Law 401

Intimate partner violence affects thousands of Rhode Islanders, and the systems meant to protect survivors can be overwhelming to navigate. In this episode, Sojourner House Staff Attorney Yulyana Torres L’23, breaks down the data, the terminology, and the lived experiences behind Sojourner’s launch of legal services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.  
We explore respectful language, client-led advocacy, trauma-informed representation, disparities in access to representation, and the systemic barriers survivors face in Rhode Island. A powerful listen for both lawyers and community members, offering a sharper view of how we can better support survivors. 
Resources 
Yulyana Torres 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yulyana-torres-381381156/ 
Sojourner House
https://sojournerri.org/press-release-sojourner-house-to-launch-legal-services-program-for-victims-of-abuse/ 

This Law 401 episode examines the difference between expectations of body-worn cameras and their real outcomes.  Rhode Island Public Defender and RWU Law Adjunct Professor Collin Geiselman joins hosts Nicole and Michael to break down how Rhode Island’s camera program works in real life, including what gets recorded, what doesn’t, who can access footage, and why the “truth” on video is often more complicated than it looks. We explore policy limits, privacy concerns, courtroom use, transparency, and what reforms Rhode Island still needs as body cameras become central to modern policing.
Resources
Collin Mathew Geiselman, Rhode Island Office of Public Defender
http://www.ripd.org/officedivisions.html
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/collin-mathew-geiselman
Body-Worn Cameras
https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/110-RICR-10-00-2_Clean_Proposed-1.pdf
APRA
https://dhs.ri.gov/public-records

AI tools are quickly entering Rhode Island classrooms, from monitoring software to learning platforms, but the laws protecting students haven’t kept up. Attorney and RWU Law adjunct professor Linn Foster Freedman breaks down what FERPA, COPPA, and state-level policies cover. And what Rhode Island can learn from states like Texas and California as they roll out their own AI governance rules.
We explore:
How schools can balance safety with privacy
Why parents need to guide students in ethical tech
What questions families and districts should ask before adopting new systems
Resources
Linn Foster Freedman
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/linn-foster-freedman
FERPA
https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/ferpa
COPPA
https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule-coppa
CA’s AI Policy
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2025/09/29/governor-newsom-signs-sb-53-advancing-californias-world-leading-artificial-intelligence-industry/
TX’s AI Policy
https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00149I.pdf
Subscribe now https://linktr.ee/rwulaw

In this episode of Law 401, we welcome immigration attorney Zachary Lyons L’17 to explain Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo, a recent California Supreme Court case that reopened the door to immigration stops based on “reasonable suspicion.”  We discussed how perceived ethnicity or speaking a foreign language can factor into an immigration stop and what the decision means for Fourth Amendment rights for all Rhode Islanders.
Resources
Zachary Lyons
https://law.rwu.edu/alumni/alumni-association/law-alumni-association-board-directors
Noem v. Vasquez Perdomo
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24pdf/25a169_5h25.pdf
RWU Immigration Clinic
https://law.rwu.edu/academics/juris-doctor/clinics-and-externships/immigration-clinic
Dorcas International Institute of RI
https://www.diiri.org/
Amor
https://amorri.org/
Progresso Latino
https://www.progresolatino.org/

Rhode Island Senator Meghan Kallman joins us to break down the much-talked-about proposal known as the “Taylor Swift Tax” and the ABCs of tax policy.
She’s calling for wealthy non-residents with second homes valued over $1 million to pay their fair share and explains the data showing “millionaire flight” as a myth.
This episode shines a light on Rhode Island’s upside-down tax code where working people shoulder more of the burden. We also dig into how decades of underbuilding have fueled the state’s housing crisis and what’s being done to fix it, from zoning reform to new funding for affordable housing. Resources:
Meghan Kallman
https://www.rilegislature.gov/senators/kallman/Pages/Biography.aspx
Non-Owner Occupied Property Tax Act
https://tax.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur541/files/2025-07/2025_summary_of_legislative_changes.pdf
The Economic Progress Institute
https://economicprogressri.org/publications/epi-policy-brief-moving-beyond-the-mass-exodus-tax-flight-myth

Rhode Island Comic Con is back, and cosplay fans are preparing to bring their favorite characters to life. But what legal rules come into play behind the costumes? Hosts Michael Donnelly-Boylen and Nicole Dyszlewski sit down with attorney and cosplayer Blake Johnson L’21, to explore intellectual property, fair use, and the dos and don’ts of fandom.  Is it legal to dress as a branded character, and what laws are behind it? From copyright rules to fan art, trademark issues, and building creative careers in Rhode Island, this episode explores why cosplayers pour time, effort, and imagination into their costumes. And what the law has to say about it.
Resources
Blake Johnson
https://www.sheehanlawoffice.net/blake
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders v. Scoreboard Posters
https://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/summaries/dallcowboys-scoreboard-5thcir1979.pdf
Santopietro v. Howell
https://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2017/05/24/14-16324.pdf

