The Gavel

We've Moved!

2010-07-01T10:56:00.002-05:00

Please update your bookmarks, links and feeds!

We have moved permanently to: http://law.okcu.edu/index.php/library/the-gavel/

We'll see you there.

World Cup Courts in South Africa: Efficient But Costly

2010-06-27T14:24:00.002-05:00

Determined not to have crime disrupt the World Cup, the South African Government established special courts fifty-six courts in the various cities hosting World Cup Games. The amount allocated to cover the costs of these courts is 45 million Rand, approximately 6 million U.S. dollars. The courts are reportedly efficiently dealing out justice.

To read more about the courts or listen to the NPR story about the courts click here.

Amazon Granted Continuation Patent on Social Networking System

2010-06-20T16:09:00.004-05:00

There has been quite a buzz over the award of a Patent 7,739,139 to Amazon for a computer system that "provides various services for assisting users in locating, and establishing contact relationships with, other users." However, as explained in TechDirt's Amazon 'Friends' Patent Office: Gets Social Networking Patent, Amazon has been awarded only a continuation patent.

Hat tip to Law Librarian Blog

Sexual Orientation and the Law Display

2010-06-20T15:22:00.004-05:00

By Presidential Proclamation, June 2010 has been designated Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.

Visit a display of resources on sexual orientation and the law outside the reference offices. The display also includes information regarding OCU Law's Lesbian and Gay Law Student Association and information on Department of Defense review of and Congressional repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy.

UPDATED: Canine DNA Database Breaks New Ground In Crackdown on Animal Cruelty

2010-06-18T13:22:00.006-05:00

From an ASPCA Press Release: "NEW YORK--The nation's first criminal dog-fighting DNA database has been established by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) and the Louisiana SPCA (LA/SPCA), and will be maintained at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Known as the Canine CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the database is designed to help the criminal justice system investigate and prosecute dog fighting cases and address the growing problem of dog fighting using 21st century technology. "

Read more about Canine CODIS here.

*UPDATE* Please read the following article about the Canine CODIS database on CNN.

Photo Credit: Kim Nguyen

Google's Collection of Unsecured Wi-Fi Data Prompts Investigations

2010-06-15T09:53:00.002-05:00

In May, the Energy and Commerce Committee of US House of Representative sent a letter to Google inquiring about the "huge amounts of data sent over private Wi-Fi networks while documenting the streets of our country for its Google Street View Product." The letter expressed specific concern that "Google did not disclose until long after the fact that consumers' Internet use was being recorded, analyzed and perhaps profiled." Google's response indicates that it "mistakenly" collected the data and that "the data has never been used in any Google product or service, nor do we intend to use it."

According to a Jurist Legal News & Research, Google data collection is also a subject of investigation in Australia and Canada; and several other nations have also become interested in data collected by Google.

Law and the World Cup

2010-06-11T23:31:00.003-05:00

Soccer enthusiast from legal communities around the world are looking for connections between the law and the World Cup; several blogs are writing about the intersection of law and the World Cup. See the Where the Law and Soccer Collide: At a Firm in Manchester and World Cup Offers South African Lawyers Chance to Shine. Employment Law advice about employees watching the world cup at work is available here.

While some are looking for existing connections, others are simply making new connections of their own. See the World Cup Trivia on the International Law Prof Blog.

BP Purchases Sponsored Links for Search Terms Related to Oil Spill

2010-06-10T19:46:00.007-05:00

Danny Sullivan, editor-in-chief of searchengineland.com, in a June 8, 2010 interview on NPR's All Things Considered spoke about BP's purchase of sponsored links as results for certain search terms, including "oil spill" and searches including "BP". The sponsored links were purchased on both Yahoo and Google.

According to Sullivan, this cost of BP's effort to "contain the PR fallout" of the spill is unclear, but this is "how things are done on the Internet.

BP is not the only entity making use of the Internet in relation to the oil spill. For example, see Thursday's post regarding the Oil Spill Law Blog.

For more information, read or listen to the story on NPR.org.

