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84 Chi.-Kent L. Rev. i (2009-2010)

handle is hein.journals/chknt84 and id is 1 raw text is: CHICAGO-KENT
LAW REVIEW

VOLUME 84                  2009                   NUMBER 1

CONTENTS
SYMPOSIUM:
WHO OWNS YOUR BODY?
SYMPOSIUM EDITOR
LORI ANDREWS

IN MEMORIAM

Lori Andrews

ARTICLES AND REMARKS

WHO OWNS YOUR BODY?
A STUDY IN LITERATURE AND LAW
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THE
REACTIONS TO My BOOKS
EXPRESSIVE MINIMALISM AND
Fuzzy SIGNALS: THE JUDICIARY
AND THE ROLE OF LAW

Lori Andrews
Michael Crichton
Michele Goodwin

The proper role of courts engenders significant debate. Yet, what seems bet-
ter settled is the principle that courts are the place at which the common law is
developed. Its genesis and modifications evolve out of the juridical process and
when that process becomes encumbered or deferred to the legislature the role of
the judiciary is called into question. This essay makes the case that expressive
minimalism too often governs the common law judicial approach to biotechnol-
ogy. The cases visited in this domain test our capacity to understand whether life is
appropriately described as being beyond the definition of property, as well as the
disputed assumptions about life being commodifiable, patentable, destroyable,
and conscriptable. There are also the circumstances that demand secondary or
third party response depending on judicial expression, including what to do when
life is stolen, misappropriated or fraudulently acquired. Goodwin argues that
rather than motivating legislative action, or imbuing the bench with greater wis-
dom or information, expressive minimalism in the context of biotechnology will
likely send fuzzy signals. Fuzzy signals will not be clear messages to the legislature.
To the contrary, fuzzy signals, like those transmitted across cell phones and televi-
sions, discombobulate messages, distort pictures, and ultimately, are difficult to
read.

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