Joe Fore
@joefore.bsky.social
Teacher, lawyer, writer, angler, unapologetic Blue Devil | Co-Director, @UVALaw #LegalWriting Program | Founder, Punctuated Law Designs (http://punctuatedlaw.com) | Writing Coach
What would a Halloween #legalwriting class be without a law-related costume?
October 31, 2025 at 4:45 PM
What would a Halloween #legalwriting class be without a law-related costume?
UVA Interim President Paul Mahoney announces that DOJ has agreed to drop its civil rights investigation against the University.
The “agreement” has no financial penalty and basically requires UVA to say “we agree to follow the law.”
(full agreement here federalinfo.virginia.edu/sites/federa...)
The “agreement” has no financial penalty and basically requires UVA to say “we agree to follow the law.”
(full agreement here federalinfo.virginia.edu/sites/federa...)
October 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
UVA Interim President Paul Mahoney announces that DOJ has agreed to drop its civil rights investigation against the University.
The “agreement” has no financial penalty and basically requires UVA to say “we agree to follow the law.”
(full agreement here federalinfo.virginia.edu/sites/federa...)
The “agreement” has no financial penalty and basically requires UVA to say “we agree to follow the law.”
(full agreement here federalinfo.virginia.edu/sites/federa...)
The University of Virginia is a NO on the Trump Administration’s “Compact”
October 17, 2025 at 9:02 PM
The University of Virginia is a NO on the Trump Administration’s “Compact”
I sent this email to UVA’s Interim President Paul Mahoney (president@virginia.edu), Rector Rachel Sheridan (rlw2r@virginia.edu), & Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson (pnw5v@virginia.edu), urging them to unequivocally reject the “Compact”.
I hope other UVA students, faculty, and alumni will do the same.
I hope other UVA students, faculty, and alumni will do the same.
October 3, 2025 at 2:24 AM
I sent this email to UVA’s Interim President Paul Mahoney (president@virginia.edu), Rector Rachel Sheridan (rlw2r@virginia.edu), & Vice Rector Porter Wilkinson (pnw5v@virginia.edu), urging them to unequivocally reject the “Compact”.
I hope other UVA students, faculty, and alumni will do the same.
I hope other UVA students, faculty, and alumni will do the same.
Conveniently, my students are working on a memo assignment about the federal law that literally prohibits ERs from turning "any individual" away when they're experiencing an emergency: EMTALA (42 U.S.C. 1395dd)
October 2, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Conveniently, my students are working on a memo assignment about the federal law that literally prohibits ERs from turning "any individual" away when they're experiencing an emergency: EMTALA (42 U.S.C. 1395dd)
Here’s the shakedown letter that UVA’s interim President received from DOE
October 2, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Here’s the shakedown letter that UVA’s interim President received from DOE
I’m actually quite happy with the flag of our hamlet of Crozet, Virginia. It’s a square flag that’s modeled on the medieval family heraldry of our town’s namesake, Claudius Crozet, who lived in this area in the 1850s while supervising construction of the first railroad tunnel through the Blue Ridge.
August 27, 2025 at 5:24 AM
I’m actually quite happy with the flag of our hamlet of Crozet, Virginia. It’s a square flag that’s modeled on the medieval family heraldry of our town’s namesake, Claudius Crozet, who lived in this area in the 1850s while supervising construction of the first railroad tunnel through the Blue Ridge.
Honored and proud to be spending Independence Day at the annual Monticello naturalization ceremony, helping to celebrate and welcome more than 70 new fellow Americans.
It’s always a deeply moving event, but it feels so much more meaningful this year.
It’s always a deeply moving event, but it feels so much more meaningful this year.
July 4, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Honored and proud to be spending Independence Day at the annual Monticello naturalization ceremony, helping to celebrate and welcome more than 70 new fellow Americans.
It’s always a deeply moving event, but it feels so much more meaningful this year.
It’s always a deeply moving event, but it feels so much more meaningful this year.
UVA’s Board of Visitors is holding a special, virtual meeting this morning at 11:30—no doubt to discuss the shameful events of the past week.
You can watch the meeting here:
bov.virginia.edu/live
You can watch the meeting here:
bov.virginia.edu/live
July 2, 2025 at 11:34 AM
UVA’s Board of Visitors is holding a special, virtual meeting this morning at 11:30—no doubt to discuss the shameful events of the past week.