New Orleans Law Firm Launches Oil Spill Blog

2010-06-10T18:59:00.003-05:00

The Lavis Law Firm of New Orleans has launched the BP Oil Spill Law Blog. While the firm likely intends for the site to generate clients, Law Librarian Blog indicates that the site also offers helpful information to "folks affected by the disaster."

Advances in Animal Law

2010-06-10T10:34:00.003-05:00

From examiner.com : "Ten years ago, nine of the 196 law schools in the United States offered courses in animal law. Today, more than 90 universities do. That’s a huge advance in the outlook for legal protection for animals. In fact, professional interest in the field of animal law is outpacing the demand, at this point."

Read the rest of the article here.

Photo credit: Pat Miller

May Acquisition List

2010-06-08T12:15:00.005-05:00

The Law Library acquired many new books during the month of May. Click on the link below to see the newest items in our collection. From this page, you can also find lists of the new books acquired over the last three months.

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition

The Best Advice: Listen to Your Lawyers?

2010-06-07T17:17:00.003-05:00

According to the ABA Journal Law News Now, in 1995, more than six years before the filing of the infamous gender-based discrimination suit against Wal-Mart, the firm of Akin Gump Strass Hauer & Feld reported that salaried men earned 19 percent more than women. The memo also reportedly made recommendations regarding Wal-Marts hiring practices. Some are questioning whether Wal-Mart could have "avoided the suit altogether" by taking the advice provided in the report.

Law School Graduates Sue National Conference of Bar Examiners for Violation of ADA

2010-06-03T15:04:00.004-05:00

Three visually impaired law school graduates, who were allowed to use screen reading software during law school, have sued the NCBE alleging that the NCBE's denial to use computer-based aides on the Multistate Bar Examination is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Earlier this year a graduate of the UCLA School of Law brought a similar suit.

Hat tip to Law Librarians Blog

19th Edition of the Bluebook to Begin Shipping Today

2010-06-01T14:45:00.004-05:00

According to legalbluebook.com, shipping of the Nineteenth Edition of the Bluebook has begun:

"We are now accepting orders for the Nineteenth Edition for The Bluebook! We will begin shipping on June 1. Please keep in mind that we will be experiencing a very high volume of orders during this time and all orders will be shipped on a first-come, first served basis..."

If you haven't already ordered the new edition, it is also available from other providers, including Hein. According to Hein's pre-order information, the "new edition retains the same basic approach to legal citation established by its predecessors. The layout has been updated to make information easier to access. Some citation forms have been expanded, elaborated upon, or modifies from Previous editions to reflect the ever-expanding range of authorities used in legal writing and to respond to suggestions from the legal community."

Social Media: Evidence in Investigation

2010-05-26T14:02:00.003-05:00

Today, John Pacenti writes on http://www.law.com/ concerning how investigators and lawyers are using social networks like Facebook and MySpace in the courtoom. If profiles are not protected by the proper privacy settings, lawyers are free to reap from those websites as much information as they want. Personal blogs are another important source of information for the questioning of witnesses or the defendent.

Lawyers are also using public social networking information in choosing jurors.

To read the full article, visit http://www.law.com/jsp/lawtechnologynews/PubArticleLTN.jsp?id=1202458756486&Social_Networks_Aid_in_Investigations.

Senators Seek Compensation for Oil Spill

2010-05-25T13:37:00.003-05:00

On May 25, democratic senators began encouraging the Department of Justice to seek compensation for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. These senators are looking for both criminal and civil charges against the oil companies involved.

BP and Transocean are the two companies facing the most liability. For more information, visit the full article on the BLT: The Blog of the Legal Times. http//legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/05/senators-push-doj-to-pressure-oil-spill-companies.html#more.

O'Connor Critiques State Judicial Elections

2010-05-24T14:41:00.003-05:00

Last Friday, the New York Times published a short opinion piece by former Supreme Court justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. In this column, O'Connor expresses her dismay for the partisan election of judges at the state level. Her greatest concern is the power of campaign contributors in judicial elections and the possibility of inhibitted justice.

