Documentary Screening Event - Baby Doe
CSU Law's Center for Health Law and Policy presents a screening of the documentary, Baby Doe, which tells the story of Gail Ritchey, a young woman from a conservative Christian community in rural Ohio who, 30 years ago, gave birth alone and left her newborn in the woods. Now a devoted mother of three, her life is upended when DNA evidence links her to the decades-old case known as “Geauga’s Child.” Facing a possible life sentence, Gail must confront the weight of societal and religious pressures—and her own long-buried shame—to fight for her freedom.
The film will be followed with a post-screening discussion that examines the complex intersection of criminal law, reproductive rights, and mental health.
The Establishment and the Establishment Clause: The Future of Religion in American Public Square
2026 Constitution Day Lecture
Following the US Supreme Court’s decision Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, Establishment Clause law is in a state of uncertainty. The 2022 ruling sidelined the Lemon test, the standard courts had used for decades to decide these cases, yet an entire generation of lawyers continues to advise their clients cautiously, as though Lemon still applied. What is the law, and where is it going?
Featured guest speaker: David Yost, Senior Counsel and Vice President of Policy Innovation, Alliance Defending Freedom, and former Attorney General
Crain’s Cleveland Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law 2026
Seven of the 22 lawyers and 34 total leaders on this year’s Crain’s Cleveland Notable Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law are graduates of Cleveland State University College of Law.
Congratulations to the following alumni for their inclusion on the 2026 list:
Intellectual Disability, Geography, and a Life-or-Death Decision
CSU Law assistant professor of law, co-faculty director of the Center for Health Law and Policy, and Deans’ Scholar Laura C. Hoffman, J.D., LL.M., S.J.D., recently contributed a post to Harvard’s Bill of Health, a well-known and respected blog in the health law community.
Professor Hoffman’s post, “Intellectual Disability, Geography, and a Life-or-Death Decision,” discusses a U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hamm v. Smith involving the issue of determining intellectual disability in death penalty cases.
CSU|LAW Professor Heidi Gorovitz Robertson Selected as Inaugural Burke Environmental Law Center Distinguished Visiting Professor
Professor Heidi Gorovitz Robertson, the Steven W. Percy Distinguished Professor of Law and professor of environmental studies at Cleveland State University College of Law, has been selected as the inaugural Visiting Professor at the Coleman P. Burke Environmental Law Center at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Ohio Innocence Watch Site Launch
Today is a proud day for all of us at Ohio Court Watch.
After many months of planning, research, programming, and teamwork, we are honored to announce the launch of Ohio Innocence Watch.
Ohio Innocence Watch is built on a simple but powerful idea: justice should never be hidden from public view. When an individual asserts that they have been wrongfully convicted, those claims deserve to be heard, decided, and understood by the public. Whether a claim ultimately succeeds or fails, confidence in our justice system depends upon transparency, accountability, and timely judicial decision-making.
From the Deans' Suite - 5/22/26 - "You are enough"
"Today’s event and alumni luncheon were awesome and inspiring. The strength, reach, and engagement of the CSU Law alumni network reinforced that CSU has built something incredibly special at the intersection of law, technology, cybersecurity, and public impact.
The energy of the community and the support I experienced from faculty, leadership, students, and graduates made CSU feel like home.”
From the Deans' Suite - 5/14/26 - Celebrating the Strength of Our Alumni
One of the great strengths of CSU Law is our alumni—and nowhere is that more evident than in the work of the Cleveland State University College of Law Alumni Association (CSULAA). This remarkable group of leaders meets monthly out of commitment to one another and to this law school. They organize gatherings that build community, service activities that reflect our mission, and continuing education opportunities that support lifelong learning. Most importantly, they remain deeply engaged with our students and invested in the future of CSU Law.
From the Deans' Suite - 4/30/26 - You've Still Got This
As exams approach, we want to return to the advice we shared in the fall, not because we assume you forgot it, but because some messages are worth hearing more than once. In law school, timing changes the meaning of advice. What sounded useful in November may land differently in April, and good advice always bears repeating.
We know this stretch can feel heavy. Exams have a way of shrinking your world and, worse, feeling like a verdict on your ability to become a successful lawyer.
They are not. They are a serious part of your legal education, and preparing for them is where a lot of learning happens. But grades are feedback not destiny.