You can watch the meeting here:
bov.virginia.edu/live
You can watch the meeting here:
bov.virginia.edu/live
Charlottesville showed up yesterday—
an estimated 5,000 people came out to oppose authoritarianism.
Not bad for a college town of 45,000 during the summer.
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
an estimated 5,000 people came out to oppose authoritarianism.
Not bad for a college town of 45,000 during the summer.
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
June 15, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Charlottesville showed up yesterday—
an estimated 5,000 people came out to oppose authoritarianism.
Not bad for a college town of 45,000 during the summer.
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
an estimated 5,000 people came out to oppose authoritarianism.
Not bad for a college town of 45,000 during the summer.
www.reddit.com/r/Charlottes...
Yes! I raised the same point in my #legalwriting column in April’s issue of Virginia Lawyer magazine:
virginialawyer.vsb.org/april-2025/p...
virginialawyer.vsb.org/april-2025/p...
June 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Yes! I raised the same point in my #legalwriting column in April’s issue of Virginia Lawyer magazine:
virginialawyer.vsb.org/april-2025/p...
virginialawyer.vsb.org/april-2025/p...
Apropos of the recent Bluebook discussion is this passage.
Interesting to think that at least some of the same students writing those pedantic Bluebook rules will also be the clerks taking a first read through your brief.
Interesting to think that at least some of the same students writing those pedantic Bluebook rules will also be the clerks taking a first read through your brief.
June 11, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Apropos of the recent Bluebook discussion is this passage.
Interesting to think that at least some of the same students writing those pedantic Bluebook rules will also be the clerks taking a first read through your brief.
Interesting to think that at least some of the same students writing those pedantic Bluebook rules will also be the clerks taking a first read through your brief.
It’s a per curiam opinion, but I wonder if The Chief drafted it. It follows his somewhat idiosyncratic (and mildly annoying) habit of not putting the holding in the introduction.
May 16, 2025 at 7:58 PM
It’s a per curiam opinion, but I wonder if The Chief drafted it. It follows his somewhat idiosyncratic (and mildly annoying) habit of not putting the holding in the introduction.
Saturday evening harvest from the garden
May 10, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Saturday evening harvest from the garden
Trump shut down the Federal Executive Institute in C’ville (b/c who needs well-trained gov’t managers?)
UVA and Charlottesville public schools both asked feds for the property.
On 4/29, Dep’t of Ed gave FEI to C’ville.
On 5/9, Dep’t reneges and gives it to UVA.
www.vpm.org/news/2025-05...
1/
UVA and Charlottesville public schools both asked feds for the property.
On 4/29, Dep’t of Ed gave FEI to C’ville.
On 5/9, Dep’t reneges and gives it to UVA.
www.vpm.org/news/2025-05...
1/
May 10, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Trump shut down the Federal Executive Institute in C’ville (b/c who needs well-trained gov’t managers?)
UVA and Charlottesville public schools both asked feds for the property.
On 4/29, Dep’t of Ed gave FEI to C’ville.
On 5/9, Dep’t reneges and gives it to UVA.
www.vpm.org/news/2025-05...
1/
UVA and Charlottesville public schools both asked feds for the property.
On 4/29, Dep’t of Ed gave FEI to C’ville.
On 5/9, Dep’t reneges and gives it to UVA.
www.vpm.org/news/2025-05...
1/
I wondered if some of the concerns about "grandioseness" could be addressed by simplifying the language, shortening the sentences, and reorganizing a bit to move the Shakespeare quote down.
Here's what I came up with--a mix of Judge Howell's original words/sources and mine:
3/
Here's what I came up with--a mix of Judge Howell's original words/sources and mine:
3/
May 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM
I wondered if some of the concerns about "grandioseness" could be addressed by simplifying the language, shortening the sentences, and reorganizing a bit to move the Shakespeare quote down.
Here's what I came up with--a mix of Judge Howell's original words/sources and mine:
3/
Here's what I came up with--a mix of Judge Howell's original words/sources and mine:
3/
Changes in home values: 2/2024-2/2025. There's a lot of red in Florida. Anyone who lived through 2008-09 knows how this book ends. Between hurricane risk, rising property insurance, ICE crackdowns, and plummeting int'l tourism, FL is in for a very rough time.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/int...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/int...
