Author: ccarns
Coercive Control & Financial Abuse: Idaho’s Domestic Violence Blind Spot by Dalton S. Curtis and Anya H. Perret
Introduction The term “domestic violence” often evokes immediate and visible harm: bruises and broken bones; police reports; perhaps a whispered, frantic call or text to a friend or family member. Yet for many survivors, physical violence is just one aspect…
Read Full ArticleThe Magistrate Court’s Balance Pole: Using Receivers to Help Maintain Equilibrium in Divorce Proceedings by Matthew T. Christensen
Picture this: a husband and wife have begun divorce proceedings. They co-own a business with a significant amount of equipment, inventory, and real property assets. Both the husband and wife are actively involved in the business—but the method of running…
Read Full ArticleBoard of Commissioner Elections for 3rd, 4th, and 5th Districts—Nominations Due April 7, 2026
Attorneys in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Districts will elect new representatives to the Idaho State Bar Board of Commissioners this spring. The new commissioners will replace Judge Robert Jackson (Third and Fifth Districts), and Kristin Bjorkman of Boise (Fourth…
Read Full Article2026 IOLTA Grant Summary
The Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account (IOLTA) program works with members of the Idaho State Bar and the Idaho banking community to hold client funds in interest-bearing accounts. Participating banks remit interest earned to the Idaho Law Foundation (ILF). The…
Read Full ArticleProgram Report: Law Related Education by Carey A. Shoufler
A 2023 Annenberg Civics Knowledge Survey found that about 20 percent of Americans could not name any of the three branches of the U.S. government, and the majority of Americans could not name all the rights protected under the First…
Read Full ArticleMcDonnell Douglas in the Crosshairs? What Hittle v. City of Stockton May Signal by Alexandra S. Grande and Zachery J. McCraney
The United States Supreme Court denied certiorari in Hittle v. City of Stockton on March 10, 2025. Justice Thomas’ pointed dissent, joined by Justice Gorsuch, makes clear that at least two justices are prepared to revisit the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting…
Read Full ArticleUnemployment Compensation Appeals and Workplace Misconduct by Douglas A. Werth
Introduction Each year, the Idaho Industrial Commission (Commission) issues more than 300 unemployment compensation (UC) decisions. As one of the deputy attorneys general assigned to the Idaho Department of Labor (IDOL), I review nearly all Commission decisions. My aim with…
Read Full ArticleOverview of the Scope of Muldrow v. City of St. Louis’s “Simple Injury” Standard in Title VII and Other Anti-discrimination Statutes by Rafael A. Icaza
In Muldrow v. City of St. Louis (2024), the U.S. Supreme Court adopted a “simple injury” test for determining whether an adverse employment action occurred in a disparate treatment claim under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.[i]…
Read Full ArticleFeatured Article: Reinstatement Is Just the Beginning: A “Make Whole” Remedy Checklist by Samuel J. Fenton
When an arbitrator orders reinstatement “with full back pay,” it’s tempting to declare victory, shake hands, and move on. The employee gets their job back; the employer closes the file; the union or plaintiff’s counsel can report a win. By…
Read Full ArticleIncoming President’s Message: Resolutions, the First Amendment, and You by Hon. Robert L. Jackson and Logan Graham
2025 has come to a close and I am sitting at home on a cold afternoon contemplating the new year. I have an article to write, so what better topic than New Year’s Resolutions? First, before even writing about New…
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