Scaperlanda, Michael A(nthony) 1960–

views updated

Scaperlanda, Michael A(nthony) 1960–

PERSONAL: Born April 29, 1960, in Austin, TX; married Marie Ruiz (a journalist and author), December 27, 1981; children: Christopher, Anamaria, Rebekah, Michelle. Education: University of Texas, Austin, B.A., 1981, J.D., 1984. Religion: Roman Catholic.

ADDRESSES: Home—3816 Waverly Ct., Norman, OK 73072. Office—University of Oklahoma College of Law, 300 W. Timberdell Rd., Norman, OK 73072-6415. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Judicial clerk to chief justice to Texas Supreme Court, 1984–85; Hogan & Hartson (law firm), Washington, DC, associate, 1985–86; Hughes & Luce (law firm), Austin, TX, associate, 1986–89; University of Oklahoma College of Law, Norman, associate professor, 1989–95, professor, 1995–, Gene and Elaine Edwards Family Chair in Law, 2000–, associate dean for research, 2003–. Catholic Legal Immigrant Network, Inc., Washington, DC, roundtable participant, 1993; Immigrations Services of Diocese of Austin, chair of advisory board, 1993–96; Catholic Charities Immigration Office, Oklahoma City, OK, member of advisory board, 2002–.

MEMBER: American Immigration Lawyers Association (chair of law teachers committee, 1993–95), Order of the Coif, Association of American Law Schools (chair of immigration law section, 1997–98).

AWARDS, HONORS: Outstanding Young Man of America, 1982, 1988; James D. Feller Award for Outstanding Scholarship.

WRITINGS:

NONFICTION

(Editor, with Gabriel J. Chin and Victor C. Romero) Immigration and the Constitution, Garland Publishing (New York, NY), 2001.

(With wife, Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda) The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim, Loyola Press (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Contributor of numerous articles to legal publications and law journals. Contributor to Mirror of Justice.com, a Web log devoted to the development of Catholic legal theory.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Self-Evident Truths: Catholic Perspectives on American Law.

SIDELIGHTS: Michael A. Scaperlanda is the Gene and Elaine Edwards Family Chair in Law at the University of Oklahoma. Immigration law has been a longtime interest for Scaperlanda and in 2001, along with Gabriel J. Chin and Victor C. Romero, he co-edited Garland's Immigration and the Constitution, a three-volume work on constitutional immigration law.

In addition to his legal career, Scaperlanda is also a devout Catholic. In 2000 he and his family made a pilgrimage to Europe for nine weeks, a trip that inspired the 2004 title, The Journey: A Guide for the Modern Pilgrim, coauthored with his journalist wife, Maria Ruiz Scaperlanda. Writing in Booklist, June Sawyers noted that, "to the Scaperlandas, all travel is sacred, even the dullest business trips." In their book they examine various historical pilgrims, from the journey of Adam and Eve out of Paradise to that of Pope John Paul II, and point out the difference between being a mere tourist in life and being a pilgrim. The couple also dispenses advice about keeping a journal, about the prayer that makes pilgrimage a deeper process for the individual, and suggests pilgrimage sites. Sawyers had praise for the "friendly and accessible style, buoyant attitude, and combination of practical advice and thoughtful insight" found in The Journey, while a Publishers Weekly contributor felt that "despite the heavily Catholic flavor of this guide, anyone who loves to travel and wants to make it a spiritual experience will find this a helpful companion."