Justice Center closes for winter break at 12 noon December 24

The Justice Center, along with the rest of the UAA campus, will be closed for the winter holiday break starting at 12 noon on Wednesday, December 24, 2014. We will reopen for our normal business hours on Monday, January 5, 2015.

All of us at the Justice Center wish you a festive holiday season, with best wishes as we enter a new year.

UAA students in foster youth program will get a special visit from holiday elves

Kelsie Sullivan (center) and staff from the Office of Grants & Contracts (l to r) Terry De Mesa, Sylvia Luff, Ricardo Reid,
and Mark Riley, are shown with some of the gifts that will be wrapped and  delivered to UAA foster youth students.

Holiday elves will be paying a special visit to 29 UAA students who are in the foster youth program or just transitioning out of the state foster program.  Under the auspices of the statewide UA Education and Training Voucher Program for Foster Youth (ETV), holiday gifts have been collected and wrapped for distribution to the students.

The holiday gifts for foster youth project was started by Kelsie Sullivan in the UAA Office of Grants & Contracts, and Kelsie works with Amanda Metivier, Youth Education Coordinator of the UA foster youth program, to get a list of students and their holiday wish lists.  Individuals from UAA departments participate by getting the wish lists, buying the gifts, and delivering them to Kelsie for wrapping and distribution.

Kelsie wanted a way to give back to the UAA community and thought of the foster youth program at UAA.  She is very appreciative of all the support she gets from the Office of Grants & Contracts in making the holidays special for these students. If you would like to participate next year, contact Kelsie at kalance@uaa.alaska.edu. 

Amanda Metivier

The Education Training and Voucher Program for Foster Youth began 3 years ago and is managed by Amanda Metivier, Youth Education Coordinator, on the Anchorage campus. Her office works with the Office of Children's Services, and Amanda starts talking with foster youth who are juniors and seniors in high school to help them transition to college. Amanda was in foster care herself and earned her BSW and MSW at UAA. She says, "It's pretty cool - I get to help these youth. I know what they are experiencing and are going through."


This year there are 50 foster youth statewide in the UA system, but over half are on the UAA campus.  State funds are directed through Amanda's office to the UA students to help pay for housing, books, food, transportation, and other necessities. Click here to learn more about the UA foster youth program. Or contact Amanda at almetivier@uaa.alaska.edu.

The Justice Center applauds this holiday project and the work of the  Education and Training  Voucher Program for Foster Youth. Thanks for making the holiday season a little brighter for our students!

Congrats from the Justice Center to our December 2014 Justice and Legal Studies grads - best wishes for the future!

Justice and Legal Studies faculty at the commencement: l to r - Dr. André Rosay, Justice Center Director; Dr. Ryan Fortson;
Dr. Sharon Charmard; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator; Dr. Ron Everett; Dr. Allan Barnes;
and Dr. Brad Myrstol, Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center Director.

 Congratulations to our December 2014 Justice and Legal Studies graduates!

College of Health gonfalon.

UAA is venue for round table hosted by UW School of Law to discuss legal education and Alaska

Roundtable participants share ideas for providing additional opportunities for students in Alaska.

Representatives from 13 invited law schools across the U.S., and representatives from UAF, UAA Justice Center, the Alaska Court System, the Alaska Bar Association, and the Federal Defender's Office, met for a legal education round table on October 15 at the Gorsuch Commons at UAA. University of Washington (UW) School of Law hosted the round table which was chaired by UW School of Law Dean Kellye Testy.

The goal of the event was to hear about current programs relevant to legal education in Alaska and to explore possibilities for cooperation in providing additional opportunities for students in Alaska. 

Justice Center representatives included Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator; and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty.

Prof. Periman presents at UW School of Law continuing legal education program

L to r: Paula Littlewood, Prof. Terry Price, Prof. Deb Periman,
and Prof. Betsy Baker.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, was a panelist at the December 12 "Limited License Legal Technicians: Lessons Learned from Washington State's Access to Justice Initiative," a continuing legal education program sponsored by the University of Washington School of Law at the Perkins Coie law firm in Anchorage.

Other panelists included Paula Littlewood, Executive Director of the Washington State Bar Association, and Prof. Terry Price of UW School of Law. Prof. Betsy Baker of UW School of Law coordinated the program.

