Writing Competition Rules
Winners of the 2008 Indian Law Writing Competition
- First Place: David DeKorte - University of Michigan Law School - "Thirty Years After Oliphant, the Guardian Is Still Not Guarding: The Dual-Edged Nature of Parens Patrie"
- Second Place: Jason Gubi - Fordham University School of Law - "The Religious Freedom Restoration Act and Protection of Native American Religious Practices"
- Third Place: Maria E. Jones - University of California, Hastings College of the Law - "Defending Bear Butte: Past, Present, and an Uncertain Future in the Battle Against Sturgis Motorcycle Rally"
Topics
Papers will be accepted on any issue concerning American Indian Law. However, topics recently published in the American Indian Law Review will not be favored.
Eligibility
The competition is open to students at accredited law schools in the United States and Canada who are enrolled as of the competition deadline. Editors of the American Indian Law Review are not eligible.
Awards
First Place - $1,000 and publication of paper in the American Indian Law Review, an official periodical of the University of Oklahoma College of Law with international distribution. Second place - $500. Third place -$250. The three winning authors will receive Felix S. Cohen 's Handbook of Federal Indian Law, provided by LEXIS. Other entries of publishable quality may also be published in the American Indian Law Review. These authors will be so notified.
Deadline
Submissions must be postmarked no later than January 31, 2008.
Judges
Papers will be judged by members of the legal profession with an interest in American Indian Law and by the editors of the American Indian Law Review.
Standards
Papers will be judged on the basis of originality and timeliness of topic, knowledge and use of applicable legal principles, proper and articulate analysis of the issues, use of authorities and extent of research, logic and reasoning in analysis, ingenuity and ability to argue by analogy, clarity and organization, correctness of format and citations, grammar and writing style, and strength and logic of conclusions.
Form
Entries must be typed double-spaced on 8½" x 11" non-erasable white paper. Entries must be a minimum of 20 pages and a maximum of 50 pages in length excluding endnotes. All citations should conform to the Uniform System of Citation. The paper must be submitted with a cover letter listing the author's name, social security number, school, expected year of graduation, current address, permanent address, and e-mail address. Inquiries may be replied to by e-mail. No identifying marks name, school, etc.) should appear on the paper itself All entries must have only one author, be previously unpublished and not currently submitted for publication elsewhere. Papers entered in the American Indian Law Review writing competition may not be submitted for consideration to any other publication until such time as winning entrants are announced. Any entries not fully in accord with required form will be ineligible for consideration. Authors whose papers are chosen for publication will be required to submit their work electronically.
Mailing Address
Mail entries to:
American Indian Law Writing Competition
American Indian Law Review
ATTN: Writing Competition Editor
Andrew M. Coats Hall
300 Timberdell Road
Norman OK 73019
Telephone: (405) 325-2840
Fax: (405) 325-6282
Email: ailr@ou.edu