Just waking up to the fight to reopen Morley Field? Join our guest, Pawtucket City Councilor and attorney Clovis Gregor, as we unpack the dispute over Woodlawn’s only green space and the push to restore it for public use rather than turn it into a parking lot.
What started as a few neighbors speaking up became a microcosm of environmental justice in Rhode Island, raising questions about stewardship, transparency, and public participation in local decision-making. Learn how advocacy and community organizing among the “Friends of Morley Field” are turning the tide toward rehabilitation and recreation, not pavement.
Resources:
Clovis Gregor https://www.clovisglaw.com/
Save Morley Field
https://linktr.ee/savemorleyfield?
RI Environmental Education Association
https://www.rieea.org/reopenmorleyfield/
ecoRI News
https://ecori.org/removal-of-morley-field-will-reduce-green-space-in-pawtucket-neighborhood-thats-already-a-park-desert/
 

How are judges chosen in Rhode Island—and is the process really based on merit, or driven by political connections?
Our guests — Michael Yelnosky, professor and former dean of Roger Williams University School of Law, and John Marion MSL’20, executive director of Common Cause Rhode Island — unpack how judges are chosen in Rhode Island and whether the system truly rewards excellence… or favors insiders.
Using a recent Providence Journal article by Katherine Gregg as a starting point — “How can you become a judge in RI? Start with political connections” — we discuss whether reforms intended to reduce patronage have lived up to their promise.
 
Highlights:11:30 History of Picking Judges: Now vs. Before 199423:45 Upset About Judge Selection? Here's How to Speak Out27:29 What Are Magistrates? Understanding Their Role and How They're Appointed36:23 In RI, Knowing Everyone — Should That Disqualify Judge Selectors?
Resources:
“How can you become a judge in RI? Start with political connections.”
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2025/09/29/who-is-in-the-running-to-be-a-ri-judge-and-their-political-connections/85891915007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z11----p118150c118150e000800v11xx10o11----b0072xxd117265&gca-ft=227&gca-ds=sophi
Bios
Prof. Michael Yelnoksy: https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/michael-j-yelnosky
John Marion MSL’20 https://law.rwu.edu/student-life/stories/exactly-what-i-needed
Common Cause Rhode Island
https://www.commoncause.org/rhode-island/about-us/
Judicial Nominating Commission
https://jnc.ri.gov/

Why does land return matter to Indigenous people? In this episode, we speak with Tai Palermo L'22, Legal Director of the Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights, about the historic return of 255 acres in Bristol, RI, from Brown University to the Pokanoket Tribe.
We explore the legal, cultural, and emotional weight of this moment. What land return and the repatriation of sacred artifacts mean for tribal sovereignty. And how they help Indigenous communities take back control and keep their cultures alive.
What’s next for the Pokanoket land? That remains to be seen. This is a conversation about history, justice, and the ongoing work of restoration.
Resources:
Taino Palermo L'22’s Bio
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/taino-palermo
Land Transfer in The Providence Journal
https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/11/20/trailblazing-brown-university-returns-255-acres-to-pokanoket-tribe-bristol-rhode-island/76450706007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z11----p001740n11----c11----e001000v118108o11----b0065xxd116565&gca-ft=233&gca-ds=sophi
Center for Indigenous Peoples Rights
https://www.thecipr.org/
Raymond Two Hawks Watson L'22’s Bio
https://provcei.org/
Office of Federal Acknowledgement
https://www.bia.gov/as-ia/ofa
NAGPRA
https://www.bia.gov/service/nagpra

Ever wondered how to turn your passion into policy? In this episode, we're joined by Professor Victoria Litman of Roger Williams School of Law, who breaks down how everyday Rhode Islanders can become powerful advocates at the state and local level. From writing letters to testifying at the State House, she shares simple, actionable steps to influence the laws that shape your life.
Victoria, a nationally recognized researcher in cannabis and psychedelics regulation, details her personal journey advocating for Bill H7047, which aimed to legalize the possession of psychedelic mushrooms but ultimately did not pass. She emphasizes why showing up — especially for the long game — matters, and how your voice can help educate lawmakers and drive meaningful change.
Resources:
Victoria Litman
https://law.rwu.edu/faculty/victoria-litman
Bill H7047
https://rhodeislandcurrent.com/2024/02/01/push-to-legalize-magic-mushrooms-is-back-before-house-judiciary-committee/
Freedom to Read Act https://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease/_layouts/15/ril.pressrelease.inputform/DisplayForm.aspx?List=c8baae31-3c10-431c-8dcd-9dbbe21ce3e9&ID=375699
Petrie-Flom Center
https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/
Capitol TV
https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/
 
Have an episode idea? Email us at law401podcast@rwu.edu.