Michael L. Smith

St. Mary's University School of Law

One Camino Santa Maria St

San Antonio, TX 78228

United States

SCHOLARLY PAPERS

49

DOWNLOADS
Rank 6,749

SSRN RANKINGS

Top 6,749

in Total Papers Downloads

13,409

TOTAL CITATIONS

5

Scholarly Papers (49)

1.

Is Originalism Bullshit?

28 Lewis & Clark Law Review 779 (2025)
Number of pages: 62 Posted: 20 Mar 2024 Last Revised: 20 Feb 2025
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 4,828 (4,165)

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originalism, bullshit, constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, lies, lying, history, legal practice, Supreme Court

2.

Regulating Law Enforcement's Use of Drones: The Need for State Legislation

52 Harv. J. on Legis. 423
Number of pages: 32 Posted: 07 Sep 2014 Last Revised: 21 Oct 2015
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 868 (58,937)
Citation 2

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drones, law and technology, privacy, surveillance, courts, state legislatures, Fourth Amendment

3.

Abandoning Original Meaning

86 Albany Law Review 43 (2023)
Number of pages: 58 Posted: 12 Sep 2022 Last Revised: 23 Jun 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 422 (146,133)

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originalism, constitutional law, New York State Rifle and Pistol Assoc. Inc. v. Bruen, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, First Amendment, Second Amendment, abortion

4.

Historical Tradition: A Vague, Overconfident, and Malleable Approach to Constitutional Law

88 Brooklyn Law Review 797 (2023)
Number of pages: 43 Posted: 30 Aug 2022 Last Revised: 18 May 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 406 (152,847)
Citation 1

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Constitutional Law, Constitutional Interpretation, Originalism, Second Amendment, History, Scrutiny, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. V. Bruen

5.

Arbitration by Combat

20 Media & Arts Law Review 164, 2015
Number of pages: 17 Posted: 09 Aug 2015
Michael L. Smith and Raj Shah
St. Mary's University School of Law and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) - School of Law
Downloads 391 (159,434)

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history, arbitration, trial by combat, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, Game of Thrones, Federal Arbitration Act, contracts, law

6.

Originalism and the Meaning of 'Twenty Dollars'

56 Creighton Law Review 499 (2023)
Number of pages: 20 Posted: 28 Apr 2023 Last Revised: 03 Oct 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 380 (164,640)

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originalism, constitutional law, Seventh Amendment, twenty dollars, jury trial, constitutional interpretation

7.

History as Precedent: Common Law Reasoning in Historical Investigation

University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law, Vol. 27, (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 61 Posted: 20 Mar 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 323 (196,451)

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originalism, history, constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, common law, precedent, analogical reasoning, legal argument, expertise, candor, dicta

8.

Language Models, Plagiarism, and Legal Writing

22 University of New Hampshire Law Review 361 (2024)
Number of pages: 33 Posted: 21 Aug 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 322 (197,129)

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generative AI, artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, plagiarism, language models, large language models, legal writing, practice of law, law and technology

9.

The Second Amendment Implications of Regulating 3D Printed Firearms

Syracuse Journal of Science & Technology Law, Vol. 31, Article 3, Page 60
Number of pages: 38 Posted: 26 Feb 2014 Last Revised: 07 May 2015
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 252 (254,366)
Citation 1

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constitutional law, law and technology, Second Amendment, 3D Printing

10.

Generative AI and the Purpose of Legal Scholarship

Number of pages: 36 Posted: 05 Jan 2025 Last Revised: 31 Jan 2025
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 251 (255,409)

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generative AI, ChatGPT, legal scholarship, legal writing, fun, joy, tedium, dystopian fiction

11.

Shooting Fish

12 Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law 188 (2020)
Number of pages: 56 Posted: 11 Sep 2019 Last Revised: 07 Jan 2021
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 233 (274,616)

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environmental law, constitutional law, animal law, fishing, hunting, state constitutional law, Second Amendment

12.

Disingenuous Interpretation

93 Mississippi Law Journal 349 (2023)
Number of pages: 76 Posted: 13 Mar 2023 Last Revised: 15 Mar 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 224 (285,285)

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constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, originalism, traditionalism, moral readings, common good, pragmatism, common law constitutionalism

13.

Search Engine Liability for Autocomplete Defamation: Combating the Power of Suggestion

2013 Journal of Law, Technology and Policy, 313 (2013)
Number of pages: 24 Posted: 20 Sep 2013 Last Revised: 21 Dec 2013
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 221 (288,947)

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Communications Decency Act, defamation, torts, law and technology, Internet law

14.

Originalism in the Year Three Thousand

43 Quinnipiac Law Review (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 23 Posted: 13 May 2024 Last Revised: 05 Sep 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 218 (292,728)

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constitutional law, time travel, constitutional interpretation, originalism, common law constitutionalism, the event

15.

Moral Panic and the First Amendment

72 Buffalo Law Review 455 (2024)
Number of pages: 92 Posted: 28 Sep 2023 Last Revised: 04 Dec 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 207 (307,421)

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First Amendment, moral panic, constitutional law, drag, drag laws, critical race theory, critical race theory laws, marketplace of ideas

16.