Identity staffer speaks on LGBT domestic violence to Dr. Blumenstein's class

Billy Farrell, Youth Engagement Specialist of Identity, Inc., spoke to students in Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein's JUST 490 Domestic Violence course on October 30. He discussed the issue of domestic violence among the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and transgendered (LGBT) community.

Identity's website states that the organization's mission is to "advance Alaska’s LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community through advocacy, education and connectivity."

Fall 2014/Winter 2015 issue of Alaska Justice Forum focuses on tribal courts

The Fall 2014/Winter 2015 issue of the Alaska Justice Forum is devoted primarily to issues related to tribal courts in Alaska, including how they function, measures of their effectiveness, and past and future issues regarding tribal court jurisdiction.The 20-page issue includes the following articles:

"Tribal Courts in Alaska"

An introduction to the this issue of the Alaska Justice Forum, which focuses on topics related to tribal courts in Alaska.

"Survey of Tribal Court Effectiveness Studies" by Ryan Fortson and Jacob A. Carbaugh

An examination of empirical studies that have been conducted on the effectiveness of tribal courts, both in terms of reduction in recidivism and participant attitudes, and a look at some of the challenges to implementing a tribal court effectiveness study in Alaska. Includes a bibliography.

"Restorative Justice: Theory, Processes, and Application in Rural Alaska" by Jeff D. May

An exploration of the principles behind using restorative justice as an alternate form of sentencing in criminal cases, with a focus particularly on how restorative justice might be of benefit in rural Alaska. Includes a bibliography.

"Restorative Justice Programs and Sentencing"

A look at amendments to Alaska Rules of Criminal Procedure 11(i) and Delinquency Rules 21(d)(3) and 23(f) which describe the requirements for referral to a restorative justice program as part of the sentencing process.

"Community Justice Initiatives in the Galena District Court" by Jeff D. May

An examination of a community outreach program in rural Alaska whereby an Alaska Court System judge uses restorative justice principles in village sentencing hearings.

"Key Acts and Cases for Alaska Tribal Court Jurisdiction" by Ryan Fortson

An annotated survey of Alaska and federal case law and statutes tracing the development of tribal court jurisdiction in Alaska.

"Current Issues Regarding Alaska Tribal Court Jurisdiction" by Ryan Fortson

An examination of some of the unresolved issues that will shape tribal court jurisdiction in Alaska in coming years.

"Rural Governance Report 2014" by Mara Kimmel

Highlights from the 2014 report of the reconvened Rural Governance Commission, with a focus on pathways necessary to ensure public safety for rural Alaskans.

 Hard copies will be mailed later this month. To be added to the early online email list for the Forum, please send a message to editor@uaa.alaska.edu with Forum online in the subject field.

Prof. Brandeis appears in illustrated history of marijuana in Alaska published in The Atlantic

Cartoon panel from The Atlantic article showing Prof. Brandeis
commenting on individual rights and state constitutions.
.

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was interviewed by Josh Kramer of The Atlantic magazine about Irwin Ravin and the history of marijuana in Alaska.  Kramer's article is done in cartoon panel style and features several panels of Prof. Brandeis.

The article quotes extensively from Prof. Brandeis' Alaska Law Review article,
"The Continuing Vitality of Ravin v. State: Alaskans Still Have a Constitutional Right to Possess Marijuana in the Privacy of Their Homes,"  published in the December 2012 issue of the Alaska Law Review.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on American government, constitutional law and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal issues. Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska. 

 Read the article:
Tundra Green - "How Alaska Became America's Marijuana Capital: An illustrated history of legalization on the Last Frontier" by Josh Kramer. The Atlantic, December 2014.

Prof. Fortson's LEGL 487 students present mock oral arguments to Alaska Court of Appeals Judge Robert Coats (Ret.)

Judge Coats (on left behind podium) and Prof. Fortson (on right behind podium) pose for a photo with the
first and second student teams before the mock proceedings begin - (l to r) students Cheng Vang, Paige Pirie, Abby Charles,
Jennifer McGuffey, Estelita Mayac, Benjamin Dunaway, and Marcus Phang.

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., Justice Center Legal Studies faculty, held mock oral arguments in his Legal 487 - Trial and Advanced Litigation Processes course as the final project of the 2014 fall semester.  Students participated in a  moot court  - a mock appellate court proceeding which involves the presentation of oral argument before a judge or a panel of judges.