In contrast, she proposes a merit-based system for the selection of judges that could help states save money and bring talented candidates to the forefront.

For the full article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/opinion/23oconnor.html.

Hat tip for Karen Kalnins for the referal.

Resources For Summer Research Projects

2010-05-17T16:25:00.009-05:00

Are you working on summer research projects? The OCU Law Library is open and available to help you answer reference questions. While you cannot use Westlaw or LexisNexis for work-related projects, below are some resources that you can use.

Fastcase-Scroll down to Fastcase and sign in with your OCU username and password. Once signed in you will have access to statutes, case law, regulations, constitutions, court rules, newspapers, federal filings, and legal forms. Since the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA) offers this free of charge to members, learning how to use Fastcase now will give you an edge.

Loislaw-Similar to Westlaw and LexisNexis, Loislaw also provides access to case law, statutes, and regulations. Scroll down to Loislaw where you will need to sign in with your OCU username and password to get the Loislaw access code. You will need to use this code when setting up your account.

You can use all of the library databases except for LexisNexis and Westlaw.

OSCN-Freely available to anyone with Internet access, OSCN contains session laws, statutes, and case law.

Summer associate research guide

Another Resource on Supreme Court Nominations

2010-05-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Library of Congress website is another credible resource for information on Supreme Court Nominees. The website has resources on the last five supreme court nominees. It includes nomination documents, web resources, and bibliographies of the nominees' published works.

Here are the links to these sites.

Find Legal Resources: Supreme Court Nominations.

Find Legal Resources: Elena Kagan.

Hat Tip to Emily Brown and the LISNews (Library and Information Science News).

New UK Prime Minister -- David Cameron

2010-05-13T08:52:00.002-05:00

May 11, Gordon Brown stepped down from his position of prime minister allowing David Cameron to become the new prime minister and to form a coalition government.

Cameron enters office on a promise to cut government spending and lessen the budget deficit. He also begins his work without a majority in Parliament. He is currently forming a cabinet in collaboration with the Liberal Democrats. The two parties have already published an agreement that shows the compromises the two parties are willing to make to work together to cut government waste.

For more, see this BBC article. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/election_2010/8676607.stm

For information on UK Legal System, there are several helpful Internet resources.

Update to a Guide to the UK Legal System by Sarah Carter, Law Librarian at the University of Kent at Canterbury.

United Kingdom Law by the Parliamentary Library of the Parliament of Australia.

Law Links by the University of Kent at Canterbury

Elena Kagan, The Law Professor

2010-05-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here is an interesting blog post for those wanting to research the new Supreme Court nominee, Elena Kagan. It is written by Elie Mystal, one of her law students from when she taught at the University of Chicago School of Law. It is a personal look at her values and her teaching style.

http://abovethelaw.com/2010/05/elena-kagan-and-me-one-semester-of-civ-pro-with-the-new-scotus-nomiee/#more016791

New Nominee to the Supreme Court

2010-05-11T12:29:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, May 10th, President Obama nominated Elana Kagan to the Supreme Court. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School and currently the Solicitor General of the United States.

If you would like to learn more about her, The University of Michigan Law School has created a short biographical sketch that includes her accomplishments and articles. The website is http://www.law.umich.edu/library/info/kagan/Pages/default.aspx.

Hat tip to Darla Jackson, Lee Peoples, and the listserv of the Academic Law Libraries Special Interest Section.

April's Acquisition List

2010-05-07T08:00:00.001-05:00

The Law Library purchased many new books in April. Peruse the list of its new acquisitions, and plan your summer reading list. This month's acquisition list is on the Law Library website at http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition.

You may also find many of these books on the "New Book" display in the reference room.

Career Book Display for Graduates

2010-05-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Law Library is featuring a book display for graduating law students. The display highlights several recent acquisitions on how to pursue a law career after graduation. Find resources on how to find the perfect job, how to interview, and how to survive that first year after law school.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

2010-05-05T08:44:00.000-05:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I am posting a link to the resource, "Mexico and its Legal System." It is available on the website, Law and Technology Resources for Legal Professionals at http://www.llrx.com.

