James Lindgren
Encyclopedia
James Lindgren is a professor of law at Northwestern University
. Born in 1952 in Rockford, Illinois
, Lindgren graduated from Yale College
(1974, cum laude) and the University of Chicago Law School
(1977), where he was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review
. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago in 2009.
After two years of private practice in estate planning and litigation in Chicago, Lindgren became a Project Director at the American Bar Foundation
, a think tank specializing in Law & Society. Before coming to the Northwestern faculty in 1996, Lindgren taught at several law schools, including the Universities of Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, and Chicago, and Chicago Kent College of Law. Lindgren has published in most major law reviews, including the Yale Law Journal
and the Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, California, Northwestern, Georgetown, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Chicago Law Reviews.
Lindgren’s work spans a broad range of fields, though the majority of his recent work involves empirical research, public opinion, viewpoint diversity, estates, probate, aging, or retirement. Lindgren is a co-editor of Wills, Trusts, & Estates (Aspen), the leading textbook in that field. His articles, Counting Guns in Early America and Fall from Grace, both of which involve detailed analyses of the physical culture of early America as revealed in probate records, are among the most downloaded law review articles ever published. His historical and doctrinal work on extortion
was adopted by the Supreme Court in United States v. Evans (1992), which held that bribery behavior could be punished as extortion under the federal Hobbs Act
. Lindgren is a cofounder of the Section on Scholarship of the Association of American Law Schools and a former chair of its Section on Social Science and the Law.
Lindgren was a leading critic and investigator of charges of scholarly impropriety against pro-gun-control scholar Michael Bellesiles, who eventually resigned
and had his Bancroft Prize
rescinded.
Later he investigated charges about a single-sentence claim in anti-gun-control scholar John Lott
's book, More Guns, Less Crime
, concluding that Lott's behavior was "troubling".
Lindgren blogs at the weblog The Volokh Conspiracy
.
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. Born in 1952 in Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, Lindgren graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
(1974, cum laude) and the University of Chicago Law School
University of Chicago Law School
The University of Chicago Law School was founded in 1902 as the graduate school of law at the University of Chicago and is among the most prestigious and selective law schools in the world. The U.S. News & World Report currently ranks it fifth among U.S...
(1977), where he was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review
University of Chicago Law Review
The University of Chicago Law Review is a law journal published by the University of Chicago Law School, and was established in 1933. From 1942 through 1945 the review was published by the faculty, due to World War II. Prominent former student members have included Judge Abner J...
. He received his Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Chicago in 2009.
After two years of private practice in estate planning and litigation in Chicago, Lindgren became a Project Director at the American Bar Foundation
American Bar Foundation
Established in 1952, the ' is an independent, nonprofit national research institute located in Chicago, Illinois committed to objective empirical research on law and legal institutions...
, a think tank specializing in Law & Society. Before coming to the Northwestern faculty in 1996, Lindgren taught at several law schools, including the Universities of Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, and Chicago, and Chicago Kent College of Law. Lindgren has published in most major law reviews, including the Yale Law Journal
Yale Law Journal
The Yale Law Journal is a student-run law review affiliated with the Yale Law School. Published continuously since 1891, it is the most widely known of the eight law reviews published by students at Yale Law School...
and the Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, California, Northwestern, Georgetown, UCLA, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Chicago Law Reviews.
Lindgren’s work spans a broad range of fields, though the majority of his recent work involves empirical research, public opinion, viewpoint diversity, estates, probate, aging, or retirement. Lindgren is a co-editor of Wills, Trusts, & Estates (Aspen), the leading textbook in that field. His articles, Counting Guns in Early America and Fall from Grace, both of which involve detailed analyses of the physical culture of early America as revealed in probate records, are among the most downloaded law review articles ever published. His historical and doctrinal work on extortion
Extortion
Extortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
was adopted by the Supreme Court in United States v. Evans (1992), which held that bribery behavior could be punished as extortion under the federal Hobbs Act
Hobbs Act
The Hobbs Act, named after Congressman Sam Hobbs and codified at , is a U.S. federal law that prohibits actual or attempted robbery or extortion affecting interstate or foreign commerce. Section 1951 also proscribes conspiracy to commit robbery or extortion without reference to the conspiracy...
. Lindgren is a cofounder of the Section on Scholarship of the Association of American Law Schools and a former chair of its Section on Social Science and the Law.
Lindgren was a leading critic and investigator of charges of scholarly impropriety against pro-gun-control scholar Michael Bellesiles, who eventually resigned
and had his Bancroft Prize
Bancroft Prize
The Bancroft Prize is awarded each year by the trustees of Columbia University for books about diplomacy or the history of the Americas. It was established in 1948 by a bequest from Frederic Bancroft...
rescinded.
Later he investigated charges about a single-sentence claim in anti-gun-control scholar John Lott
John Lott
John Richard Lott Jr. is an American academic and political commentator. He has previously held research positions at academic institutions including the University of Chicago, Yale University, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Maryland, College Park,...
's book, More Guns, Less Crime
More Guns, Less Crime
More Guns, Less Crime is a book by John Lott that says violent crime rates go down when states pass "shall issue" concealed carry laws. He presents the results of his statistical analysis of crime data for every county in the United States during 18 years from 1977 to 1994...
, concluding that Lott's behavior was "troubling".
Lindgren blogs at the weblog The Volokh Conspiracy
The Volokh Conspiracy
The Volokh Conspiracy is a blog which mostly covers United States legal and political issues, generally from a libertarian or conservative perspective. One of the most widely read legal blogs in the United States, The Volokh Conspiracy has more than one million page views each month. This group...
.
External links
- Northwestern website
- Fall From Grace: Arming America and the Bellesiles Scandal, Yale Law Journal (2002) − the final version of the 56-page review documenting problems with Arming America, at SSRNSocial Science Research NetworkThe Social Science Research Network is a website devoted to the rapid dissemination of scholarly research in the social sciences and humanities. SSRN is viewed as particularly strong in the fields of economics, finance, accounting, management, and law. SSRN was founded in 1994 by Michael Jensen ...
- Counting Guns in Early America, Wm. & Mary Law Review (2002) at SSRNSocial Science Research NetworkThe Social Science Research Network is a website devoted to the rapid dissemination of scholarly research in the social sciences and humanities. SSRN is viewed as particularly strong in the fields of economics, finance, accounting, management, and law. SSRN was founded in 1994 by Michael Jensen ...
- The Volokh Conspiracy, a group weblog to which Lindgren contributes