Do Not Read

South Dakota Law Review, Volume 70, Issue 2 (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 15 Posted: 06 Jun 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 189 (334,508)

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17.

Library Crime

71 Drake Law Review 65 (2024)
Number of pages: 72 Posted: 29 Aug 2023 Last Revised: 12 Apr 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 187 (337,710)

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Library, libraries, criminal law, overcriminalization, mass incarceration, mass criminalization, homelessness, law and poverty

18.

Originalism, Common Good Constitutionalism, and Transparency

46 Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy 1217 (2023)
Number of pages: 25 Posted: 09 Nov 2022 Last Revised: 16 Jan 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 184 (342,755)

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originalism, common good constitutionalism, constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, transparency

19.

The Present Public Meaning Approach to Constitutional Interpretation

89 Tennessee Law Review 885 (2023)
Number of pages: 72 Posted: 24 May 2022 Last Revised: 27 Apr 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 182 (346,166)

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20.

Public Accommodations Laws, Free Speech Challenges, and Limiting Principles in the Wake of 303 Creative

84 Louisiana Law Review 565 (2024)
Number of pages: 60 Posted: 28 Sep 2023 Last Revised: 06 Mar 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 180 (349,602)
Citation 1

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constitutional law, First Amendment, public accommodations, discrimination, rights, 303 Creative,

21.

Generative AI in the Attorney-Client Relationship: An Exercise in Critical Revision and Client Management

Number of pages: 20 Posted: 01 Nov 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 173 (362,007)

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Artificial intelligence, generative AI, ChatGPT, legal writing, attorney-client relationship, client management, legal practice

22.

Originalism's Implementation Problem

30 William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal 1063 (2022)
Number of pages: 56 Posted: 11 Aug 2021 Last Revised: 01 Feb 2023
Michael L. Smith and Alexander Hiland
St. Mary's University School of Law and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Downloads 173 (362,007)

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originalism, constitutional law, history, precedent, practice of law, politics, constitutional record, corpus linguistics

23.

Distracted Walking

Penn State Law Review, Vol. 126, No. 3, 2022
Number of pages: 32 Posted: 03 Mar 2022 Last Revised: 26 Jul 2022
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 164 (379,344)

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criminal law, distracted walking, municipal law, misdemeanors, infractions, discretionary policing, law and technology, pedestrians, traffic law, overcriminalization

24.

Constitutional Interpretation and Zombie Provisions

40 Georgia State University Law Review 603
Number of pages: 63 Posted: 26 Jun 2023 Last Revised: 30 May 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 158 (393,682)

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constitutional law, state constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, zombie law, marriage, sex discrimination, freedom of religion, constitutional amendment

25.

Countermajoritarian Criminal Law

43 Pace Law Review 54 (2022)
Number of pages: 52 Posted: 06 Aug 2022 Last Revised: 16 Jan 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 157 (393,682)

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criminal law, overcriminalization, democratic legitimacy, municipal law, local offenses, state constitutions, constitutional crimes

26.

State Constitutional Prohibitions of Slavery and Involuntary Servitude

99 Washington Law Review 523 (2024)
Number of pages: 39 Posted: 24 Aug 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 155 (398,001)

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constitutional law, state constitutional law, slavery, involuntary servitude, punishment, Punishment Clause, Thirteenth Amendment, mass incarceration, convict labor

27.

The Third Amendment in 2020

Number of pages: 24 Posted: 26 May 2021
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 155 (402,362)

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Third Amendment, constitutional law, Constitution, quartering, soldiers, history, politics

28.

Prosecuting the Undead: Federal Criminal Law in a World of Zombies

61 UCLA Law Review Discourse 44
Number of pages: 13 Posted: 23 Apr 2013 Last Revised: 23 Jul 2013
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 149 (411,194)

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Criminal Law, Strict Liability, Criminal Restitution

29.

Constitutional Crimes

North Dakota Law Review, Vol. 99, (Forthcoming 2024)
Number of pages: 62 Posted: 28 Sep 2023 Last Revised: 18 May 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 146 (417,954)

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constitutional law, state constitutional law, criminal law, treason, bribery, constitutional interpretation, democracy,

30.

Idaho's Law of Seduction

59 Idaho Law Review 291 (2023)
Number of pages: 42 Posted: 30 Jan 2023 Last Revised: 22 Dec 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 131 (455,543)

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seduction, torts, Idaho, history, heartbalm, alienation of affections, adultery, criminal conversation, constitutional law, equal protection

31.

Pluralism in State Constitutional Law

59 Georgia Law Review (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 59 Posted: 24 Sep 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 130 (458,377)

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32.

Trial By Combat in the Modern World

Barry Law Review, Volume 27, Issue 1 (2022)
Number of pages: 49 Posted: 16 Aug 2021 Last Revised: 17 May 2022
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 130 (458,377)

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trial by combat, civil procedure, litigation, criminal law, history, legal history, Ashford v. Thornton, trial by battle

33.

Law and Technological Innovations: Three Reasons to Pause

12 Belmont Law Review (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 26 Posted: 24 Sep 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 122 (481,643)

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law and technology, corpus linguistics, generative AI, artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, risk assessment

34.