This overview of Mexican legal system is by Jorge A.Vargas who is a professor at the University of San Diego School of Law, and it a useful place to begin research on the subject.

Nomination for OCU Law Alumnus

2010-05-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

On April 28th, 2010, President Obama nominated OCU Law graduate Barry R. Grissom ('81) to the position of United States Attorney for the District of Kansas. Read the full press release here.

Grissom has run his own private practice since 1983 in Kansas City. Hat tip to OCU Law Blog.

Photo credit: Main Justice: Politics, Policy and the Law

Humor for Finals Week

2010-05-03T08:05:00.006-05:00

Do you need a break from studying? Visit the website, McClurg's Legal Humor Headquarters. It's URL is lawhaha.com. It has growing collections of "strange judicial opinions," "weird legal news," and "funniest law school moments." Law students may even submit their own funniest moments to the website.

New Study Area in the Periodicals Wing

2010-04-30T14:21:00.003-05:00

Have you noticed that there is a new study area in the Periodicals Wing in the Law Library?

Law Day - May 1, 2001

2010-04-30T14:00:00.005-05:00

At the 2010 Law Day Luncheon, OCU Law's Assistant Dean for Admissions, Bernard M. Jones, received recognition as a 2010 Leadership in Law Honoree. The Journal Record's Leadership in Law 2010 publication as well as other resources about Law Day are on display in the Law Library.

This Day In Legal History

2010-04-30T07:00:00.004-05:00

On this day in 1789 George Washington was inaugurated as the first U.S. President. Besides being the first U.S. President, Washington served in the military and played an important role in the U.S. Constitutional Convention.

Video Feeds From the U.S. House Floor

2010-04-29T07:00:00.002-05:00

Watch what goes on in the U.S. House of Representatives with video feeds. You can also search the archives with keywords or dates.

Thanks to beSpacific.

Law Library Subscribes to Early English Books Online

2010-04-28T09:59:00.002-05:00

The Law Library is pleased to announce that we have purchased access to Early English Books Online (EEBO). A description of this database is included below. You can access it from on or off campus using this link from our page of databases.

Digitized directly from the UMI Early English Books collection in microform, Early English Books Online™ (EEBO) presents classic early English works as they appeared in their original format. Users can see exactly what the first printed edition of the Canterbury Tales looked like or compare Shakespeare's quartos, page by page. Now in electronic format, this vast body of retrospective material can be searched quickly and efficiently by a broad base of users, from undergraduates to scholars. EEBO opens new avenues for research in a variety of academic disciplines. The collection currently has nearly 127,000 texts beginning with the earliest printed works in the English language.

Works are drawn from these exhaustive bibliographies and collections of the period:
The Short-Title Catalogue I (Pollard & Redgrave, 1475 - 1640)
The Short-Title Catalogue II (Wing, 1641 - 1700)
The Thomason Tracts, a compendium of broadsides on the English Civil War printed between 1640 and 1661
The Early English Books Tract Supplements

Oklahoma's New Abortion Laws

2010-04-28T07:00:00.002-05:00

The Oklahoma House and Senate overrode Governor Henry's vetoes to enact two new abortion laws. One requires that a woman view the fetus before an abortion while the other gives doctors protection from malpractice lawsuits. Read more about the new laws in The New York Times.

STATEMENT FROM SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE GLENN COFFEE
ON SENATE VETO OVERRIDE

"This is a good day for the cause of life. Today a bipartisan Senate majority made a bold statement in support of the sanctity of life. Those who rallied behind this cause reflected the core values of Oklahoma citizens, and I applaud my colleagues in providing more safeguards for the life of the unborn.

“I would remind the Governor and those who would seek to overturn this action that the Governor has already signed four pro-life bills (SB 1890, SB 1891, SB 1902 & HB 3075) into law this session that had been previously overturned by the courts on a technicality, not merit.

