Mormon Missionary Killer Sentenced to 38 Years

James Boughton Jr. has been sentenced to prison for 38 years for killing one Mormon missionary and wounding a second in a January 2006 attack in Chesapeake, Virginia. Twenty-three-year-old Boughton was sentenced Monday in a Chesapeake Circuit Court.

In December 2008, jurors convicted Boughton in the shooting death of Elder Morgan W. Young of Bountiful, Utah. Boughton also was convicted of wounding Elder Joshua Heidbrink of Greeley, Colorado. The missionaries were shot while knocking on doors.

Legal Briefs: Duke Law School, Mexican Consulate Shooting, Brookline

• Mormon Apostle Elder D. Todd Christopherson speaks to students at the Duke University School of Law. LDS Church News 

• Mormon among those killed in Mexican consulate shootings. Ke Alakai 

• Bookline, Massachusetts residents are petitioning the zoning board of appeals to reject Mormon Church. They feel that the proposed meeting house is far too big for the lot. Boston.com 

Legal Briefs: Mongolia Mormon Missionaries, Anti-Bias Ordinance, Valerie Hudson

• Due to a recent change in Mongolia's VISA laws some Mormon missionaries have had to leave the country. Salt Lake Tribune 

• West Valley City, Utah's city council to consider anti-bias ordinance which would protect gay and transgender people from housing and employment discrimination. Salt Lake Tribune 

• BYU's Valerie Hudson was recently announced as one of the top 100 global thinkers by Foreign Policy. Mormon Times. I took several classes from her as a student at BYU and I can vouch that she is an amazing thinker. One of my all-time favorite teachers.

2010 Religious Freedom Writing Competition

Religious Freedom Writing Competition

Open to All JRCLS Student Members

Purpose: The purpose of the writing competition is to promote quality research and writ-ing by the student members of the Society on the important topic of religious freedom. The competition is being sponsored by the DC Chapter of the Society and the International Center for Law and Religion Studies.

Awards: First Place-- $1,500 cash award plus a $500 travel reimbursement to attend the award dinner in Washington DC in the fall at which award winners will be recognized.
Second Place-- $1,000 cash award.
Third Place-- $500 cash award.
Honorable Mentions— Additional meritorious papers may be recognized. One or more of the award winning papers will be published online and possibly in print.


Submission: All papers must be submitted by no later than August 1, 2010 by e-mail to papers@jrclsdc.org. You will receive e-mail confirmation of submission. If you do not, please contact Jen at 703-753-4543.


Form: A scholarly paper of at least 2000 words, but not more than 3000 words, typed, thoroughly cited and presented in a publishable format on the topic of religious liberty.


Selection: Awards will be announced the first week of September.


Questions: Questions concerning the writing competition may be directed to papers@jrclsdc.org.

2010 Top Ten Most Mormon Friendly Law Schools

1.      1. Arizona State University, Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 65

Cost of Living: $12,952

Cost of Tuition: $28,858

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 10 Miles

US News Ranking: 55

2. (Tie) University of Minnesota School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 26

Cost of Living: $13,392

Cost of Tuition: $35,089

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 18 Miles

US News Ranking: 20

2. University of Nevada, Las Vegas – William S. Boyd School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 26

Cost of Living: $14,260

Cost of Tuition: $21,332

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 13 Miles

US News Ranking: 75

3. George Washington School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 67

Cost of Living: $20,500

Cost of Tuition: $40,100

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 10 Miles

US News Ranking: 28

4. George Mason University School of Law
Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 28
Cost of Living: $21,134

Cost of Tuition: $31948

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 21 Miles

US News Ranking: 41

5.      5. Texas Tech University School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 11

Cost of Living: $12,990

Cost of Tuition: $20,701

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 7 Miles

US News Ranking: 0

6.      6. University of Houston Law Center

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 16

Cost of Living: $15,536

Cost of Tuition: $25,977

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 29 Miles

US News Ranking: 59

7. Gonzaga University School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 33

Cost of Living: $14,375

Cost of Tuition: $30,263

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 12 Miles

US News Ranking: 100

8.      8. University of Idaho School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 45

Cost of Living: $15,270

Cost of Tuition: $20,962

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 83 Miles

US News Ranking: 0

9. Oklahoma City University School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 35

Cost of Living: $16,660

Cost of Tuition: $30,970

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 15 Miles

US News Ranking: 0

10. Lewis & Clark Law School

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 6

Cost of Living: $16,345

Cost of Tuition: $30,461

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 5 Miles

US News Ranking: 61

Honorable Mentions: (3 Way Tie)

Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 9

Cost of Living: $17,870

Cost of Tuition: $35,869

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 9 Miles

US News Ranking: 35

University of Nebraska School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 11

Cost of Living: $11,476

Cost of Tuition: $25,101

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 58 Miles

US News Ranking: 0

University of Virginia School of Law

Number of registered J. Reuben Clark Law Society Members: 47

Cost of Living: $15,700

Cost of Tuition: $41,800

Distance to Nearest LDS Temple: 119 Miles

US News Ranking: 10