An interdisciplinary publication that explores the intersection of provocative legal issues with public and social policy
By examining salient topics, such as energy, economics, healthcare, and social justice, the Journal seeks to introduce and advance discourse consistent with Wake Forest’s motto of Pro Humanitate.
From our De Novo Blog
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Primate Personhood? PETA v. NIMH and the Future of Expanding Legal Protections for Primates
“Murray has spent more than 40 years and over $50 million taxpayer dollars isolating, caging, and then deliberately damaging macaques’ brains without leading to any new treatments or cures for mental health issues in humans.”[1] This powerful statement epitomizes the way that research primates are abused in the United States, and the reason why in…
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From Fertility to Felony: What is a 4th Amendment “Search” in a Post-Dobbs era?
In the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,[1] thirteen states criminalize abortion; in these states, technology like the Oura Ring, which collects reproductive data from users, may not receive Fourth Amendment protections. What constitutes a “search” when reproductive information is managed by a third-party? Can states use the third-party doctrine to use fertility…
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Delivering More Than Dinner: The Post-COVID Gig Economy Could Force a Rethink of Employment Law
Young Americans across the United States are increasingly embracing the convenience economy. A recent article in the New York Times detailed shifting attitudes toward food delivery, specifically, the tradeoff many Americans now accept: paying a premium for delivery in exchange for a reduced “mental load” from cooking and cleaning.[1] This shift reflects a broader reprioritization…
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A New Hydraulic Fracturing Proposal Fuels Questions About the Environment and Public Health in California
Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is a method used to extract natural gas or oil from underground. A drill is used to inject a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals into shale, causing it to crack and release gas and oil. Environmentalists have raised concerns that the chemicals involved in fracking contaminate drinking water and that fracking…
