GMO crops and maximize their yield. In the 1970’s, GMOs were credited for assisting in the attempt to defeat world hunger and had a positive image. However, there has been a recent trend toward political and consumer resistance of food items that contains GMOs. A prediction of an abrupt population increase, combined with sudden climate changes, present further complications for world hunger, and make GMOs even more essential in today’s society. Additionally, farmers must now consider certain potential legal liabilities when buying seed, planting crops, and marketing their crops. This thesis will examine United States federal and state law to review how courts have ruled on tort claims in order to determine the potential and future liabilities that farmers producing GMO crops might face. This thesis will also examine the regulations by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the federal laws they must comply with to determine if they need to be increased or if they are sufficient. Scientific studies will be used to assess the health risks associated with the consumption of GMOs and the impact they have on the environment. This thesis will also examine the First Amendment to determine how GMO foods should be labeled, so as to not interfere with consumers’ right to know if their food was genetically modified. Also, it will look at the impact labeling may have on the price of food in the United States, if mandated. Lastly, in order to understand the role that GMOs might play in the future with an increasing population, this thesis will review the work of Dr. Borlaug and how the implementation of GMOs assisted in alleviating a hunger crises in the 1970’s when the supply of food could not meet the demand.

When a defendant is arrested, they can choose to either hire a private attorney to represent them, have appointed counsel such as a public defender, or have no representation. While the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel regardless of a defendant’s ability to pay, this counsel is not always required at first appearance. In fact, only 14 states have made it a requirement to have counsel at first appearance, and even in those states, counsel is not always appointed immediately. However, at first appearance, the judge determines whether to release the defendant pending trial, and if the defendant is released, whether to release them on their own recognizance or have them post bail. Accordingly, at first appearance someone’s freedom could be revoked without representation of counsel. Furthermore, even if a defendant is offered bail that doesn’t mean they can always post it. In fact, defendants remain detained for bail amounts as low as $100. Previous studies have explored the impact of being detained pending trial on case outcome and sentencing. The present study uses misdemeanor crimes in Orange County, Florida from 2018 to explore whether the type of representation (private attorney, public defender, or no representation) a defendant had at their first appearance impacted their initial release decisions. Furthermore, this study analyzes whether the type of representation impacted case dismissals, whether the defendant received a jail or fine sentence, and the sentence length and fine amount. Using multiple linear regressions and linear probability models, this study found that type of counsel did not impact release decisions, bail amounts, and fine amounts. However, there were significant differences for case dismissals – on average, having a private attorney was associated with a greater likelihood of having the case dismissed when compared to those without representation and to those with a public defender. In addition, having a private attorney versus a public defender was, on average, associated with a seven-day lower jail sentence. Moreover, on average, having a private attorney was associated with a lower probability of receiving a jail sentence (the most severe punishment) as compared to those without representation and those with a public defender. Having a public defender was associated with a greater likelihood of receiving a jail sentence as compared to those without representation.

No description available.

No description available.