Ruth S. Johnson J.D.

About

Ruth Lee Johnson, J.D., is a graduate of Harvard Law School and an attorney practicing in Seattle, WA. A prolific writer, Ruth published her first short story in the Seattle Times when she was only 16 years old, subsequently skipped two consecutive grades in school, and applied to law school at age 19. At age 23, she was awarded the 2012 Irving Oberman Writing Award for her writing. By that time, her articles had been published in the Miami Law Review, Marquette Elder's Advisor Law Review, Barry Law Review, Harvard Business Law Review, and the Review of Banking and Financial Law. During law school, she was awarded paid student fellowships with the Olin Center for Law, Economic & Business, as well as with the Project on the Foundations of Private Law. Ruth also holds degrees in mathematics and political science, and nurtures a life-long passion for psychoanalytical theory and psychology, particularly in their interaction with law and politics.

Recent Posts

The Paradox of Blackmail

If it is legal to demand $1,000, and legal to expose your neighbor's affair, why is it illegal to ask for $1,000 in exchange for not exposing his affair? The answer may surprise you.

Gossip Can Operate as a Law Enforcement Mechanism

Imagine a world without lawyers, without courts, and without judges. Rather than settling disputes through the legal system, everyone resorts to a very different tool: Gossip.

HIPAA: Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood

How exactly does HIPAA protect health information, and what are its limitations?

Divorce: The Constitutional Right Many Cannot Afford

Just as there is a fundamental right to wed, there is also a fundamental right to end a marriage. But this right is unaffordable for many.

The Psychology of False Confessions

Why would an innocent person, in his right mind, confess to a crime that he did not commit? The answer may surprise you.

Americans Have No (Legal) Duty to Help Each Other

Is there any legal obligation to help those in grave danger, those who are sick, or those who are injured? The answer may surprise (and dismay) you.

Lawsuits Against Toddlers

Did you know that, in the United States, you can file lawsuits against very young children? Not just against their parents—but against the children themselves?

The Legal Treatment of "Oversensitive" Victims

How do courts treat oversensitive individuals who are frailer than average, or more susceptible to injury? The answer may surprise you.

Social Media: It's All Fun and Games Until Someone Gets Sued

Social media and lawsuits do not mix. Here are the many ways your online presence could complicate your lawsuit.

Evaluations for U, Non-Immigrant, Visas

Did you know that victims of criminal activity in the U.S., who help the government investigate or prosecute the crime, may be able to stay on a temporary basis with the U visa?