Biography
Bernard James teaches courses in Civil Rights, Federalism, Individual Rights, Education Law, State Constitutional Law and Introduction to American Law. He joined the Pepperdine faculty in 1984 after serving in Michigan as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Judge Myron Wahls for the Court of Appeals.
Professor James is the author of the textbook Education POLICY AND THE LAW: CASES AND COMMENTARY (Vandeplas Publishing 2009, & 2nd ed. 2020). He serves as a consultant to the US Department of Justice where he co-authored SHARING INFORMATION: A GUIDE TO FERPA AND PARTICIPATION IN JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS (DOJ Programs 1997). He is the contributing editor to the NASRO Journal of School Safety. The blog, School Safety Law Blog: News and Information for School Safety, compiles legislation, judicial decisions, and school policy reforms relating to school safety and student rights.
Education
- J.D., University of Michigan, 1983
- B.G.S., University of Michigan, 1977
Law Review Articles
- Bernard James, Restorative Justice Liability: School Discipline Reform and the Right to Safe Schools; Part I: The Shifting Legal Environment, 51 U. Mem. L. Rev. 557 (2021) SSRNHeinOnline
- Bernard James, Restorative Justice Liability: School Discipline Reform and the Right to Safe Schools; Part II: In Loco Parentis and the Duty to Protect, 51 U. Mem. L. Rev. 577 (2021) SSRNHeinOnline
- Bernard James, Restorative Justice Liability: School Discipline Reform and the Right to Safe Schools; Part III: External Reforms and the Duty to Protect, 51 U. Mem. L. Rev. 613 (2021) SSRNHeinOnline
- Bernard James, Restorative Justice Liability: School Discipline Reform and the Right to Safe Schools; Part IV: Judicial Review and the Duty to Protect, 51 U. Mem. L. Rev. 639 (2021) SSRNHeinOnline
- Bernard James, Restorative Justice Liability: School Discipline Reform and the Right to Safe Schools; Part V: School Discipline Reform and Liability, 51 U. Mem. L. Rev. 691 (2021) SSRNHeinOnline
- Bernard James, T.L.O. and Cell Phones: Student Privacy and Smart Devices After Riley v. California, 101 IOWA L. REV. 343 (2015) HeinOnline
- Bernard James, Tinker in the Era of Judicial Deference: The Search for Bad Faith, 81 UMKC L.REV. 601 (2013) HeinOnline
- Bernard James & Joanne E. K. Larson, The Doctrine of Deference: Shifting Constitutional Presumptions and the Supreme Court's Restatement of Student Rights after Board of Education v. Earls, 56 S.C. L. REV. 1 (2004) HeinOnline
Legal Updates
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Qualified Immunity in Public Education, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2021 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety for Educators: Lessons Learned From COVID-19, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2021 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The First Amendment, Off Campus Speech, & School Safety, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2021 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Message from the Courts: Top 2019 Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2020 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Restorative Justice Liability: Affirmative Duties and School Safety, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2020 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Free Speech: The First Amendment on Campuses in 2020, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2020 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The SRO, Student Rights, and Excessive Force, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2019 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Restorative Justice Liability: Affirmative Duties and School Safety, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2019 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Student Speech and School Discipline: The Tipping Point, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2019 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Legislative Reform 2018, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2018 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Evolving Fourth Amendment and Student Rights: Lessons From the 2018 Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2018 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Evolving Fourth Amendment and Student Rights: Lessons From the 2018 Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2018 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety and the Courts: Essential Cases for 2018, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2018 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Educator-SRO Relationship: When is the Educator an Agent of Law Enforcement?, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2017 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Discipline Reform & Restorative Justice: A Policy Analysis, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2017 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Legislative Reform Going Into 2017, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2017 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety and the Courts: Top Cases of 2017, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2017 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Discretion of Educators & Disciplinary Reform: Courts vs. the Reformers, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2016 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Legislative Reform: 7 Top Concerns of Policymakers, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2016 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Government Liability & The "Failure to Train" the School Resource Officer, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2016 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Legal Reform: Top 10 Cases of 2016, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2016 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Message from the Courts: Legal Update on 2014-2015 Top Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2016 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Body Worn Cameras: Student Privacy Rights and Video Surveillance, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2015 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Arming School Personnel: School Safety Reform & Liability, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2015 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Excessive Force & SRO Liability, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2015 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Leading Student Speech Standard: Reasonable Forecast of Substantial Disruption, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2014 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: When Liability Strikes: The Rule of Law & Student Rights, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2014 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Courts and Safe Schools Reform: Emerging Guidance on Student Rights, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2014 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Riley v. California - Guidance on School Safety, Cell Phones and Student Privacy, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2014 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: : Policy Reform After Newtown: The SRO and the Student's Right to a Safe Campus, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2013 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Safe School Policies, Liability and the School Resource Officer, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2013 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Legal Reform: The Year 2013, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2013 NASRO
