Spring 2025
In Association with the Monmouth Pre-Law Society
Meet the Executive Board
Owen Bros is a rising senior studying Political Science and History. In addition to being Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, Owen serves as president of the College Democrats and was recently appointed Deputy Membership Director of the College Democrats of New Jersey. Outside of school he works in local government and is a foster youth activist. He looks forward to studying in Washington D.C. in Fall of 2025 and is excited to begin a career in public interest law.
Giavanna Cangialosi is a rising junior and a first-generation student studying Political Science with a Concentration in Legal Studies and Business Administration. Giavanna serves as president of the Mock Trial team and an active member of the Model United Nations team, being awarded “Honorable Delegate” and “Distinguished Delegate” at two different conferences (FCMUN 2025) (NMUN DC 2024). She also has been recently inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society. Giavanna plans on pursuing a career in corporate law.
Mariami Ramirez Tsuladze is a senior majoring in Anthropology and Political Science with a Concentration in Legal Studies. She became the captain of the Hawks debate team at the age of 18 and continues to serve as such. Mariami has been elected as the president for both the Political Science and the Students Advocating Girl Education (SAGE) clubs, as well as the Vice President for the College Democrats club. Outside of school, she holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. Mariami looks forward to graduating in the fall and is planning on pursuing family law.
Delainey Frank is a rising senior at Monmouth University majoring in Political Science with a Concentration in Legal Studies and a minor in Business Administration. Throughout her time at Monmouth she has completed an internship with Hayden Power Group as a Legal Intern. She has been involved in reviving the Mock Trial Team and has been a vital member of the Pre-Law Club. She is a member of the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority and has two positions on their Executive Council. She plans on taking the LSAT in August and attending law school in Philadelphia or Boston.
A Note from Faculty Advising
This volume of The Monmouth University Law Review marks the start of what we hope will become a tradition. Our students have undertaken the ambitious task of producing an annual law review showcasing the best in legal scholarship at our institution. Our editors have had to start from scratch, building momentum, raising awareness, and restarting the once-defunct Pre-Law Club. The initiative and professionalism demonstrated by the founding editorial board has set a high standard for future volumes. I want to sincerely thank Owen, Giavanna, Mariami, and Delainey for their hard work and dedication in founding an institution at Monmouth.
– Dr. Scott Hofer, Faculty Advisor
Articles
Forced Labor: 13th Amendment and Abortion
This article critically explores the erosion of reproductive rights in the United States following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the regulation of abortion to the states. While public discourse and legal precedent often frame abortion rights in terms of privacy, this paper proposes an innovative reframing of the issue through the lens of the 13th Amendment’s prohibition on involuntary servitude. Drawing on legal scholarship, historical parallels to slavery, and judicial interpretations of labor and consent, the article argues that forced pregnancy constitutes a form of involuntary labor that violates constitutional protections. Further, the article examines how these legal arguments intersect with broader systemic issues, including racial injustice, economic disenfranchisement, and the legacy of eugenics. Ultimately, it contends that abortion restrictions not only diminish individual liberty and bodily autonomy, but also perpetuate structural inequalities. Through this lens, the 13th Amendment emerges as a potentially powerful—if underexplored—foundation for restoring and strengthening reproductive freedom in the United States.
The TikTok Ban, Let’s Talk About It
This article examines the complex legal, political, and constitutional issues surrounding the U.S. government’s efforts to ban TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform with over 170 million American users. It explores the evolving national security concerns tied to foreign data access, the legislative and judicial responses—most notably under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the 2024 Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act—and the constitutional debates involving the First and Fifth Amendments. Central to the controversy are questions about the limits of executive power, the scope of protected expression in the digital age, and whether the ban represents necessary defense or governmental overreach. Through analysis of key court decisions, political reactions, and public response—especially among younger users—the article argues that the TikTok ban has become a flashpoint in broader debates about free speech, digital privacy, and the selective application of national security justifications. Ultimately, the case highlights the challenges of regulating global technology platforms within the framework of American constitutional democracy.