Students prepared arguments for two hypothetical cases.  Their arguments were presented before Alaska Court of Appeals Judge Robert Coats (Ret.) who rendered a decision after each case was presented.

Prior to the oral arguments, students prepared briefs on their cases and submitted them to their opposing counsel team and to Prof. Fortson and Judge Coats. Earlier in the semester, the students also participated in a simulated trial, conducting opening statements, direct and cross examinations, and closing arguments.

The first team presents (l to r): Paige Pirie, Jennifer McGuffey,
Cheng Vang, and Alicia Steere.

Team 2 begins their oral arguments (l to r): Caroline Lee,
Abby Charles, and Estelita Mayac.

The last team readies for oral argument (l to r): Jory Knott,
Alysha Shaginoff, Marcus Phang, Benjamin Dunaway.

Judge Coats (center) asks a question of Cheng Vang ( at podium),
while his co-counsel Alicia Steere (r) and Prof. Fortson (far left) listen.

Dr. Myrstol and Dr. Rosay present at the 14th National Indian Nations Conference

L ro r: Dr. Myrstol, Katie TePas, and Panu Lucier
after their presentation.

Dr. Brad Myrstol, Director of the Alaska Justice Statistical Analysis Center, co-presented at the recent pre-conference institute for 14th National Indian Nations Conference on the reservation of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indian, California on December 10. The event is sponsored by the Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice.

Dr. Myrstol, Panu Lucier of Crane Song Consulting, and Katie TePas, Director, Statewide Services, Alaska Department of Public Safety, discussed "The Importance of the Question and Context in Developing Your Research Methodology."  Their session was part of the National Institute of Justice Indian Country Research Initiatives Track.

Dr. André Rosay, Executive Visiting Research Fellow with the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and Director of the Justice Center, spoke at the conference about "The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Findings on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men." Dr. Rosay conducted the analysis of the data from the survey. He also presented on the topic of "Crime and Violence in Indian Country: The Myths, the Facts, and the Importance of Research."

Dr. Rosay, at podium, discusses how research impacts policy and practice.

Dr. Everett and Prof. Periman welcome students at the UA Scholar Night reception

Dr. Everett at the Justice Center
exhibit table.

Dr. Ron Everett, Justice faculty, and Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, attended a UA Scholar Night reception to welcome high school students who are eligible for an $11,00 scholarship from the UA Scholars Program.  Students in the top 10 percent of their graduating class in each qualified high school may attend any UA campus, and were invited with their parents to come to talk to faculty about registering at UAA. The event was held November 20 at the UAA Student Union.

The Justice Center had an exhibit table, and Dr. Everett and Prof. Periman discussed the various Justice and Legal Studies program options available to students.

Students and parents enjoy music at the event.

Prof. Fortson elected president of the Anchorage Bar Association

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Ph.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was elected president of the Anchorage Bar Association this week.  Prof. Fortson has served on the Board of Directors of the association for over 10 years.

He is also the chair of the Alaska High School Mock Trial Competition, an annual event sponsored by the Anchorage Bar. This event presents teams of statewide high school students with the chance to learn about individual liberties and the legal process and to explore law career opportunities by participating in a simulated trial against other teams.

Justice Center welcomes students at fall 2014 Preview Day

At the Justice Center exhibit table, (l to r) Prof. Periman and Dr. Rivera await students.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator; Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator; and Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, met with high school students and their parents at the November 14 Fall Preview Day at the UAA Student Union.

Justice and Legal Studies faculty also presented "Justice For All: Explore Dozens of Careers and Academic Possibilities in Law and Justice" at 3 sessions during the day.

Preview Days are designed specifically for high school juniors and seniors and their guests and helps students get ready to attend UAA. The event offers students and their guests the opportunity to experience firsthand all that UAA has to offer.

"Spirit," the UAA mascot, waves a Legal Studies pencil
in the shape of a judge's gavel.

Students attend a mock class, workshops on admissions and financial aid, and speak with current students about campus life as well as UAA faculty about academic programs. Guests speak with UAA administrators and also attend workshops on admissions and financial aid.
 

Dr. Lepage's JUST 374 Courts class participates in exercise on mock jury selection

Case Mohr, student prosecutor (at podium), addresses the jury. Student co-counsel sit at tables in foreground and in background.

