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Dear Reader,
The second issue of each volume of the American University Law Review presents the same annual concern: timing.
Timing in this sense refers to the staff’s efforts to print this book whilst preparing for final exams and the year’s end. The deadline for the second issue of each volume of the Law Review has consistently been New Year’s Eve. This deadline leaves the Editor-in-Chief with an almost cinematic task: finishing the book before the clock strikes midnight on the year. I write this letter live from New York, where thousands have gathered to watch the ball drop just a few streets away. Timeliness matters not just for the printing deadline, but for legal scholarship as well.
This timely issue begins with Maryam Ahranjani and Natalie Saing’s Article on the tension between the presence of police officers in schools and the First, Fourth, Eighth, and Fifteenth Amendments as they relate to the rights of schoolchildren. Dalian Flake authors the second Article in this issue and argues that racial minorities in the United States experience worse health outcomes and lower-quality medical care than White people do, a discrepancy which could be mitigated by providing racial minorities with the option to receive care from physicians of the same race. Third, readers will find Betsy Grey’s explanation of why universities owe a duty of care to their students to prevent mental health-related damages. This Article takes a deep dive into topics oftentimes neglected by the legal profession, and the Law Review is grateful to be the vessel bringing this argument to the public eye. The fourth Article in this issue is Melissa Hamilton’s empirical analysis on pretrial detention and related reforms; the Law Review is actively accepting responses to this piece for our online companion, the American University Law Review Forum. Eve Rips authors the final Article in this issue and articulates the need for the preservation of accurate data regarding juvenile criminal records whilst balancing the privacy interests of expunged juveniles. The final piece in Issue 72.2 is a Comment, written by yours truly. The Comment argues that the original artists of comic book superheroes such as Spider-Man should own the copyright to such characters because of the artists’ status as independent contractors, not formal employees.
New Year’s Eve promotes a moment of reflection and gratitude. I look back fondly on the Law Review‘s efforts over the last year and am optimistic for its future. On behalf of the entire Law Review staff, we hope you enjoy the curated articles and comment, and we wish you a happy new year.
With Respect and Enthusiasm,
Shahnoor Kamal Khan
Editor-in-Chief, American University Law Review