Baylor Law School in Texas Law Schools
Baylor University – School of Law
History & Background
Founded: 1857 in Independence, Texas; re-established in 1914 in Waco, Texas.
Affiliation: Part of Baylor University, the oldest university in Texas with a strong Christian mission.
Identity: Baylor Law emphasizes practical legal training, ethics, and professionalism, blending doctrinal study with skills-based learning.
Accreditation: Fully accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Academics & Curriculum
First-Year Curriculum: Core law subjects including Contracts, Torts, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Property, and Legal Writing.
Skills & Practice Focus: Baylor Law is nationally recognized for its Trial Advocacy Program, producing many national moot court and trial advocacy champions.
Clinics & Experiential Learning:
Civil Clinic: Provides hands-on representation in civil litigation.
Criminal Defense Clinic: Defends clients in misdemeanor and felony cases.
Business & Transactional Law Clinic: Advises small businesses, startups, and nonprofits.
Judicial Externships & Internships: Opportunities with Texas courts and government agencies.
Special Programs: Emphasis on Appellate Advocacy, Legislative Advocacy, and Legal Ethics.
Key Texas Case Law Often Studied at Baylor
1. Edgewood Independent School District v. Kirby (1989)
Facts: Plaintiffs challenged the Texas public school financing system as inequitable because it relied heavily on local property taxes.
Issue: Did the Texas financing system violate the state constitution’s requirement for an efficient system of public education?
Ruling: The Texas Supreme Court held that the financing system was unconstitutional because it created vast disparities between wealthy and poor districts.
Importance: Landmark in Education Law and State Constitutional Law; taught at Baylor to illustrate state constitutional remedies for inequality.
2. Texas v. Johnson (1989)
Facts: Defendant burned the U.S. flag in protest at the Republican National Convention in Dallas.
Issue: Does flag burning constitute protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment?
Ruling: U.S. Supreme Court held that flag burning is protected speech.
Importance: Central to Constitutional Law classes; demonstrates Texas as the jurisdiction for major free speech cases.
3. In re G.M.S. (2014)
Facts: Involved a dispute over parental rights and the termination of parental rights under Texas Family Code.
Ruling: The Texas Supreme Court clarified standards for “best interest of the child” in parental termination cases.
Importance: Frequently studied in Family Law at Baylor; shows Texas-specific statutory interpretation and balancing of parental vs. child rights.
4. Ex parte Rodriguez (2009)
Facts: Addressed whether a defendant could seek post-conviction habeas relief when ineffective assistance of counsel was claimed.
Ruling: Texas courts outlined the requirements for proving ineffective assistance of counsel under Strickland v. Washington standards applied in Texas.
Importance: Central to Criminal Procedure and appellate advocacy training at Baylor.
5. Morales v. TDA (Texas Department of Agriculture, hypothetical example used in classrooms)
Facts: Dispute over state regulatory enforcement and due process rights.
Ruling: Courts emphasized administrative law principles — notice, opportunity to be heard, and statutory interpretation.
Importance: Used in Administrative Law courses at Baylor to illustrate Texas administrative procedures.
Why These Cases Matter at Baylor Law
They demonstrate Texas-specific constitutional and statutory interpretation.
They bridge practical skills and doctrinal learning — students brief, argue, and apply these cases in clinics and moot court competitions.
They expose students to state vs. federal law interactions, a core focus for lawyers practicing in Texas.
RELATED Blog
0 comments