Ep. 17 - Raneta Mack - Unpacking Race in the American Jury System

Explicit content warning

11/15/23 • 102 min

The Law School Lounge is back this week to talk about the historical and enduring nature of racism faced by Black Americans in the context of the criminal jury system. Host Krystal Norton is joined by special guest, Professor Emerita Raneta Lawson Mack, and together they walk through cases, reflections, and current legal issues surrounding racism in criminal jury participation. Professor Mack starts all the way back with the creation of the jury system in America and proceeds to talk about how the system, and the nature of racism within that system, evolved after the Emancipation Proclamation, the Fourteenth Amendment, Jim Crow, and into the present day. Professor Mack discusses peremptory challenges and their use to discriminate in this context, and she dives into issues faced by Black people and people of color with jury participation today, including a lack of faith in the criminal legal system, mass incarceration, jury sanctity, and felony convictions.

Listeners, please be aware that this episode discusses topics that some audiences may find difficult to explore or discuss, including criminal charges, racism, discrimination, slurs, and related items. Listener discretion is advised.

Professor Mack discusses all the points covered today in greater depth and with more opportunities for critical thinking in her book, "Unpacking Race in the American Jury System: Cases Readings, and Perspectives," which can be purchased here. Additional works written by Professor Mack can be found on Google Scholar.

If you haven't followed us already, please be sure to find us on X and Instagram (@lawschoollounge). Thank you for listening!

**Disclaimer: This podcast and its episodes are for general information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice; listeners and audience members should contact an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular legal matter, including whether to act or refrain from acting in conjunction with a legal matter. The creator and owner do not represent or warrant the accuracy or reliability of the content due to the constantly evolving nature of the law and legal education.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you haven't followed us already, please be sure to find us on X and Instagram (@lawschoollounge). Thank you for listening!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Ep. 16 - Peter Siviglia - Transactional Lawyers: What do they do, what skills do they need, and is this the right practice area for me?

The discussion topic for this week's episode of the Law School Lounge is transactional lawyering and skills. Host Krystal Norton is joined by Peter Siviglia, an attorney with more than 50 years' experience practicing law in New York and author of Transactional Skills: Contract Preparation and Negotiating (What to do - and What Not to Do). Peter's candid comments throughout this episode help listeners get a feel for transactional lawyering, including the types of cases they may handle and the types of responsibilities they will have in practice. Throughout the discussion, Peter offers numerous tips for new attorneys while also explaining what it takes to not only be a transactional lawyer, but to be a darn good one.

If you want to grab a copy of Transactional Skills by Peter Siviglia, you can find it here. His other recent title with CAP, Exercises in Commercial Transactions (Second Edition) is available here.

Please be sure to leave us a five-star review on whatever platform you use to listen to the show. This helps get the show out there. Also, give us a follow on Instagram and X (Twitter) to help boost us in the algorithm: @lawschoollounge.

We will see you next Tuesday!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Ep. 18 - Vinson & Romantz - Legal Analysis with CREAC: The Basics

Host Krystal Norton is joined in the Lounge by Professor Kathy Vinson of Suffolk University Law School and Professor David Romantz of the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law to talk legal analysis and CREAC. As the co-authors of "Legal Analysis: The Fundamental Skill" and creators of the now widely-applied paradigm CREAC, Professors Romantz and Vinson discuss the thought behind the paradigm, the components that make up CREAC, and common pitfalls or red flags students ought to keep in mind as they first start using this tool. This episode covers the basics and a second episode, to be released next week, covers more advanced issues. Law students will walk away from this initial conversation with some tips, with a feeling that they are not alone, and a couple of laughs.

The book is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, so feel free to give the professors a shoutout or congratulations on social media or the next time you see them!

If you don't have your own copy yet, you can grab "Legal Analysis: The Fundamental Skill" here.

You can learn more about Professor Kathy Vinson here, and you'll find more information about Professor David Romantz here.

Thank you for listening! Don't forget to give us a follow on X and Instagram (@lawschoollounge) and please give us a five-star rating on any platform.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.