“That same technicality applies to the two vetoes that were overturned today. The argument that these bills will be challenged in the courts is speculative.

“The voice of the people has spoken twice now this session in the Senate and twice in the House, and I sincerely hope those who would reverse the people’s voice would think twice before acting.” From the Oklahoma State Senate.

Picking Up Groceries At The Library?

2010-04-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

In a neighborhood without many grocery stores customers can now pick up groceries at the public library. Read and listen about this innovative new program in Baltimore.

Thanks to NPR and the Library Journal.

Law School Transparency

2010-04-26T07:00:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of greater openness, Law School Transparency hopes to provide comprehensive employment statistics from ABA-accredited law schools. To reach this goal, the Web site will be asking all law schools for employment numbers.

Thanks to Barco 2.0.

Study Rooms Now Available for Reservation!

2010-04-25T15:14:00.002-05:00

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/StudyRooms.php

Finals week room reservations will now be made exclusively online using the link above.

On that site you can also find a step-by-step directional video in addition to a link to the rules regarding placing reservations.

Please stop by the Circulation Desk if you need any assistance.

Resources For Exam Preparation

2010-04-25T07:00:00.001-05:00

As you prepare for exams remember that you can access old exams online and test your mettle by taking a CALI lesson. You can also use AudioCaseFiles to review. As always, if you have questions about these or other resources please ask.

StreetApps Challenge

2010-04-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Thomson Reuters a.k.a. West is sponsoring a contest to see who can come up with the best mobile app for financial professionals. The three judging criteria are: 1. usefulness to a financial professional, 2. implementation quality, and 3. ease of use.

Thanks to 3 Geeks and Law Blog.

Montana Indian Law Portal

2010-04-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

The State Law Library of Montana has developed a new Montana Indian Law portal. Included on the site are tribal codes, treaties, and constitutions.

Thanks to KCLL Klues.

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Text Message Case

2010-04-20T07:00:00.003-05:00

In City of Ontario v. Quon, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide if employees have an expectation of privacy when it comes to text messages on the company's/city's pagers. The Court heard arguments on Monday, April 19, 2010.

Read more about the case in USAToday, LTN, or SCOTUSblog.

Oklahoma City Bombing Anniversary

2010-04-19T09:56:00.004-05:00

We remember today the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Bombing, those people who were lost, the bravery of the people who volunteered, and the resilient spirit of the survivors.

During the morning hours, we will have the annual ceremony showing on the television in the foyer near the circulation desk. For the rest of the week, we will also be featuring books and information concerning the bombing and terrorism on the book display by the circulation desk.

Volcanic Ash Continues To Disrupt Travel

2010-04-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Who knew that a volcano in Iceland could wreck such havoc? Travel to, from, and within Europe has been thrown into a tailspin by the recent eruption. Economists also predict major effects to the European economy.

NASA offers a global view of the ash clouds and you can track airport cancellations here.

Twitter Archive From Google

2010-04-18T07:00:00.003-05:00

Google is a gift that keeps on giving. For instance, now you can use Google to search Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and Buzz. Here is a sample search.

In other Twitter news, the LOC (Library of Congress) will now archive every public tweet.

Thanks to Slaw.

GAO Report About The U.S. Postal Service

2010-04-16T07:00:00.003-05:00

Recently, the GAO (U.S. Government & Accountability Office) issued a report about the U.S. Postal Service. Included in the report is a call for the U.S. Congress to address the issue of the U.S. Postal Service's financial viability.

Thanks to Gov Docs Guy.

State Of America's Libraries

2010-04-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

Just in time for National Library Week, the ALA (American Library Association) has issued its annual report about U.S. libraries. Among the libraries included are academic, public, and school.

Thanks to beSpacific.

Tax Deadline Approaching

2010-04-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

April 15th, the deadline to file your taxes, is right around the corner. Do you need more time to file? The IRS has an informational page with resources for requesting an extension. In addition, the IRS offers individuals a wide variety of links and services.

