Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (AJMLS) is proud to announce that Professors Jonathan Rapping and Jeffrey A. Van Detta have been prominently featured in Volume XVII, Issue I of the John Marshall Law Journal. Their scholarly works were presented at the Faculty Showcase during the Journal Symposium held in March 2024, underscoring the institution’s commitment to advancing legal scholarship and fostering critical discussions on pressing legal issues.
Professor Jonathan Rapping: “Return from Wonderland: Public Defender Workloads, Georgia, and the Opportunity to Return from a World Where the Justice System Is Anything But”
Professor Rapping’s article delves into the systemic challenges faced by public defenders in Georgia, particularly focusing on the overwhelming caseloads that hinder effective representation. Drawing from his extensive experience as a public defender and his leadership in founding Gideon’s Promise, the article offers a compelling critique of the current state of indigent defense and proposes pathways toward reform. His work emphasizes the need for a justice system that truly upholds the constitutional promise of fair representation for all.
In addition to leading the Criminal Justice Certificate Program and serving as the Faculty Director of the Criminal and Civil Justice Institute at AJMLS, Professor Rapping has taught Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Criminal Justice Lawyering. Professor Rapping, a nationally renowned criminal justice reformer, is the founder of Gideon’s Promise and the author of Gideon’s Promise: A Public Defender Movement to Transform Criminal Justice. Among numerous recognitions, Rapping received the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant for his cutting-edge approach to justice transformation. He was awarded the Alumni Professional Achievement Award from his alma mater, The University of Chicago and was elected for membership to the American Law Institute. He is a frequent contributor to the national conversation on criminal justice reform and has been featured by numerous media outlets. Rapping has also been a speaker at TEDx Atlanta. Rapping’s work was the inspiration for the award-winning HBO documentary “Gideon’s Army”.
Professor Jeffrey A. Van Detta: “A Primer and Update on Georgia’s Conflict of Laws”
Professor Van Detta’s contribution provides an insightful analysis of Georgia’s conflict of laws principles, offering both foundational understanding and recent developments in the field. With his extensive background in international business and workplace law, Professor Van Detta examines how Georgia courts navigate complex legal issues involving multiple jurisdictions, providing valuable perspectives for practitioners and scholars alike.
Professor Van Detta has taught the Conflict of Laws course at AJMLS since 2004. He is also the author, video lecturer, and live-class teacher of the world’s first synchronous online Conflict of Laws course, which he taught for a Los Angeles-based JD program from 2005-2016. He has developed extensive teaching materials for the course: Conflict of Laws: Problems & Solutions —Domestic & International Choice of Law For the 21st Century Global Economy (2014). With the advent of the 2025-2026 year, Professor Van Detta will enter his 27th year of teaching at the Law School, following over twelve years of law practice at Kilpatrick & Cody and his year-long clerkship for Hon. Roger J. Miner, U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a member in good standing of the Georgia and New York Bars and admitted to a number of federal district and appeals courts.
Access the Full Volume
Both articles, along with other scholarly works, are available in the full-text edition of Volume XVII, Issue I of the John Marshall Law Journal here.
These publications reflect the dedication of our faculty to addressing critical legal issues and contributing to the broader legal community’s understanding. We commend Professors Rapping and Van Detta for their continued excellence in legal scholarship and their unwavering commitment to justice and legal education.