Enslaved by a Metaphor

by Perry S. Bechky, Visiting Assistant Professor at Seattle University School of Law

Last month, in Movsesian v. Victoria Versicherung AG, a divided panel of the Ninth Circuit struck down a California law that “extends the statute of limitations until 2010 for claims arising out of life insurance policies issued to ‘Armenian Genocide victim[s].’”  The majority reasoned that California’s use of the G word is preempted by the federal government’s “policy” not to use that word when describing the Ottoman slaughter of Armenians circa World War I. 

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The law affects virtually every facet of our lives, in our workplaces and our homes, from global transactions to the most intimate relationships.  Every day courts interpret existing laws, legislatures draft new ones, and the rest of us try to make sense of the impact these changes will have.

Welcome to the Seattle University School of Law faculty blog. This is an opportunity for our faculty to engage in informal examination of current cases and the pressing legal and policy issues of the day.  You’ll hear from a variety of voices in a wide range of fields, united by our commitment to academic excellence and education for justice.

We hope that you not only find these posts interesting and informative, but also that you will make this an interactive experience by joining in the discussion.