#SistersInLaw 287: Did Someone Call For A Juris Doctor?
Mar 18, 2026
Legal takeaways on the E. Jean Carroll defamation dispute and why the Supreme Court may not side with Trump. Clear explanations of when guilty pleas still allow sentencing appeals. A deep dive into the many career benefits of earning a J.D. A breakdown of missing DOJ Epstein documents and the limits on who can prosecute federal crimes. A plain-language distinction between deportation and denaturalization.
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SCOTUS Likely To Treat Carroll Case As Ordinary Defamation
- The Supreme Court will likely treat routine defamation awards involving a president as ordinary cases rather than favoring the president.
- Joyce Vance argues the Court has an established body of defamation law and is unlikely to "go full MAGA" by showing explicit bias to overturn settled procedures.
Appeal A Sentence Even After A Guilty Plea
- Defendants can plead guilty yet still appeal their sentence unless they waived that right in a plea agreement.
- Barb McQuade notes DOJ policy requires allowing appeals for claims like ineffective assistance of counsel despite appeal waivers.
Law School Trains A Distinct 360 Degree Thinking
- A J.D. trains you to think like a lawyer: evaluate problems from 360 degrees, set aside bias, and assess facts and law independently.
- Joyce Vance says that thinking skill benefits business, creative, nonprofit work, and uncommon cross-professions like MD/JD roles.
