Annual Law Student Victims’ Rights Writing Competition

Up to 3 papers from across the country will be selected.
The top paper will receive a $300 prize; second and third-place papers will each receive a $100 prize.
Authors of selected papers will be invited to attend (virtually or in person) and may be invited to present their paper at a national webinar.
Conference tuition will be covered for those selected.
Selected papers may also be included in one of NCVLI’s nationally distributed publications.

Submissions must be original papers that analyze the legal rights of crime victims.
Preference is given to papers focusing on rights enforcement in the context of criminal justice systems, which is the area of victim law that receives the least attention.
Submissions should be no longer than 3500 words (including footnotes), double-spaced with one-inch margins, and the font must be Times New Roman. If a submission is an excerpt of a larger paper please indicate that on the first page.
Submissions may not have been previously published or accepted for publication unless accompanied by written authorization for re-print.
Authors/presenters must be enrolled in an ABA-accredited law school at the date of their submission or have graduated from such a school within the last 18 months.

Recent U.S. Supreme Court or state high court decisions
Unique hurdles to victims’ rights for particular populations, e.g.: victims of sexual assault, stalking, dating or domestic violence; child victims; immigrant victims; trafficking victims
Victim privacy and confidentiality
Fraud and identity theft
Intersection of hate and bias crimes and victims’ rights
Intersection of immigration law and victims’ rights
Intersection of environmental law and victims’ rights
Intersection of disability law and victims’ rights
Intersection of Title IX and victims’ rights
Accommodations for victims to facilitate participation (e.g., support persons, alternative means of testifying, courtroom design).
The intersection of privacy and media access
Fourth Amendment applied to victims
First Amendment issues from SLAPP to stalking

Author Name.
Law School.
Date of (Anticipated) Graduation from Law School.
Mailing Address.
Email Address.
Phone Number.
Title of abstract/article.
Author Biography: (150 word maximum). If selected, this bio may be used in Conference materials. If used, NCVLI may make non-substantive edits to the bio for formatting and marketing purposes without prior consent.