April 14, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Changes in home values: 2/2024-2/2025. There's a lot of red in Florida. Anyone who lived through 2008-09 knows how this book ends. Between hurricane risk, rising property insurance, ICE crackdowns, and plummeting int'l tourism, FL is in for a very rough time.
www.washingtonpost.com/business/int...
www.washingtonpost.com/business/int...
I’m proud to join nearly 70 of my Virginia Law colleagues—from myriad fields, political backgrounds, and ideologies—to affirm our commitment to core rule-of-law principles and to express our deep concerns about the administration’s actions that undermine them.
April 3, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I’m proud to join nearly 70 of my Virginia Law colleagues—from myriad fields, political backgrounds, and ideologies—to affirm our commitment to core rule-of-law principles and to express our deep concerns about the administration’s actions that undermine them.
“Are we going to be governed by law—or by the will of the elites?”
March 31, 2025 at 10:19 PM
“Are we going to be governed by law—or by the will of the elites?”
One infuriating/misleading part of Vermeule’s reply to the HLS letter is that Giuliani, Eastman, et al. were disciplined “for their representation of President Trump.”
They were very clearly disciplined not because of their client’s identity but *because of their conduct in those proceedings.*
They were very clearly disciplined not because of their client’s identity but *because of their conduct in those proceedings.*
March 30, 2025 at 6:22 PM
One infuriating/misleading part of Vermeule’s reply to the HLS letter is that Giuliani, Eastman, et al. were disciplined “for their representation of President Trump.”
They were very clearly disciplined not because of their client’s identity but *because of their conduct in those proceedings.*
They were very clearly disciplined not because of their client’s identity but *because of their conduct in those proceedings.*
And how much productivity is being lost b/c workers and decision-makers are having to monitor newsfeeds to see what’s going on with the White House today.
Each year, we hear how March Madness costs the economy billions ($17B by one estimate). Now expand that out to all day, every day for 4 years.
Each year, we hear how March Madness costs the economy billions ($17B by one estimate). Now expand that out to all day, every day for 4 years.
March 30, 2025 at 2:55 PM
And how much productivity is being lost b/c workers and decision-makers are having to monitor newsfeeds to see what’s going on with the White House today.
Each year, we hear how March Madness costs the economy billions ($17B by one estimate). Now expand that out to all day, every day for 4 years.
Each year, we hear how March Madness costs the economy billions ($17B by one estimate). Now expand that out to all day, every day for 4 years.
UVA just released two different reports (from Quinn Emanuel and V&E) examining the tragic shooting on Grounds in November 2022. After more than two years of questions and requests for more information, this is what we in the University community got: (nov13reports.virginia.edu)
March 21, 2025 at 1:44 PM
UVA just released two different reports (from Quinn Emanuel and V&E) examining the tragic shooting on Grounds in November 2022. After more than two years of questions and requests for more information, this is what we in the University community got: (nov13reports.virginia.edu)
Even if the math checked out, 65% doesn't mean a "strong likelihood."
As used in law and other fields, 65% corresponds to simple "likelihood"--"likely"/"more likely than not." "Very likely" (which fits better w/ "strong likelihood") means 75/80+%.
www.alwd.org/index.php?op...
As used in law and other fields, 65% corresponds to simple "likelihood"--"likely"/"more likely than not." "Very likely" (which fits better w/ "strong likelihood") means 75/80+%.
www.alwd.org/index.php?op...
March 18, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Even if the math checked out, 65% doesn't mean a "strong likelihood."
As used in law and other fields, 65% corresponds to simple "likelihood"--"likely"/"more likely than not." "Very likely" (which fits better w/ "strong likelihood") means 75/80+%.
www.alwd.org/index.php?op...
As used in law and other fields, 65% corresponds to simple "likelihood"--"likely"/"more likely than not." "Very likely" (which fits better w/ "strong likelihood") means 75/80+%.
www.alwd.org/index.php?op...
Say what you will about the Commonwealth of Virginia, but we have a great flag.
www.britannica.com/topic/flag-o...
www.britannica.com/topic/flag-o...
February 19, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Say what you will about the Commonwealth of Virginia, but we have a great flag.
www.britannica.com/topic/flag-o...
www.britannica.com/topic/flag-o...