Prior Sexual Misconduct Evidence in State Courts: Constitutional and Common Law Challenges

American Criminal Law Review, Vol. 52, No. 2, 2015
Number of pages: 33 Posted: 19 Mar 2015
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 118 (493,978)

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criminal law, evidence, constitutional law, due process, state courts, history, propensity, character

35.

Using Bruen to Overturn New York Times v. Sullivan

2022 Pepperdine Law Review 80
Number of pages: 29 Posted: 22 Sep 2022 Last Revised: 02 Apr 2023
Michael L. Smith and Alexander Hiland
St. Mary's University School of Law and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
Downloads 111 (517,222)

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First Amendment, New York Times v. Sullivan, New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen, originalism, constitutional law, historical tradition

36.

Idaho's Law of Constitutional Interpretation: Lessons from Planned Parenthood Great Northwest v. State

59 Idaho Law Review 411 (2023)
Number of pages: 48 Posted: 02 Jun 2023 Last Revised: 22 Dec 2023
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 110 (520,684)

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constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, Idaho, abortion, due process, Fourteenth Amendment, inalienable rights, originalism, living constitutionalism, pluralism, history

37.

Originalism and the Inseparability of Decision Procedures from Interpretive Standards

California Western Law Review, Vol. 58, No. 2, 2022
Number of pages: 30 Posted: 30 Aug 2021 Last Revised: 03 Jul 2022
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 98 (565,327)

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originalism, constitutional law, legal theory, constitutional interpretation, standards

38.

Papering Justices

Brigham Young University Law Review, Vol. 50, (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 56 Posted: 20 Mar 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 90 (596,543)

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Supreme Court, court reform, peremptory challenges, judicial disqualification, conflict of interest, term limits, jurisdiction stripping, court packing, papering

39.

Social Media Regulation and Expressive Conduct After 303 Creative and NetChoice

University of St. Thomas Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. 16 (Forthcoming 2024)
Number of pages: 51 Posted: 20 Mar 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 84 (622,007)

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First Amendment, expressive conduct, 303 Creative v. Elenis, social media, rights, public accommodations, discrimination

40.

The Citation of Unpublished Cases in the Wake of COVID-19

Chapman Law Review, Vol. 25, Issue 1 (2022)
Number of pages: 30 Posted: 10 Aug 2021 Last Revised: 31 May 2022
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 84 (622,007)

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civil procedure, precedent, litigation, California, COVID-19, insurance, insurance coverage, legal authority

41.

Dignity and Abortion Rights Under State Constitutional Law

75 Syracuse L. Rev. (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 22 Posted: 05 Dec 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 64 (720,784)

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42.

Policy's Place in Pedestrian Infrastructure

127 Dickinson L. Rev. (Forthcoming, 2023)
Number of pages: 11 Posted: 12 Sep 2022 Last Revised: 21 Dec 2022
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 62 (732,413)

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infrastructure, traffic law, infractions, misdemeanor enforcement, book review

43.

Missouri's Law of Constitutional Interpretation

University of Missouri-Kansas City Law Review, Vol. 93, Issue 3 (Forthcoming 2024)
Number of pages: 49 Posted: 15 Aug 2024
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 60 (744,156)

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constitutional law, constitutional interpretation, state constitutional law, Missouri, originalism, common law, pragmatism, pluralism

44.

Second Amendment Challenges to Student Housing Firearms Bans: The Strength of the Home Analogy

UCLA Law Review, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2013
Number of pages: 35 Posted: 28 Apr 2013
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 51 (803,580)

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constitutional law, Second Amendment, gun control, public universities, students

45.

The False Promise of Progressive Originalism

56 New Mexico Law Review (Forthcoming 2026)
Number of pages: 49
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 31

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originalism, constitutional interpretation, progressive originalism, liberal originalism, constitutional law, realism, history, advocacy

46.

Certiorari Transparency

2026 Illinois Law Review (Forthcoming 2026)
Number of pages: 41
Alexandra L. Klein and Michael L. Smith
Washington and Lee University - School of Law and St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 12

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United States Supreme Court, court reform, certiorari, transparency, candor, legitimacy, judicial restraint, judicial discretion

47.

Judicial Courage, Contrarianism, and Candor

53 Hofstra L. Rev. (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 44 Last Revised: 10 Mar 2025
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 9

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courage, contrarianism, candor, judging, virtue ethics, virtue jurisprudence, Justice Thomas, Judge James Ho, judicial ethics, judicial independence, parrhesia

48.

Thayerian Deference and Constitutional Interpretation

103 Texas L. Rev. Online (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 8
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 7

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constitutional interpretation, constitutional law, deference, Thayer, interpretation, adjudication

49.

Rogue Prosecutor Panic

27 The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice (Forthcoming 2025)
Number of pages: 19
Michael L. Smith
St. Mary's University School of Law
Downloads 7

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criminal law, criminal prosecution, progressive prosecutors, rogue prosecutors, criminal reform, bail, pretrial release, prosecutorial discretion, racism, book review, angry book review