Rear View Perspective of Law School: Chucky Reid

It's true what they say about law school. The saying about how first year they scare you to death, second year they work you to death, third year they bore you to death. Last year there were weeks when I didn't know how I was going to finish everything that needed to be done--and damn near didn't. This year, it's still busy...maybe even just as busy. But it's not nearly the same. You end up coming up with little ideas to entertain yourself during class...like anonymously running 1Ls for representative without their knowledge or consent. Or setting up a three hour viewing of C-SPAN in the lounge in order to exploit a little known loophole in the Mentor Program. It's a little odd sitting during a lecture with this feeling in your gut that you should be getting stuff done at work rather than wasting it all in class.

Still, I'm going to miss St. Thomas Law when this year is done. After all, we have the number one quality of life amongst American law schools. Sure, there are other lists I'd like us to be on top of, but it's a start.

Tell you what. I'm going to miss this character right here after graduation. This is Professor Charles Reid. He's a very likable guy (even if he does chastise the occasional student for announcing at a Catholic law school that a new Pope had been elected). Maybe it's just me, but he kinda reminds me of the Monopoly man. Anyway, Professor Reid teaches Jurisprudence, Canon law, and Wills, Estates, and Trusts. This is a typical day in Jurisprudence:

REID: Who here can tell me what Ronald Dworkin said about the application of ex post facto rules?

CLASS: (Silence...because no one this side of Cambridge, Mass. knows of the top of their head the answer to this question)

REID: Alright, well who here has heard of Ronald Dworkin?

CLARK: (Half-raises hand)

REID: Ah, Mr. Clark. What did Ronald Dworkin have to say about ex post facto rules?

(pause)

CLARK: Wait a second...You asked if we'd heard of Ronald Dworkin. I have no idea what he said about ex post facto rules. If I'd known what he said about that, then wouldn't I have raised my hand when you asked that in the first place. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, Chuckles!*

REID: (Lighthearted chuckle...Goes on with class)

*Ok, I don't really say that. But dammit, I'm thinking it.

See, this is the problem: about two weeks into class, people have figured out Reid's little philosphy game. So when he asks if anyone has heard of some jurist or philosopher, no one will raise their hand. This results in Reid asking questions knowing that we all know the answer but getting the hugest giggle-fest out of the fact that no one is raising their hands.

"Who here has heard of Oliver Wendell Holmes?"
"Who here has heard of Abraham Lincoln?"
"Who here has taken contracts?"
"Who here graduated from high school?"
"What about the alphabet? Who here can read?"

Usually when it gets to this point, someone will raise their hand...and they'll immediately regret it when he follows up with a question about medeival canon law.