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Richard L. Cupp

John W. Wade Professor of Law
Caruso School of Law
310.506.4658
Curriculum Vitae

Biography

Richard Cupp is widely recognized as a leading scholar and commentator regarding the fields of torts, products liability, and animals' legal status. Professor Cupp is an elected member of the American Law Institute, and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He has served as chair of the Association of American Law Schools ("AALS") Section on Torts and Compensation Systems, and on the Executive Committee of the AALS Section on Animal Law.

Professor Cupp has published more than 30 scholarly articles, and is the coauthor of a products liability casebook. His scholarly publications have been cited more than 650 times, including at least 22 citations in reported court cases, two of which are Supreme Court of the United States cases.

In addition to his work with torts and products liability, Professor Cupp is also an animal welfare advocate who writes and speaks extensively about the legal and moral status of animals. He has advised many organizations regarding law and animals, including the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Science, Technology and Law, the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Neuroscience, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the National Association for Biomedical Research, the Animal Health Institute, and the American Animal Hospital Association.

Professor Cupp's work addressing animals' legal and moral status has been highlighted by National Geographic, The Washington Post, Science Magazine, The New Republic, Popular Science, and other popular press venues. His media publications include articles in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, USA TODAY, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The National Law Journal, The Indianapolis Star, and other media sources. He has appeared many times on television, radio, and podcasts addressing issues involving animals' moral and legal status, torts or products liability. He has also been quoted in numerous national and international media sources.

Professor Cupp served Pepperdine Caruso Law School previously in administrative capacities as vice dean, as associate dean for academics, and as the school's first associate dean for research. As a law student Professor Cupp was editor-in-chief of the UC Davis Law Review. From 2009-2019 Professor Cupp served as a member of the board of directors of Meals on Wheels West, and he continues to interact with the organization as an informal advisor.

Education

  • J.D., University of California, Davis, 1987
  • B.A., Pepperdine University, 1983, magna cum laude

 

