NKU Chase College of Law in Kentucky Law Schools
NKU — Salmon P. Chase College of Law
History & Identity
Founded in 1893, Chase College of Law was originally an evening law school in Cincinnati, Ohio, serving working professionals.
In 1971, it became part of Northern Kentucky University (NKU) and moved to Highland Heights, Kentucky, just outside Cincinnati.
Today, it is one of the three accredited law schools in Kentucky (alongside University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law and University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law).
Mission
Known as the "School for Opportunity," Chase emphasizes access to legal education for students balancing work, family, or nontraditional paths.
Offers full-time and part-time JD programs, plus joint degrees (JD/MBA, JD/MPP).
Academics & Training
Curriculum: First-year focuses on Contracts, Property, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Torts, Legal Research & Writing.
Experiential Programs:
Clinics: Small Business & Nonprofit Clinic, Constitutional Litigation Clinic, Children’s Law Center, Tax Clinic.
Externships: With courts, firms, corporations, and government agencies in both Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati.
Centers of Excellence:
W. Bruce Lunsford Academy for Law, Business + Technology (focus on law & tech).
Center for Excellence in Advocacy (trial and appellate skills).
Key Kentucky Case Law (commonly studied at NKU Chase)
1. Commonwealth v. Wasson (1992)
Facts: A Kentucky statute criminalized same-sex sodomy. Wasson challenged it as unconstitutional.
Issue: Whether the law violated the right to privacy and equal protection under the Kentucky Constitution.
Ruling: The Kentucky Supreme Court struck down the statute, holding it unconstitutional under Sections 1, 2, and 26 of the Kentucky Constitution.
Importance: Landmark civil rights case in Kentucky; predates Lawrence v. Texas (2003) at the U.S. Supreme Court. Law students study it in Constitutional Law to understand state constitutional protections.
2. Commonwealth v. Stamps (1993)
Facts: Defendant challenged a conviction for trafficking controlled substances, arguing insufficient evidence and improper jury instructions.
Ruling: The Kentucky Supreme Court emphasized the standard for reviewing sufficiency of evidence — whether a rational trier of fact could have found guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Importance: Core precedent in Criminal Procedure and Evidence courses; shapes how Kentucky courts view motions for directed verdict.
3. Davis v. Commonwealth (2008)
Facts: Defendant challenged police search of his vehicle during a traffic stop.
Issue: Whether the search violated the Fourth Amendment and Section 10 of the Kentucky Constitution.
Ruling: The Court ruled that warrantless searches must fall within recognized exceptions; reaffirmed privacy rights under Kentucky law.
Importance: Frequently studied in Criminal Procedure; shows how Kentucky applies Fourth Amendment principles with its own constitutional layer.
4. Kentucky v. King (2011) — U.S. Supreme Court case with Kentucky origins
Facts: Police in Lexington entered an apartment after smelling marijuana and hearing noises. Defendant argued it was unlawful entry.
Ruling: U.S. Supreme Court upheld the search, holding that police do not violate the Fourth Amendment by entering if they did not engage in conduct that violated or threatened to violate the law.
Importance: Major search and seizure precedent; though decided federally, it originated from Kentucky. Chase students study this to understand how local cases can become national constitutional law.
5. Williams v. Commonwealth (2010)
Facts: Defendant was convicted of wanton endangerment for firing a gun in public.
Ruling: The Kentucky Supreme Court clarified that “wanton endangerment” requires conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury.
Importance: Important in Criminal Law classes; illustrates how Kentucky defines mental states (intentional, reckless, wanton).
Why These Cases Matter at NKU Chase
They highlight Kentucky’s unique constitutional protections, often broader than federal law.
They provide practical grounding for Chase’s clinics and advocacy programs, especially in criminal defense, civil rights, and constitutional litigation.
They show how Kentucky cases influence national law (Wasson influenced LGBTQ rights; King shaped U.S. Supreme Court search and seizure doctrine).
RELATED Blog
0 comments