Joe, Joey, Joe-Baby, Sexist: Where’s Your Imposter Syndrome?

JOANNA L. GROSSMAN

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman responds to a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed criticizing soon-to-be First Lady Jill Biden for using the academic title she earned. Professor Grossman dissects the op-ed, penned by a retired lecturer at Northwestern University, and explains the deep and pervasive sexism behind it.

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State v. Dent

Citation: 2020-Ohio-6670

Opinion Date: December 16, 2020

Judge: Maureen O'Connor

Areas of Law: Criminal Law

In these consolidated appeals the Supreme Court reversed the judgments of the court of appeals, holding that the State presented sufficient evidence to support the convictions of Alvin Dent and William Walker (collectively, Defendants) for the felony offense of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity under Ohio Rev. Code 2923.32. After a joint jury trial, Defendants were both found guilty of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, possessing cocaine, illegally manufacturing drugs, and trafficking in cocaine. The court of appeals reversed each of Defendants' convictions for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, holding that there was insufficient evidence to support those convictions. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that a reasonable juror could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendants participated in incidents of illegal activity that were not isolated and established a pattern of corrupt activity.

State v. Groce

Citation: 2020-Ohio-6671

Opinion Date: December 16, 2020

Judge: Maureen O'Connor

Areas of Law: Criminal Law

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals reversing Defendant's conviction for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, in violation of Ohio Rev. Code 2923.32, holding that the State presented sufficient evidence to support Defendant's conviction. Defendant and two codefendants were each found guilty of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, possessing cocaine, illegally manufacturing drugs, and trafficking in cocaine. Defendant appealed, arguing that insufficient evidence supported his conviction for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. The court of appeals agreed and reversed the conviction. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that a reasonable juror could have found beyond a reasonable doubt that Defendant participated in incidents of illegal activity that were not isolated and established a pattern of corrupt activity.

State v. Rue

Citation: 2020-Ohio-6706

Opinion Date: December 17, 2020

Judge: Donnelly

Areas of Law: Criminal Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the court of appeals reversing the judgment of the trial court terminating Defendant's community control and sentencing him to a two-year term of incarceration, holding that the trial court lacked the authority to conduct these community-control-revocation proceedings. On June 5, 2017, Defendant's community control sentence was due to expire. On September 12, 2018, the trial court revoked Defendant's community control and ordered him to serve a two-year prison term. The court of appeals reversed, holding that the trial court did not have the authority to conduct the revocation proceedings because notice of the violations and commencement of the proceedings did not occur before the expiration of Defendant's community control term. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the trial court lacked the authority to revoke Defendant's community control and sentence him to a term of imprisonment because the revocation proceedings were not commenced before the expiration of Defendant's community control term.

In re Estate of Shaffer

Citation: 2020-Ohio-6672

Opinion Date: December 16, 2020

Judge: Donnelly

Areas of Law: Trusts & Estates

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals concluding that Ohio Rev. Code 2107.24 eliminates the requirement of witness competency and that, therefore, the voiding provision of Ohio Rev. Code 2107.15 does not apply to essential witnesses to a remediated will, holding that the voiding provision of section 2107.15 applies equally to essential witnesses to both formally compliant and remediated wills. Zachary Norman, the son of Juley Norman, filed an application to probate a 2006 document claiming to be a will that was handwritten and signed by Joseph Shaffer. The will had no witness signatures. The probate court denied the application. On appeal, Zachary argued that Ohio Rev. Code 2107.24 does not require the witnesses to a noncompliant will to be "competent witnesses," and therefore, the voiding provision of section 2107.15 did not apply to a purported will that may be remediated pursuant to section 2107.24. The court of appeals agreed and reversed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) section 2107.15 applies both to wills executed in compliance with section 2107.03 and those submitted pursuant to section 2107.24; and (2) the probate court correctly applied section 2107.15 and determined that Juley could not be included in the list of beneficiaries of Shaffer's estate.