Margaret Ryznar

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In a gray universe such as family law, where discretionary standards govern factually diverse cases, little can be measured to give people answers. In fact, the two major inquiries at divorce are: what division of property between the divorcing spouses is fair, and what custody arrangement is in the best interests of the children involved? Scholars and lawmakers have recognized that litigating under these open-ended, amorphous standards in family law is unpredictable. This makes it difficult for courts, policymakers, lawmakers, and litigants to know what to do in a particular divorce case.

Professor Ryznar’s project attempts to offer objective measurement in the family law field, using Indiana as a case study. The project looks at judicial outcomes in Indianapolis divorce cases. There may be a significant divergence between them and what the Indiana statutes require, and empirical research would measure it. Family law is state-specific, so there are as many sets of family laws as there are states, but this project focuses on the family laws and practice of Indiana.

Professor Ryznar’s work to define objective measurements in the field of family law is another example of how IUPUI faculty are TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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Recent Submissions

Now showing 1 - 10 of 60
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    The Rules on the Administration of Community Property in Poland
    (2012) Stepien-Sporek, Anna; Stoppa, Pawel; Ryznar, Margaret
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    Divorce Law in Poland: a New Regime Needed
    (2013) Stepien-Sporek, Anna; Stoppa, Pawel; Ryznar, Margaret
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    Improving Bitcoin Tax Compliance
    (2019) Clark, Jason; Ryznar, Margaret
    Bitcoin has captivated much attention and imagination since its emer- gence in 2009, but there are still several areas in need of consideration when it comes to the federal tax treatment of virtual currency. The right guidance on these issues would strengthen the legitimate use of virtual cur- rency and increase tax compliance.
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    Adult Rights as the Achilles' Heel of the Best Interests Standard: Lessons in Family Law From Across the Pond
    (2007) Ryznar, Margaret
    Part I considers the constitutional rights for American adults that implicate the best interests standard, particularly under due process and equal protection arguments. Part II explores the same conflict between adults' rights and children's best interests under recent English legislation incorporating the European Convention on Human Rights. Finally, Part III exacts lessons for the United States from England's similarly positioned situation. It concludes that American federal courts should be more hesitant to federalize family law as it relates to children if the best interests standard is to be preserved and argues that the standard is more effective in protecting children's interests than the Constitution.
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    Tax Reform on Homeownership
    (2018) Ryznar, Margaret
    The 2017 tax reform, by curtailing the deductions for mortgage interest and state and local taxes, frustrates the American public policy of encouraging homeownership. Yet, there are many reasons that public policy has encouraged homeownership for decades. Most importantly, homeownership is an important savings tool for Americans--and tax reform should be mindful of it.
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    To Work, or Not to Work - The Immortal Tax Disincentives for Married Women
    (2009) Ryznar, Margaret
    Among the most fundamental barriers to the aggressive participation of many married women in the work force are the disincentives for secondary income earners embedded in the federal tax code. Specifically, the current code contains a marriage penalty, which is aggravated by the progressive nature of taxation and any potential increases in income taxation. Meanwhile, child-care expenses, a prerequisite for entry into the labor market, are treated inadequately. Although these immortal problems persist despite political pushes for relief, new attention to this topic is warranted given the Obama Administration's pledge for tax law reform. If the principle to be prioritized is that married women should not face tax disincentives to pursue paid work, then the tax code must finally deal with these issues effectively.
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    A Brief Guide to Online Teaching
    (2020) Ryznar, Margaret
    Online teaching became commonplace during the corona- virus pandemic, and may be here to stay. Since then, much literature on online law teaching has arisen. This Article adds to this literature by providing a brief step-by-step guide to online teaching. Part II of this Article therefore begins by examining the threshold question-whether an online course should be synchro- nous or asynchronous-and offers a quiz to help determine which format works best for each professor and course. Part III then dis- cusses how professors can deliver content and engage students in both synchronous and asynchronous online courses. Finally, this Article highlights the roles of content creator and curator in online teaching.
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    A Coffee Break for Bitcoin
    (2019) Ryznar, Margaret
    For many, the appeal of bitcoin is in its detachment from government regulation. However, the Coffee bonding theory, which initially arose in the context of foreign stocks, suggests certain benefits of regulation for bitcoin, including increased legitimacy. By invoking the Coffee bonding theory, this Article offers another perspective on the regulation of bitcoin.