Symposium examines “Establishing New Rights: A Look at Aid in Dying” National thought leaders and local experts examine controversial, timely issues
Contact: Tamara Williams
Phone: 505.277.9504
Email: williams@law.unm.edu
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Albuquerque, NM – State legislatures and supreme courts throughout the country are confronting the controversial subject of aid in dying. State judiciaries are further faced with the issue of interpreting unique constitutional clauses and deciding whether those clauses provide for greater rights, such as the right to die.
National scholars and local experts will explore these controversial and timely issues in “Establishing New Rights: A Look at Aid in Dying” at the UNM School of Law on Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm. The Law School is located at 1117 Stanford NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131.
This Symposium will explore aid in dying from medical and legal perspectives, the background of New Mexico’s rulings on aid in dying, and how other states have tried or succeeded in legalizing aid in dying.
It will also focus on the issue of using state supreme courts and constitutions to create rights that do not currently exist on a national level.
Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of the University of California Berkeley School of Law, will present the keynote address on the history of state constitutions in providing civil rights. New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Charles W. Daniels will present on the New Mexico Supreme Court’s history of interpreting its constitution to establish civil liberties. Panels comprised of New Mexico judges and legal experts will discuss the topics of Aid in Dying and the role of state judiciaries.
The Symposium is presented by the New Mexico Law Review, a student-run, general legal journal published two times a year. Many Symposium speakers will contribute essays based on their talks for a special issue to be published in Spring 2018.
This program has been approved by the New Mexico Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board for 5.5 general hours of credit. It is designed to foster dialogue among those most closely connected to the issues of the role of the judiciary and state constitutions and/or teaching in these matters, but is also free and open to the public. Early registration is strongly encouraged.
Organizations interested in sponsoring the event are encouraged to contact Kyle Duffy, New Mexico Law Review, Managing Editor at duffyky@law.unm.edu or (505) 660-0537.
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About the University of New Mexico School of Law
The University of New Mexico School of Law offers the Juris Doctor (JD) and Master of Studies in Law (MSL) programs and Certificate Programs in Natural Resources & Environmental Law and in Indian Law. Known for its 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and excellent employment rates for graduates, the UNM Law School consistently ranks high in educational value. The UNM Law School is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) and is approved by the American Bar Association (ABA).