Articles

  • Richard L. Cupp Jr., How Might Corporations’ and Nonhuman Animals’ Personhood Compare Under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments?, 26 AM. MED. ASS’N  J. ETHICS E690 (Sept. 2024) SSRN AMA J. Ethics
  • Richard L. Cupp Jr., Considering the Private Animal and Damages, 98 WASH. U. L. REV. 1313 (2021) SSRNHein Online
  • Richard L. Cupp Jr., Edgy Animal Welfare, 95 DENVER L. REV. 865 (2018) SSRN HeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Litigating Nonhuman Animal Legal Personhood, 50 TEX. TECH L. REV. 573 (2018) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp Jr., Cognitively Impaired Humans, Intelligent Animals, and Legal Personhood, 69 FLA L. REV. 465 (2017) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Animals as More Than 'Mere Things,' but Still Property: A Call for Continuing Evolution of the Animal Welfare Paradigm, 84 CINN. L. REV. 1023 (2016) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Focusing on Human Responsibility Rather than Legal Personhood for Nonhuman Animals, 33 PACE ENVTL. L. REV. 517 (2016) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Human Responsibility, Not Legal Personhood, For Nonhuman Animals, 16 ENGAGE ISS. 2 (2015) SSRN
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Children, Chimps, and Rights Arguments from 'Marginal' Cases, 45 ARIZ. ST. L.J. 1 (2013) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., In Praise of Moral Judgment: The Restatement (Third) of Torts and Flagrant "Bad Guy" Trespassers, 1 WAKE FOREST L. REV. ONLINE 37 (2011) SSRN
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., International Tobacco Litigation's Evolution as a United States Torts Law Export: To Canada and Beyond?, 38 PEPP. L. REV. 283 (2011) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Bioethics and the Explosive Rise of Animal Law, AM. J. BIOETHICS, May 2009, at 1
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Moving Beyond Animal Rights: A Legal/Contractualist Critique, 46 SAN DIEGO L. REV. 27 (2009) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Preemption's Rise (and Bit of a Fall) as Products Liability Reform: Wyeth, Riegel, Altria, and the Restatement (Third)'s Prescription Product Design Defect Standard, 74 BROOK. L. REV. 727 (2009) (symposium issue) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., A Dubious Grail: Seeking Tort Law Expansion and Limited Personhood as Stepping Stones Toward Abolishing Animals' Property Status, 60 SMU L. REV. 3 (2007) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr. & Christopher L. Frost, Successor Liability for Defective Products: A Redesign Ongoing, 72 BROOK. L. REV. 1173 (2007) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Believing in Products Liability: Reflections on Daubert, Doctrinal Evolution, and David Owen's Products Liability Law, 40 U.C. DAVIS L. REV. 511 (2006) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Asbestos Litigation and Bankruptcy: A Case Study for Ad Hoc Public Policy Limitations on Joint and Several Liability, 31 PEPP. L. REV. 203 (2003) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Proximate Cause, the Proposed Basic Principles Restatement, and Products Liability, 53 S.C. L. REV. 1085 (2002) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr. & Amber E. Dean, Veterinarians in the Doghouse: Are Pet Suits Economically Viable?, THE BRIEF, Spring 2002, at 43
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr. & Danielle Polage, The Rhetoric of Strict Products Liability Versus Negligence: An Empirical Analysis, 77 N.Y.U. L. REV. 874 (2002). SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Product Design and Tort Law: Safety Implications of Increasing Similarity in Civil Liability and Regulatory Standards, INJ. CONTROL & SAFETY PROMOTION, Mar. 2001, at 37
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., State Medical Reimbursement Lawsuits After Tobacco: Is the Domino Effect for Lead Paint Manufacturers and Others Fair Game?, 27 PEPP. L. REV. 685 (2000) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Redesigning Successor Liability, 1999 U. ILL. L. REV. 845 (1999) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., The Continuing Search for Proper Perspective: Whose Reasonableness Should Be at Issue in a Prescription Product Design Defect Analysis?, 30 SETON HALL L. REV. 233 (1999) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Liability of Successor for Harm Caused by Defective Products Sold Commercially by Predecessor, 8 KAN. J. L. & PUB. POL'Y 113 (1998) (symposium issue) HeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., A Morality Play's Third Act: Revisiting Addiction, Fraud and Consumer Choice in "Third Wave" Tobacco Litigation, 46 U. KAN. L. REV. 465 (1998) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., The "Uncomplicated" Law of Products Liability: Reflections of a Professor Turned Juror, 91 NW. U. L. REV. 1082 (1997) HeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Defining the Boundaries of "Alternative Design" under the Restatement (Third) of Torts: The Nature and Role of Substitute Products in Design Defect Analysis, 63 TENN. L. REV. 329 (1996) HeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Rethinking Conscious Design Liability for Prescription Drugs: The Restatement (Third) Standard Versus a Negligence Approach, 63 GEO. WASH. L. REV. 76 (1994) SSRNHeinOnline
  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Sharing Accountability for Breast Implants: Strict Products Liability and Medical Professionals Engaged in Hybrid Sales/Service Cosmetic Products Transactions, 21 FLA. ST. U. L. REV. 873 (1994) HeinOnline
  • Comment, Religious Torts: Applying the Consent Doctrine As Definitional Balancing, 19 U.C. DAVIS L. REV. 949 (1986) SSRNHeinOnline

Book Reviews

  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Seeking Redemption for Torts Law: Holding Bishops Accountable: How Lawsuits Helped the Catholic Church Confront Clergy Sexual Abuse, 27 J. L. & RELIGION 185 (2012) (book review) SSRN HeinOnline

Books

  • David A. Fischer, William C. Powers, Jr., Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Michael D. Green & Joseph Sanders, PRODUCTS LIABILITY: CASES AND MATERIALS (West, 5th ed. 2014) Worldcat

Book Chapters

  • Richard L. Cupp, Jr., Tort Reform or Tort Restriction: Rhetoric as Scorekeeper, in ANDREW POPPER, MATERIALS ON TORT REFORM (Thomson/West 2010) WorldCat

Popular Press

Media

Areas of Expertise

  • Animal law
  • Torts
  • Products liability

Topics

  • Animal Law
  • Products Liability
  • Torts

Links