Hard Battles over Soft Law

ALI Restatements of the Law have traditionally exerted significant influence over court decisions and the development of the common law. During the past two decades, however, the ALI has seen an upsurge in interest group activity designed to shape or even thwart aspects of the Institute’s work.

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Restating the Law of Prescriptive Easements

For many years, leading treatise writers have advised that if a prescriptive easement claimant establishes that otherwise unexplained use of another’s land has occurred in an open and notorious manner and continued without interruption for the statutory prescription period, the claimant’s use is presumed to have been adverse to the owner. The same leading authorities acknowledge that a minority of courts employ the opposite presumption—that otherwise unexplained use is presumed to be permissive.

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Sentencing questions raising constitutional concerns

We highlight cert petitions that ask the Supreme Court to consider, among other things, the use of acquitted conduct in sentencing decisions, when a sentencing court must consider a defendant’s juvenile status as a mitigating factor, and compassionate release under the First Step Act.

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ELI Decennial Celebration

On June 1, the European Law Institute hosted its Decennial Celebration. Lance Liebman (former Director of The American Law Institute (ALI)), reminisced about guiding ELI to its establishment and the good working relationship of the ALI and ELI ever since.

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