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:

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 [email protected].

This week on Law 401, we’re joined by Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Executive Director of the Economic Progress Institute, to unpack the sweeping federal legislation known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill." Weayonnoh and her team of experts dug through all 870 pages to break down what really matters for Rhode Islanders.

From massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP to the broader legal and civil rights implications, we explore the details that affect you.  Who’s most impacted? And how can Rhode Island respond? Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded conversation about law, policy, and the future of equity in our state.

Highlights:

Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies: https://law.rwu.edu/student-life/stories/if-theres-life-theres-hope

Resources:

OBBB https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text

Commentary: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/07/21/metro/commentary-trump-era-tax-bill-medicaid-snap-rhode-island-tax-policy/

Economic Progress Institute: https://economicprogressri.org/

This episode thrives on podcast partnership.

Drawing on decades of reporting, Ed offers insight into the rising tension between free speech, press freedom, and the right to a fair trial in an era of digital half-truths.

Resources:

• Ed’s Bio: https://www.bostonglobe.com/about/staff-list/staff/edward-fitzpatrick/

Hungry for more media discussion? Join Boston Globe at the Rhode Map Live event: Telling Rhode Island’s Story: The Future of Local Media. Tuesday, Sept. 30. Info and registration via https://rhodemapliveseptember30.splashthat.com/ 

Zoning laws, red tape, and outdated building restrictions are blocking the housing Rhode Islanders desperately need. In this episode of Law 401, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi joins us to break down how the General Assembly is fighting the housing crisis by passing laws to fix a system that keeps homes out of reach for so many.

In this episode, we cover:

• How zoning laws have slowed housing growth, and what’s changing

PLUS: The HASBRO Headquarters move

Resources: 

• Speaker Shekarchi’s Bio: https://www.rilegislature.gov/representatives/Shekarchi/Pages/Biography.aspx

• 2025 R.I. Housing Legislation: https://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease/_layouts/RIL.PressRelease.ListStructure/Forms/DisplayForm.aspx?List=c8baae31%2D3c10%2D431c%2D8dcd%2D9dbbe21ce3e9&ID=375110&Web=2bab1515%2D0dcc%2D4176%2Da2f8%2D8d4beebdf488\

• 2024 R.I. Housing Bills Passed:  https://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease/_layouts/15/ril.pressrelease.inputform/DisplayForm.aspx?List=c8baae31-3c10-431c-8dcd-9dbbe21ce3e9&ID=374721

• HousingWorks R.I. 2024 Factbook: https://d337wih8hx5yft.cloudfront.net/images/Publications/HWRI_HFB24.pdf

• Chapter 37: RI Fair Housing Practices Act https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-37/INDEX.HTM