This day in Legal History: April 12th

2010-04-12T15:25:00.003-05:00

12 April,1633: the inquisition of Galileo Galilei began for holding the belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun

12 April,1937: The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upholds the National Labor Relations Act, which guarantees the right of employees to organize and to bargain collectively with their employers. In NLRB v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp., the court finds that Congress has the power under the commerce clause to further good relations between industry and labor.

Book Display on Justice Stevens

2010-04-12T14:17:00.008-05:00

United States Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens has announced that he will retire this summer. The Law Library has a special display of works about and by Justice Stevens. Please visit the display next to the New Books section of the Reference wing to peruse items by and about Justice Stevens. Included in the display, there are also books on the confirmation process.

To learn more about Justice Stevens' retirement, you may visit a recent New York Times article at

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/10/us/politics/10stevens.html.

Recycle Your Old Cell Phone

2010-04-12T07:00:00.004-05:00

Do you have old cell phones hanging around? Instead of throwing them away, recycle them. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has guidance on where to turn in old cell phones. You can also donate those unnecessary cell phones to organizations such as Cell Phones for Soldiers, HopeLine, or AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org.

Thanks to NPR.

EPA's HERO Database Is Publicly Available

2010-04-10T07:00:00.004-05:00

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) has made its HERO (Health and Environmental Research Online) database publicly available. Included in the database are studies and articles about various pollutants, health issues, and other topics related to the welfare of people and their surroundings.

Thanks to Moritz Legal Information Blog.

This day in Legal History: April 9th

2010-04-09T11:49:00.006-05:00

9 April, 1865: The American Civil War effectively came to an end as Robert E. Lee surrendered the Confederate Army to Ulysses S. Grant.

9 April, 1881: After two days of testimony, Henry McCarty (Billy the Kid) was found guilty of the murder of Sheriff Brady, the only conviction ever secured against any of the combatants in the Lincoln County Cattle War.

9 April, 1992: Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega was found guilty of drug and racketeering charges.

This day in Legal History: April 8th

2010-04-08T11:32:00.005-05:00

8 April, 1895: In Pollock v. Farmers' Loan & Trust Co. the U.S. Supreme Court declares that a federal law taxing income derived from property is unconstitutional.

8 April, 1913: The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, requiring the direct election of senators to the U.S. Senate.

8 April, 1952: In an act later ruled illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court in the case Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer, President Harry S. Truman ordered the seizure of U.S. steel mills to avert a strike.

March Acquisition List

2010-04-08T08:35:00.002-05:00

The Law Library acquired many new books during the month of March. Click on the link below to see the newest items in our collection. From this page, you can also find lists of the new books acquired over the last three months.

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition.

Network Neutrality

2010-04-08T07:00:00.000-05:00

As described by the ALA (American Library Association), network neutrality means not discriminating against users based on content or services they provide or access. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has tried to regulate ISPs (Internet Service Providers) with network neutrality rules.

However, in a decision issued on April 6, 2010 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled in favor of Comcast, an ISP. Read more about the decision in the New York Times and The Street.

Wilma Mankiller Dies

2010-04-07T15:09:00.002-05:00

Wilma Mankiller died yesterday, April 6, 2010. The Cherokee Nation posted a news release about her death.

Library Week Information

2010-04-06T14:18:00.010-05:00

Click on picture to see details!

Is Justice Stevens Retiring?

2010-04-06T07:00:00.004-05:00

Based on recent interviews with the New York Times and New Yorker magazine, U.S. Supreme Court watchers are speculating whether or not Justice Stevens will retire soon. Some of those weighing in include USA Today, NPR, Mediaite, and The Washington Times.

New Article by Professor Paula Dalley

2010-04-05T13:38:00.002-05:00

OCU Law Professor Paula Dalley recently published Imagining Business Associations Without Agency Law in Transactions: The Tennessee Journal of Business Law, Vol. 11, No. 1, p. 77, 2009. Access the article in the OCU Law Faculty Scholarship Repository, in Westlaw, or SSRN.

