Faculty Notes

Richard Pomp Quoted in Law 360 Article

Professor Richard Pomp was quoted in a Law 360 article disussing Amazon’s petition for the South Carolina Supreme Court to rehear its decision interpreting the state’s sales tax law. Pomp noted the probable ineffectiveness of Amazon’s petition, noting that these petitions are rarely successful.

Richard Pomp in Tax Notes

Professor Richard Pomp’s arguement has been echoed by the 3-2 majority decision in a recent case rejecting Amazon’s claim that the 2019 Marketplace Facilitator Act was a “new” tax. Instead, the court agreed with the Pomp-supported view that the 2019 law merely clarified obligations that already existed under the plain language of the older statutes.

Leslie Levin Authors State Court Report Article

Professor Leslie Levin authored an article on State Court Report discussing the Texas Supreme Court’s decision in Webster v. Commission for Lawyer Discipline and the Montana Supreme Court’s decision in In re Knudsen. Levin argues that the Texas decision effectively strips the Commission for Lawyer Discipline of the authority to pursue grievances against executive branch lawyers, and that the decision was wrongly decided as a matter of law and policy.

Sachin Pandya Co-Authors SCOTUS Amicus Brief

Professor Sachin Pandya has co-authored an amicus brief in Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock. The case addresses whether workers who deliver goods locally that travel in interstate commerce, but who do not transport the goods across borders, can avoid mandatory arbitration for wage claims under the exemption in Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act.

Anna VanCleave on Sentencing Reforms

Professor Anna VanCleave co-authored an op-ed in CT Mirror discussing the push to expand parole eligibility for individuals who have committed crimes as young adults and the scientific basis supporting it.

VanCleave was also asked to comment on House Bill 5306 and its rigorous evidentiary standards. The bill, if passed, would allow judges to reduce sentences for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficing if that abuse contributed to their crime.