Dr. Cory Lepage's JUST 374 class, The Courts, recently participated in a mock jury selection.  Students playing the role of prosecutors and defense attorneys practiced voir dire - asking questions of potential jurors -  during class.  Students from JUST 110 Intro to Justice classes taught by Dr. Allan Barnes, Dr. Troy Payne, and Dr. Lepage volunteered to play the role of prospective jurors.

A prospective student juror answers a question during voir dire.

Students who were playing the role of lawyers were given an actual criminal case that had been decided in Alaska and had to prepare legally permissible questions to ask of each juror.  In this class exercise to demonstrate the voir dire process, attorneys for the prosecution and defense questioned potential jurors, and could request that a potential juror be removed from consideration as a juror for the case.  The questioning of the potential jurors continued until the required number of jurors was selected. Dr. Lepage acted as the judge in the mock jury selection.

Dr. Lepage explains the process of voir dire.

Alaska Bar Historians Committee presents program with past editors of the association's official publication - The Bar Rag

The Historians Committee of the Alaska Bar Association presented the program, "The Bar Rag: 36 Years of Not Taking Ourselves Too Seriously" on October 30. This program brought together six past editors of the Bar Rag, the official publication of the Alaska Bar Association, with one of the new co-editors, to talk about the origins and development of the periodical. The event was held at the Hotel Captain Cook.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, is a member of the Historians Committee.

Some members of the Alaska Bar Historians Committee gathered for a photo
after the program. Front row l to r:
Prof. Deb Periman, Justice Center; Erin Bennett; Meghan Kelly, Bar Rag co-editor.
Back row l to r:
Superior Court Judge Peter Michalski (Ret.); Alaska Supreme Court Justice Dan Winfree;
Marilyn May, Clerk of the Alaska Appellate Courts; John Havelock,
former Justice Center Director; and Deborah O'Regan, Alaska Bar Assn. Executive Director.

Dr. Payne writes op-ed piece on marijuana law enforcement for Alaska Dispatch

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, wrote an op-ed piece in the Alaska Dispatch on marijuana law enforcement in the run up to the November marijuana legalization ballot initiative in Alaska.

Dr. Payne notes, "Focusing on arrests as the sole measure of the criminal justice impact of marijuana can be misleading. Often, marijuana crimes are accompanied by other criminal activity, so it is difficult to parse out what someone was actually “arrested for.” ...As previous commentators have noted, no one in Alaska has completed a detailed analysis of marijuana-case processing from start to finish."

Read the full op-ed here:
"It's complicated: Marijuana law enforcement numbers in Anchorage" by Dr. Troy Payne. Alaska Dispatch, 25 Oct 2014.

Justice Center co-sponsors November 5 community forum on Traffic Stops: What to Expect from Police - video of the event now online!

Dr. Payne (at podium) welcomes the audience to the event.

The Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force (ACPRTF), the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission (AERC), the Anchorage Police Department (APD), and the Justice Center co-sponsored a community forum on November 5 - "Traffic Stops - What to Expect from Police." The event was held at the UAA/APU Consortium Library, LIB 307.

Presenters included Captain Dave Koch and Officer Jon Butler, Anchorage Police Department; Joshua Decker, ACLU of Alaska Executive Director; and Dr. Troy Payne, Justice Center faculty, as moderator.

Click here to watch a video of the program on the APD YouTube channel.

L to r: APD Chief Mark Mew, APD Captain Dave Koch, ACLU of Alaska Executive Director Joshua Decker,
Justice Center faculty Dr. Troy Payne, ACPRTF Vice -Chair Pastor Victor Marbury, and APD Office Jon Butler.

Pizza and mass advising at November pizza party for Justice and Legal Studies students

Pizza and course schedules!

Justice and Legal Studies students and faculty enjoyed Moose's Tooth pizza and other goodies at the Fall 2014 Pizza and Advising Party on November 5 at the Justice Center.

Dr. Marny Rivera, Justice Undergraduate Program Coordinator, and Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Legal Studies Program Coordinator, used the event as an opportunity for "mass advising" and planning for Spring 2015 course schedules. 

Prof. Jason Brandeis J.D., (seated left) and Dr. Marny Rivera (standing center)
talk with students about next semester's courses.

Students enjoy the Moose's Tooth pizza.

