By: David Quinn, Junior Editor Photo courtesy of Pixabay.com This year, a Michigan dispute over property taxes and a forced housing auction has made its way to the US Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has granted certiorari to resolve two issues: first, whether it was a violation of the Fifth […]
Juris Features
Cooking Up a Lawsuit: How PAM Cost One Man His Lungs
By Bianca Ortalano, Editor-in-Chief On September 28, 2020, Roland Esparza (“Esparza”) filed a civil complaint alleging that a certain butter-flavored cooking spray contained hazardous food flavoring components that caused Esparza to suffer from permanent injuries including, but not limited to, bronchiolitis obliterans; severe and progressive damage to the respiratory system; […]
Medical, Inc.: Corporate Control of Physicians and Pennsylvania’s CPOM Doctrine
By Chase Boss, Senior Editor Pennsylvania is one of the many states that has adopted the corporate practice of medicine (CPOM) doctrine.[1] The doctrine rests on a simple premise: medical judgment should remain in the hands of licensed physicians, free from lay (and in this case, corporate) control. Today, however, the […]
Should Encampments Be Protected? Homelessness and the Law in Pittsburgh
By: Lauren Shovlin, Juris Writer Photo courtesy of unsplash.com Homelessness is on the rise. More than 14,000 homeless persons were reported across Pennsylvania last year[1]—an increase of over 1,400 from 2023.[2] This reflects a national 18% surge between 2023 and 2024, compared to a 12% rise the previous year.[3] Although […]
Pennsylvania Efforts to Legalize Recreational Marijuana Continue to Encounter Obstacles
By: Zoë Morse, Junior Editor Photo courtesy of unsplash.com Recreational use of cannabis remains illegal in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Currently, marijuana is legal only for qualified patients that hold a state medical marijuana card. Using marijuana without a prescription and without a medical card remains illegal.[1] The cities of […]
Hooked: The Impact of Social Media on Young Minds
By Delaney Szekely, Senior Editor Technology is intertwined in every facet of our lives, personally and professionally. The advent of mobile smartphones facilitated ever-present connections between users and the online world. The emergence of social media apps and websites, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, provide users a seamless […]
A Right to Be Forgotten: The European Union vs the United States
By: David Quinn, Junior Editor Photo Courtesy of Unsplash The Internet as we know it is extensively documented and monitored, as many of the connections computers have to make between each other are tied into a cloud system that stores data beyond the reach of their creators; furthermore, search engines […]
Pennsylvania’s Right to Reputation in the Age of Algorithms
By Chase Boss, Senior Editor “Technology can change the facts to which doctrine applies faster than courts can adjust the doctrine.”[1] AI algorithms are bound to be a prime example; this technology may very well alter the application of a right unique to citizens of the Keystone State—the right to reputation. […]
When Telemedicine Goes Too Far
By: Zoë Morse, Junior Editor Photo courtesy of unsplash Who wants to physically go to the doctor’s office when you can receive equivalent care right from your living room? The Covid-19 pandemic contributed to a surge in telehealth services available to patients.[1] These days, patients can receive direct care without […]
Seafood’s Dirty Secrets, Revisited: Radioactive Shrimp Joins Fish Fraud on the Menu
By: Bianca Ortalano, Editor-in-Chief Picture this, you turn on the news and expect to see the weather forecast or an anchor reporting that a crime occurred in your neighborhood. Instead, you see “More shrimp recalled due to possible radioactive contamination.” You might think that radioactive shrimp would make for a […]