- Bernard James & Nicholas Garcia, Legal Update: State v. Meneese: Warrants, SROs, and the MOU, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2012 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Suspicionless Student Searches: When, Why, and How?, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2012 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Selective Enforcement: Lessons Learned from Discrimination Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2012 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Truth: Behind the School-to-Prison Pipeline Dispute, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2012 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Supreme Court, Police Interrogations, & Student Rights, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2011 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Gangs: Take a Fresh Look at Your Campus Policies, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2011 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Applying the "Safford" Rule in Strip Searches, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2011 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Liability & Excessive Force, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2011 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: What's the Law on Misconduct & Bullying?, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2010 NASRO
- Bernard James, Video Surveillance, the Right to Privacy, and Safe Schools, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2010 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: SROs, Safe Schools, and the Interagency Agreement, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2010 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Informants, Tips, & Reasonable Suspicion, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2010 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: 2009 Laws That Affect Safe Schools & Student Rights, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2009 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: The Safe Schools Movement and SRO Liability, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2009 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Special Education Students and Their Safety, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Spring 2009 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Cell Phones, and the Fourth Amendment, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2009 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: SROS & Campus Codes of Conduct, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2008 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Student Searches, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Summer 2008 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: School Safety Current Legal Reform, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Winter 2008 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Safe Schools, Information Sharing and FERPA, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2007 NASRO
- Bernard James, Legal Update: Fine Tuning the Educator/SRO Relationship Part I: Lessons Learned from the Interrogation Cases, NASRO J. SCHOOL SAFETY, Fall 2007 NASRO
- Bernard James, What Locke Portends (2003-2004 Supreme Court Review), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 2, 2004, at S10
- Bernard James, Privacy and Education: Lawrence, Bollinger (Supreme Court Review: 2002-2003 Term), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 4, 2003, at S8
- Bernard James, Empowering Educators (Supreme Court Review), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 5, 2002, at C7
- Bernard James, The "Good News' Ruling (Supreme Court Preview, 2000-2001 Term), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 6, 2001, at C10
- Bernard James, No Landmarks Among First Amendment Cases (Supreme Court Term Analysis, 1999-2000), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 7, 2000, at A27
- Bernard James, Law May Be On Giuliani's Side (Brooklyn Museum Controversy), NAT'L L.J., Nov. 1, 1999 at A25
- Bernard James & Suzane Doucette, Campaign Contribution Limits: Will the Supreme Court Pull the Plug on Buckley?, 1999-2000 PREVIEW U.S. SUP. CT. CAS. 52 (1999-2000) HeinOnline
- Bernard James, The States' Rights Cases Provoke Fire; the Cases Do Venture Into New Constitutional Territory, But the Issues are Still Developing (Supreme Court Review), NAT'L L.J., Aug. 16, 1999 at B10
- Bernard James, Can the Federal Government Continue to Ban Truthful, Nonmisleading Broadcasts of Casino Gambling Ads?, 1998-1999 PREVIEW U.S. SUP. CT. CAS. 414 (1998-99) HeinOnline
Books
- Bernard James, EDUCATION POLICY AND THE LAW: CASES AND COMMENTARY (Vandeplas Publishing, 2009 & 2nd ed. 2020) Worldcat
- Bernard James, Michael Medaris, & Ellen Campbell, SHARING INFORMATION: A GUIDE TO THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT AND PARTICIPATION IN JUVENILE JUSTICE PROGRAMS: PROGRAM REPORT (U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: U.S. Dept. of Education, Family Policy Compliance Office, 1997) Worldcat
Book Chapters
Presentations
- Bernard James, Webinar, State Juvenile Records Laws and Interagency Collaboration (Webinar Series Part I) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2009.
- Bernard James, Webinar, State Juvenile Records Laws and Interagency Collaboration (Webinar Series Part II) U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2009.
- Bernard James, DVD Video Workshop, Project Peace: Juvenile Justice Interagency Collaboration, San Diego County Board of Education, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, "Safe Schools and the Law," Alabama Association of School Resource Officers Conference, Orange Beach, TN, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, "Safe Schools and the Law," Tennessee School Resource Officers Association Conference, Nashville, TN, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, "Safe Schools and the Law," Ohio School Resource Officers Association Annual Conference, Maumee Bay State Park, OH, 2009.
- Bernard James, Legal Reform Workshop, "Safe Schools, Juvenile Justice, and Interagency Collaboration," Tennessee Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Conference, Nashville, TN, 2009.
- Bernard James, Speaker, "Safe Schools and the Law," Education law seminar for the U.S. Attorney Northern District of Indiana, Michigan City, IN, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, "Safe Schools and the Law," California School Resource Officers Association Conference, San Diego, CA, 2009.
- Bernard James, Speaker, Education Law Seminar for the Indiana Department of Education's Safe Schools Special Academy, Indianapolis, IN, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, "Juvenile Justice Reform and Interagency Collaboration," Connecticut Juvenile Justice Conference, Harford, CT, 2009.
- Bernard James, Keynote address, National Association of School Resource Officers 19th National Convention, Baltimore, MD, 2009.
Topics
- Constitutional Law
- Education Law