Here is the article abstract:

The application of agency law to business associations presents a variety of problems. This essay considers an alternative conception of the business association that does not incorporate agency law principles. Borrowing from early ideas of partnership, this alternative conceives of the organization as a pool of assets. The asset pool is the bearer of liabilities; the shareholders and managers have powers and rights relating to the asset pool and to each other. This essay then considers how the law would differ under an asset-pool approach and identifies the potential benefits and disadvantages of the asset-pool conception of business entities.

On this Day in Legal History: April 5th

2010-04-05T11:32:00.003-05:00

5 April, 1999: Russel Henderson plead guilty to the kidnapping and murder of Matthew Shepard.

5 April, 1792: President George Washington enacted the first presidential veto. After consulting with the attorney general and his department secretaries, he vetoed the Apportionment Bill on 5 April 1792 on constitutional grounds.

20 Years of Defending Death Row Inmates

2010-04-01T12:51:00.003-05:00

"Attorney David Dow has made a career out of defending death row inmates in Texas — a state that boasts the highest number of death row executions nation-wide since 1976.

In the last twenty years, Dow has defended over 100 inmates sentenced to death. Many of his clients have died — most of them were guilty — but Dow says they should have been sentenced to life in prison instead of death at the hands of the state."

Read the rest of the story, as well as listen to the radio broadcast interview with Mr. Dow over on NPR.

The OCU Law Library owns The Autobiography of an Execution. Click here to request this title.

New Article by Professor Danne Johnson

2010-03-31T10:37:00.004-05:00

OCU Law Professor Danne Johnson recently published Seeking Meaningful Nonprofit Reform in a Post Sarbanes-Oxley World: Saint Louis University Law Journal, Vol. 54, p. 187, Fall 2009. Access this article in OCU Law Faculty Scholarship Repository and Westlaw.

On This Day in Legal History: March 29th

2010-03-29T15:24:00.005-05:00

March 29th, 1951: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage in the United States. They were executed two years later.

March 29th, 1971: Lt. William Calley was convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison for his roll in the Mai Lai Massacre.

March 29th, 1999: Hanratty Family receives the right to appeal the case of James Hanratty, convicted and executed for the murder of a scientist and his lab assistant.

March 29th, 1961: The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution is ratified by the states, allowing residents of the District of Columbia to vote for President of the United States.

Will the iPad Change the Way Lawyers Conduct Meetings?

2010-03-29T11:12:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, Apple announced the upcoming release of their new gadget, the iPad. A lot of buzz followed the announcement- both positive and negative.

When we think about the way smart phones have changed the way we do business, from lawyers to librarians to doctors and students, it's easy to think that the iPad will only continue the trend.

Imagine that you're sitting with your client, and they have a question about a recent court case. Currently, you might go for your iPhone or other smart phone. What if you had a larger screen to share information with your client?

If you're interested in this topic of discussion, there is a great conversation concerning the use of smart technology while meeting with clients over on Lawyerist.com.

A demonstration of the iPad can be found here.

Challenge of Wisconsin Diploma Privilege by OCU Alumni Dismissed

2010-03-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

The suit filed by OCU Alumni Christopher Wiesmueller challenging Wisconsin's diploma privilege has been dismissed. The suit, based on a claim that the privilege violates the federal Commerce Clause, was settled by State attorneys for $7,500.

Hat tip to WisBlawg - from the UW Law Library.

$18.9 Million Copyright Infringement Verdict Reinstated

2010-03-24T12:14:00.004-05:00

What may have seemed like a small infringement to some has not resulted in a small award. In June 2006, in the suit of Graham Co. v. Haughey, the jury concluded that Haughey, a former employee of the plaintiff, had taken two company manuals to his new employer, USI MidAtlantic Inc. USI MidAtlantic, ignoring the copyright notice, had then included material from the manuals in its own sales proposals. The jury also heard evidence that after the initial filing of the suit, USI shredded between 12 and 20 boxes of financial records. An almost $18.9 million award was entered in the case. Upon remand from the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Judge Harvey Bartle III, the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, has reinstated the initial $18.9 million award.