Dr. Payne presents to the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission and Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force about national crime reporting statistics - UCR

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, presented information on the national Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program to the meeting of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission and the Anchorage Community Police Relations Task Force in October.

Dr. Payne discussed the origins of the program, its goals, how data is collected and presented, and limitations in the data when used for comparison and analysis.

The UCR program collects crime information from law enforcement agencies nationwide.  Data are recorded for eight serious crimes: four violent crimes — murder and nonnegligent manslaughter (homicide), forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, and four property crimes — burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.  Sicne 1982 the Criminal Records and Identification Bureau (CRIB) within the Alaska Department of Public Safety has administered the UCR program for Alaska.

Dr. Payne presents to Anchorage Economic Development Corp Board about Town Square Park Project

Dr. Troy Payne, Justice faculty, has been working with the Anchorage Police Department to collect data about how Town Square Park is used. Earlier this semester, he made a presentation to the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation’s board  regarding the Town Square Park project and how businesses can participate in community safety initiatives.  Data collection is continuing.

Clerk of Alaska Appellate Courts speaks to Prof. Periman's class

Marilyn May, Clerk of the Appellate Courts for the Alaska Court System, spoke to the students in Prof. Deb Periman's  Legal Studies Senior Seminar in October.  Ms. May is a former lawyer with the Alaska Department of Law who regularly handled appellate matters.  She spoke to students about the appellate process and tips and techniques for managing an appeal and writing an appellate brief.

Marilyn May (far right) discusses the requirements for submitting a brief.

Marilyn May (top left) shows students one of the color-coded sheets used by the Appellate Courts.

Justice Center presentation on marijuana law and public policy noted in opinion piece by former state chief assistant attorney general

In advance of the November ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in Alaska, Dean Guaneli, former chief assistant attorney general for the Alaska Department of Law, noted the March 5, 2014 Justice Center presentation on marijuana law and policy in his Alaska Dispatch News opinion piece in October.

Read the piece here:
"Alaska should not rush into pot legalization," by Dean Guaneli. Alaska Dispatch News, 17 Oct 2014.

Dr. Barnes' seminar students visit Akeela House

L to r: Dr. Allan Barnes, student Michael Batch,
Akeela Lead Counselor Kimberly Hawkins,
student Nikki Pettey, and student Kristen Benge.

Students in the Seminar in Criminal Violation course taught by Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, took a field trip to Akeela House in November. Students met with Kimberly Hawkins, Lead Counselor, and with residents in Akeela's substance abuse program.

Akeela is a non-profit behavioral health care provider founded in 1974. Among the many services provided by Akeela are prevention services in 18 communities, prison-based substance use programs, and outpatient mental health services.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by Alaska Dispatch and Cannabis Radio News

In the run up to the November 2014 ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in Alaska, Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., Legal Studies faculty in the Justice Center, was interviewed by the Alaska Dispatch News and Cannabis Radio News.

Read the article here:
"Alaska Cannabis Club hopes to provide access to medical marijuana" by Laurel Andrews. Alaska Dispatch News, 24 Aug 2014.
 
Listen to the interview here:
"Will Alaska's Libertarian Legacy Resonate on 2014 Marijuana Vote?" Cannabis Radio News, 19 Oct 2014.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on American government, constitutional law and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal issues. Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska.

Anchorage Police Officer Dave DeLesline speaks about domestic violence to students in Justice classes

Officer DeLesline explains how crimes of domestic violence are defined.

Officer Dave DeLesline, Anchorage Police Department (APD), spoke to students in Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein's Domestic Violence class and in Dr. Allan Barnes' Seminar in Criminal Violation in late October.

Officer DeLesline works on domestic violence cases, and is also an APD recruiter. In Dr. Blumenstein's class, he outlined what constitutes a crime of domestic violence and how domestic violence crimes are handled by police. In Dr. Barnes' graduate class, Officer DeLesline also discussed his observations about the causes of crime in Anchorage. 

Justice Center faculty make presentations at 70th Annual American Society of Criminology Conference

Justice and Legal Studies faculty presented on a variety of topics at the recent American Society of Criminology Annual Meeting in San Francisco, November 19-22, 2014. The theme for 2014 was "Criminology at the Intersection of Oppression."

