California Western School of Law Podcast: Law in 10

Michal Belknap is a constitutional law professor and legal historian at California Western and an Adjunct Professor of History at the University of California, San Diego. He has written extensively about the U.S. Supreme Court and the history of civil rights and civil liberties in 20th century America. His books include "American Political Trials", "The Vincent Court", and "The Supreme Court under Earl Warren".

Professor Barbara Cox joins Law in 10 to talk about the country's political and legal battles over same-sex marriage and where the movement will go after the tough election day losses in early November. Cox is a professor at California Western and a national authority on sexual orientation and the law. Her research and scholarship focuses on same-sex marriage laws and obtaining recognition for alternative families. She also chairs the Steering Committee for the National Freedom to Marry Organization. At California Western, Cox teaches Civil Procedure, Women and the Law, and Comparative Issues in Gender, Family, and Sexuality.

Professor Robert DeKoven breaks down the legal and social aspects of several child sex incidents, from the Mark Foley scandal to illicit relationships between teachers and their young students. DeKoven is a professor at California Western and an expert in education law. He publishes more than 50 commentaries a year on issues concerning education, privacy, civil rights, and safety in schools.

Professor Jan Stiglitz explains why his client, Timothy Atkins, may have served 20 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Stiglitz is co-director of the California Innocence Project and a professor of law at California Western.

California Innocence Project Assistant Director and Case Manager Jeff Chinn talks about student involvement in the project and 2L Solomon Chang talks about his experiences with the California Innocence Project. Chinn is responsible for reviewing each inmate's claim of innocence and deciding whether the project should investigate the case further. He also guides law students as they reinvestigate cases for evidence of actual innocence. Chang is a second-year student who is part of the Innocence Project Clinic at California Western. Solomon received his bachelor's in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He moved to San Diego to attend California Western in 2005. He is also one of the law school's student bloggers. The California Innocence Project, a member of the national network of Innocence Projects, is a non-profit clinical program that operates out of the Institute of Criminal Defense Advocacy at California Western. Founded in 1999, the project annually reviews more than 1,000 claims of innocence from California inmates and has earned the release of four wrongfully convicted clients.

Professor James Cooper returns to Law in 10 to weigh in on issues surrounding North Korea testing a nuclear weapon. Cooper is Director of Proyecto ACCESO, California Western's rule of law training program. He is an expert on international law and international terrorism.

Adjunct Professor Lilia Velasquez and Professor Ruben Garcia give an update on the battle over immigration reform, and current city ordinances that verge on discrimination. Velasquez, a San Diego immigration attorney who teaches immigration law at California Western, has been dealing with the complex immigration issues for more than 20 years. Garcia teaches Employment and Labor Law and has published articles about guest workers and immigrants in the labor force.

Adjunct Professor Gary Gibson addresses the charges Congressman Mark Foley could face for exchanging sexually-explicit instant messages with a teenage page. Plus, Gibson gives background on the felony drug charges against San Diego Chargers Safety Terrence Kiel. Gibson teaches Advanced Criminal Procedure and California Trial Evidence at California Western. He is a San Diego deputy public defender and is currently exclusively trying death penalty cases. He has also tried multiple three strikes cases and cases involving sexually violent predators.

Constitutional Law Professor Glenn Smith, who teaches a nationally recognized Supreme Court Seminar at California Western, gives a preview of the U.S. Supreme Court and what to expect in the upcoming 2006-07 term. Smith is an expert on court controversies, and has written on topics involving free speech, church versus state, and privacy concerns. He is also a visiting political science professor at UCSD.

Professor Andrea Johnson, also director of California Western's Telecommunication and Intellectual Property Law Center, discusses the Hewlett-Packard news leak investigation. Johnson served on President Clinton's transition team for Science, space, and technology. Professor Bryan Liang, also director of the California Western's Institute of Health Law Studies gives his input on the latest blow drug company Merck faces in the Vioxx litigation. Liang is co-director and adjunct professor of anesthesiology at UCSD School of Medicine.

Professor William Aceves, an expert on international and human rights law, discusses why the president's military commissions may not be legal and whether various interrogation techniques used on terror suspects could be considered torture. Aceves frequently works with Amnesty International and the Center for Justice and Accountability and is principal author of the 2002 Amnesty International USA report on torture and impunity.

Ruth Hargrove, a professor at California Western and former district attorney, weighs in on the police shooting incident involving San Diego Chargers linebacker Steve Foley. Hargrove has represented the city of Chula Vista in police shooting cases and helped write police department policies and procedures. Janet Bowermaster, an associate dean at California Western who specializes in family law, discusses the case against polygamist Warren Jeffs along with legal and cultural aspects of polygamy. Bowermaster has helped draft and negotiate legislation dealing with family law and domestic violence issues in California.

Professor James Cooper offers his thoughts on whether the current ceasefire resolution between Israel and Hezbollah can be successful and Professor Jackie Slotkin gives her analysis on generational gaps contributing to changes in the legal workplace.

Criminal law Professor Justin Brooks, also director of the California Innocence Project, discusses media coverage, false confessions, and DNA testing concerning the 10-year-old JonBenet Ramsey murder. Professor Marilyn Ireland, a long-time San Diego resident and First Amendment specialist, talks about the ongoing San Diego Mt. Soledad Cross controversy.