Having lived in Washington State for the past 25 years I've witnessed, from a distance, the emerging field of intellectual property rights law. (Curiously, this was coincident with the emergence of family law and the rise of women in the profession of legal practice.)
One particular critique I have of legal practice in this State is that the profession itself has taken control over the constitutional property rights of its citizenry, providing them and withholding them as it sees fit.
I've no big conclusions to this curious development and continue to watch it. And it is certainly important - one perspective that is guaranteed to generate conversation is equating the violation of civil rights with criminal rape.
Certainly the damage done can be similar in nature and scope.
So how do we deal with holding the legal profession accountable to our property rights? They certainly won't be doing it themselves.
Toward that end, I offer one standard - that used to determine pornography - community standards.
So, dear reader, let me leave you with a rhetorical question concerning your standards as a member of your own communities - At what point does the practice of law equate to "constitutional" rape?
