VITA -- BRUCE G. BERNER
Biographical
Born: 13 November 1943
Personal Status: Married, 3 children, 1 grandchild
Degrees: B.A. Valparaiso University 1965
LL.B. Valparaiso University 1967
LL.M. Yale Law School 1978
Practice: 1967 - 1971, Private Practice of Law--New Jersey; 1971-date, Member of the Indiana Bar.
Teaching: 1971 - date, Professor of Law, Valparaiso University School of Law, currently Louis & Anna Seegers Professor of Law
Administration: 1985 – 1993, 2002 – 2008, Associate Dean, Valparaiso University School of Law
Courses Taught: Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Municipal Corporations, Professional Ethics, Debtor & Creditor, Commercial Law, Contracts, Torts, Legal History, Freshman Seminar (campus). (current courses: Evidence, Torts, Criminal Law)
Lecturer, Indiana Bar Review Course, 1975-1998
Lecturer, West Bar Review, 1996-1997
Member of the Bar: Indiana, New Jersey
Publications
Articles Commentaries,,Teaching Materials
Book Review—Immortality and the Law, by Ray Madoff, 46 Val.U.L.Rev. 1077 (2012).
Evidence Problems (and accompanying teacher’s manual), Copyright © 2010.
Eulogy: “There Were Giants in Those Days”, 41 Val. U. L. Rev 1029 (2007).
Commentary: First Monday--Criminal Procedure, 33 Val. U. L. Rev. 23 (1998).
Recent Developments in Criminal Law & Procedure, 25 Ind. L. Rev. 1158 (1992) (with D. Vandercoy).
The Supreme Court and the Fall of the Fourth Amendment, 25 Val. U. L. Rev. 383 (1991) (originally delivered as inaugural lecture).
Recent Developments in Indiana Criminal Law and Procedure (with D. Vandercoy) 24 Ind. L. Rev. 723 (1991)).
Fourth Amendment Enforcement Models, 16 Val. U. L. Rev. 215 (1982).
Search & Seizure: Status and Methodology, 8 Val. U. L. Rev. 471 (1974).
Essays
The Insanity Defense: Guilty by Reason of Hinckley?, The Cresset, (Sept. 1982).
The First Amendment and the Flag, The Cresset, (Sept. 1989).
A Meaner, More Punitive Nation, The Cresset, (Feb. 1990).
A Thousand Points of Ambiguity, The Cresset, (January 1991)
Happy Birthday, Sweet 200, Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen, The Cresset, (Jan. 1992).
Happy Anniversary, Anita and Clarence!, The Cresset, (November 1992).
The Qummon Scrolls, The Cresset, (March 1993).
Cultural Impatience, The Cresset, (2004)
Nonsmoking: On Principle and Compromise, The Cresset (2009)
Other
Researcher and author, Northern District of Indiana Speedy Trial Plan. (1974-1978) (plan available)
Special Deputy Prosecutor, State of Indiana, in connection with the Ford "Pinto" criminal litigation. (1978-80) (Briefs available upon request)
Arbitrator: Steel and Can Industries, Private Arbitration
Professional and Civic Service
- CLE Presentations (approx.3 per year) to:
• General ICLEF audiences (including yearly Indiana Update Seminar on Criminal Law through 2010)
• Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council
• Indiana Public Defenders Council
• Indiana Judicial Conference
• variety of Police and Sheriff Departments, Prosecutor's Offices, Public Defender Offices
∙ Porter County Inns of Court
- Civic -- City of Valparaiso and Porter County (Recent)
• City Plan Commission, President (current)
• Commission Member, Task Force to Draft Ethics Ordinance
• Commission Chair, Task Force to Draft City Tree Preservation Ordinance
• Commission Chair, Task Force to Draft City Sign Ordinance
· Task Force Chair, Task Force to Draft Ordinance on Nonsmoking Areas, 2006-08.
∙ Tutor for Compass Education Program, serving Gloria Dei Mission.
- Member, Board of Parks & Recreation, 1988-2005
- Member, Valparaiso Park Foundation, 1995-2000, 2007 – date, Past President
- United Way of Porter County, Board Member 2002-08, General Campaign Chair 2004, Vice-Chair of Board, 2006
- Distinguished Service Award presented by the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, 2007
- “Distinguished Barrister”, 2012, Indiana Lawyer.
University Service (Recent)
• Chair, Faculty Senate, 1990-2005 (including predecessor organization, University Senate)
• Budget Advisory Committee, 1995-2010
• Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on the VUCA, 1996-1999
• Report Writer, NCAA Recertification Study, 1996-1997, and 2005-06
• Chair, Search Committee for Museum Director, 1997
• Faculty Athletics Representative to NCAA, 1990-2005
• Member, University Steering Committee, 1994-2005
• Master of Ceremonies, President's Circle Dinner, 1997-1998
- Member, Committee to Select new VU President, 2007
- Member, Committee on Creative Work & Research (current)
- Member, Choir of the Bach Institute at Valparaiso University, 1997 to date.
Law School Service (Current)
• Member, various committees, Chair, Admissions Committee and Self-Study Committee.
Teaching (Current)
My current teaching assignments include: Criminal Law, Evidence, and Torts.