Faculty presentations included:

Dr. André B. Rosay
Dr. Brad A. Myrstol
Roundtable on The National Institute of Justice’s Program of Research Examining Violence Against Indian Women

Dr. Allan Barnes
"Adapting Team-Based POGIL Techniques to Justice Classes: Is the Lecture Dead?"

Dr. Sharon Chamard
"Late Night Safety in Downtown Anchorage"

Dr. Marny Rivera
"The Impact of Early Exposure to Violence and Adversities on Youth Development and Offending"
and
Roundtable on Tackling False Impressions and Bias: Teaching the Tough Stuff in Criminal Justice

Dr. Troy Payne
Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D.
"Marijuana Legalization in Alaska: Assessing the Potential Criminal Justice Impact"

Dr. Cory R. Lepage
"Conceptualizations of Justice from the Inside Looking Out: A Rationalization for the Perceptions and Satisfaction by Justices in Rural Courts"
and
Roundtable honorary session for Austin T. Turk, Department of Sociology, University of California Riverside  – discussion of Dr. Turk’s work including his conflict theory in criminology. Dr. Turk died in 2013.

Dr. Lindsey Blumenstein
"Arrest Decision-Making of Intimate Partner Violence: A Comparison of Same-Sex versus Heterosexual Partners Using the National Incidence-Based Reporting System"

The American Society of Criminology is an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency.

L to r: Dr. Allan Barnes, Justice faculty, and
Dr. Christian Pfeiffer, Director,
Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony,
Germany, one of the many international attendees.
Dr. Barnes presents research by Dr. Pfeiffer on traits
of judges and probation officers as part of his courses.

 

Attorney Leslie Need speaks to Prof. Fortson's Tribal Courts class

Prof. Ryan Fortson, J.D., Legal Studies faculty, invited Leslie Need, an attorney with the firm of Landye Bennett Blumstein LLP in Anchorage, to speak to his Tribal Courts & Alaska Native Rights class in October.

Ms. Need's practice focuses on Alaska Native Law, Civil Litigation, Corporate Law, and Municipal Law. She previously worked as a law clerk for U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Roberts, the Alaska Attorney General’s office, and JudgeVanessa White of the Alaska Superior Court.

Her conversation with the class centered on the types of cases she handles representing Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) regional corporations, village corporations, and tribes, and the differences in Native law in Alaska compared to the Lower 48.

Walt Monegan, former Anchorage Police Chief, speaks to Dr. Barnes' students

Walt Monegan discusses his experiences in policing to students in Dr. Barnes' class.

Walt Monegan, former Anchorage Chief of Police and former Alaska Commissioner of Public Safety, spoke to Dr. Allan Barnes' Introduction to Justice class in late October. 

Mr. Monegan discussed how he came to be a police officer and some of his experiences on the streets of Anchorage.  He provided insights into the “working personality” needed by officers in a diverse society.

Prof. Brandeis interviewed by Anchorage Press and KTUU Channel 2 News about marijuana legalization in Alaska

Prof. Jason Brandeis, J.D., was quoted in an Anchorage Press article about the recent passage of a ballot initiative that legalized marijuana in Alaska.  Prof. Brandeis noted that this represents "a seismic shift in the law... and will have an overall effect on the criminal justice system."

Read the full article here:
"Going to Pot?" by Mary Lochner.  Anchorage Press, 20 Nov 2014.

He was also interviewed by KTUU Channel 2 News.

See the clip here:
"Pot will be legal in Alaska. What you need to know about what happens next," KTUU Staff. KTUU Channel 2 News, 6 Nov 2014.

Prof. Brandeis teaches courses on American government, constitutional law and civil liberties, and is a frequent speaker on constitutional law and other legal issues. Prof. Brandeis also maintains a private law practice through which he provided legal representation in administrative agency proceedings for the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska.

Prof. Periman presents legal education program to Alaska Association of Paralegals

Prof. Periman discusses issues regarding the regulation of paralegals.

Prof. Deb Periman, J.D., Justice Center Legal Studies Program Coordinator, spoke to the Alaska Association of Paralegals at their October monthly continuing legal education luncheon on "Paralegal Practice Update: The Regulatory Climate for Nonlawyer Professionals in 2014."

The Alaska Association of Paralegals (AAP), formerly known as the Alaska Association of Legal Assistants (AALA), was founded in May 1981 as a non-profit professional membership association of Alaska paralegals committed to the development and growth of the paralegal profession. AAP is a member of the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA).