News

Professor Todd Berger Speaks with Automotive News About Alford Pleas

Professor Todd Berger recently spoke with Automotive News regarding a felony grand larceny and forgery case against a former Fuccillo Automotive Group executive in Jefferson County, NY. Berger explained what an Alford plea is, which was reached in this case.

Berger explains, “Under an Alford plea, a defendant officially declares themselves to be not guilty while pleading guilty. The prosecution must present some evidence supporting its case before the judge can accept such a plea.”

The full article can be found here (a subscription is required.)

A Message from Dean Craig M. Boise

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Reflecting on the College of Law’s extraordinary accomplishments of 2022, I’m deeply thankful for the many ways in which you have made so many of our successes possible. Notably, we graduated our first class of JDinteractive students and welcomed the first Orange Advance undergraduate students from our HCBU partner schools to campus to engage with faculty, students, and alumni and explore careers in law. We also welcomed new faculty member Dan Traficonte, whose teaching and legal research focus on political economy, innovation, and economic development.

I’m even more excited as I look ahead to 2023, knowing that, with your support, we will continue to innovate and deliver a first-rate, rigorous, and forward-leaning legal education. Thank you for all you do for the College of Law and in support of our students.

Wishing you a joyful, peaceful, and healthy New Year,

Boise Signature

Craig M. Boise
Dean, College of Law
Syracuse University

Professor Lauryn Gouldin Participates on an Arizona Criminal Law for Legislators Panel on Criminal Law

Professor Lauryn Gouldin was an invited speaker at the Arizona Criminal Law for Legislators Panel on Criminal Law, hosted by the Academy for Justice at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University—in conjunction with the Arizona Prosecuting Attorneys’ Advisory Council.

Professor Gouldin spoke on the issue of pretrial decision-making during the Initial Appearance, Arraignment, and Pre-Trial Release session.

Ret. Vice Admiral Robert Murrett Pens “The Path to Peace in Ukraine Will Start on Ukrainian Terms” at The Hill

Retired Vice Adm. Robert Murrett, Deputy Director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law contributed the opinion article The Path to Peace in Ukraine Will Start on Ukrainian Terms” at The Hill.

In the article, Murrett recounts the impact of the war in Ukraine as it nears its one-year mark, including the geopolitical situation and the imperatives for ending the war.

Murrett concludes, “Ukraine presents a threat to Putin and his inner circle because of their warfighting skills, but more importantly because of what they stand for: an open, free and authentic democracy, and a proud people determined to choose their own destiny and to protect that right for future generations of Ukrainians. That reality represents a genuine, long-term, and existential threat to the Kremlin leadership.”

Professor Gregory Germain Discusses Secured Credit Cards with WalletHub

Professor Gregory Germain, director of the Bankruptcy Clinic, recently spoke with WalletHub on the topic of secured credit cards and what consumers need to know about this financial product.

Germain explains, “The purpose of a secured credit card is to simulate a credit card in the hope that the credit rating agencies will not notice that, in fact, you do not have any credit. Does it work to fool the rating agencies into believing you have credit? I doubt it, at least not very much.”

Professor Nina Kohn Discusses the New York State Adult Survivors Act

The New York State Adult Survivors Act allows people who were the victims of sex crimes to file lawsuits against their abusers and any institutions that perpetuated abuse that occurred in New York state regardless of when it occurred. The one-year window to file lawsuits started on Nov. 24.

In this Syracuse.com article, Professor Nina Kohn notes that since survivors only have a year to file a lawsuit, they should start searching for an attorney now. “It is a ‘hurry up and wait. It can take a while for individuals to find an attorney, who is both willing to bring the case and has the necessary skill set and experience to do so,” says Kohn.

Professor Nina Kohn, a white woman with brown shoulder-length hair, wearing a black blazer over a tan sweater, with gold necklaces and earrings, smiles in front of a window. She is holding a dark blue book.

Vice Dean Keith Bybee Speaks About the Supreme Court’s Affirmative Action Case in the Daily Orange 

Vice Dean Keith Bybee

Syracuse University plans to continue to pursue diversity and equitable admissions through recruitment in the case the Supreme Court bans affirmative action in college admissions, an SU spokesperson told The Daily Orange in a written statement. The Court heard arguments in early November for two cases against Harvard College and the University of North Carolina, questioning the use of affirmative action and race consideration in admissions processes.

Vice Dean Keith Bybee said the implications of the court’s decisions, which will likely come in June 2023, will differ based on the court’s arguments. He said the court could decide to interpret the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI in the same way, or interpret and apply them differently. 

“You can think of this like a table with rows and columns. It depends what box we land in,” Bybee said. “How do we understand the language in this statute? Are we going to interpret it in such a way that allows for affirmative action or extremely restricted circumstances, or are we interpreting in some way that it’s a across the board prohibition on the use of race and ethnicity?”

‘What’s at Stake’: University Professor David Driesen Participates on Maxwell Panel Focused on U.S. Climate Legislation 

Professor David Driesen, a white man with short gray hair and a gray goatee, wearing a gray suit jacket over a blue collared shirt smiles in front of an orange background.

he U.S. Supreme Court reduced the power of the EPA to regulate carbon emissions in June. 

A panel at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ Center for Policy Research covered the decision’s implications along with the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, which increased credits for renewable energy sources and allocated funding toward electric transportation.

University Professor David Driesen participated on the panel, highlighting that the court stopped the EPA from enforcing regulations on coal-fired power plants. The agency initially attempted to reduce the industry’s emissions by 11 percent, but Driesen is unsure if the court will stop at the EPA’s original goal. “(The decision) might even be saying that there’s some number before that,” Driesen said.

Driesen is currently studying the impact of carbon pricing through his Fulbright Scholarship at the University of Ottawa, Canada.