To read more about the case visit the Law.com article.

Brennan Lecture

2010-03-23T11:25:00.004-05:00

Restoring Lost Connections: Land Use, Policing, and Urban Vitality is the topic of the 2010 Brennan Lecture to be presented April 8, 2010 at 5 p.m. in the Homsey Family Moot Courtroom.

Nicole Garnett is a Notre Dame University Law Professor and the Author of Ordering the City: Land Use, Policing, and Restoration of Urban America.

Additional publications by Professor Garnett are available for review outside the Reference Office in the Law Library.

US Supreme Court's Updated Website

2010-03-22T07:44:00.002-05:00

On March 18, 2010, the US Supreme Court unveiled its newly developed website. The Court's site was previously hosted by the Government Printing Office (GPO). According to the Court's release, the newly unveiled site is hosted in-house and is designed to "enable the Court to integrate the Web site with the Court's other operations, improve the quality of the site, and expand services for the public benefit."

Hat tip to The BLT: The Blog of the LegalTimes

C-Span Video Archive Available

2010-03-21T18:04:00.005-05:00

Last week C-SPAN launched video archives of its programming. According to the C-Span Video Library Blog,

The C-SPAN Archives records, indexes, and archives all C-SPAN programming for historical, educational, research, and archival uses, Every C-SPAN program aired since 1987, now totaling over 157,000 hours, is contained in the C-SPAN Archives and immediately accessible through the database and electronic archival systems developed and maintained by the C-SPAN Archives.

As pointed out by Law Librarian Blog, C-SPAN programming, including congressional sessions and committee hearings, can serve as an excellent unofficial source of legislative history.

Increased Access To Federal Court Materials

2010-03-17T13:30:00.006-05:00

The Judicial Conference of the Untied States approved measures aimed at increasing access to federal court materials. Approved actions include:

1. Modification of the fee schedule for Public Access to Electronic Court Records (PACER) to allow free access up to $10 per quarter (rather than $10 per year).

2. Establishment of a pilot program under which up to 12 courts may publish court opinions via the Government Printing Office's (GPO) Federal Digital System (FDsys).

3. Modification of the program to make audio recordings of court hearings available. (Previously such recordings were available via the court clerk's office via CD for a substantial fee. Audio will now be available via PACER for a fee of $2.40.)

For additional information see the news release of the U.S. Courts.

Hat tip to Law Librarian Blog and The BLT: The Blog of LegalTimes

The Ground Zero Settlement- $657 million?

2010-03-15T16:14:00.002-05:00

"A federal judge said Friday he will hold a hearing in a week to let people weigh in on a settlement that would pay up to $657 million to a group of people who became ill after spending hundreds of hours in the ruins of the World Trade Center."

Continue reading the article on NPR.

Clinton to receive Reflections of Hope award in Oklahoma City

2010-03-11T13:50:00.002-06:00

From NewsOK: "Today, it was announced that the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum will honor President Clinton "for his work in helping Oklahoma City transform after the bombing of the federal building almost 15 years ago and for his international peace work during his presidency and over the past decade."

Read more about this honor here.

In this photo: Bill Clinton
Photo: Pool/Getty Images
Apr 19, 2005

The Patent Reform Act of 2010

2010-03-09T12:00:00.006-06:00

Are you interested to the changes proposed in the Patent Reform Act of 2010?

Click here to read an excellent overview of just what the legislation will state.

Read about the first-to-file statute here.

If you are interested in patents, and would like to read about a recent invention involving "air bags for birds," I suggest you take a look at the Patent Librarian's Notebook and his post on the subject.

Image retrieved from Patent Number 2008/0298962 A1

February Acquisition List

2010-03-09T09:09:00.000-06:00

A list of the OCU Law Library's acquisitions during the month of February is now available on our website. See the new scholarship in your field.

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition.

Open Information Societies

2010-03-05T18:43:00.002-06:00

"FROM antiquity to modern times, the nation has always been a product of information management. The ability to impose taxes, promulgate laws, count citizens and raise an army lies at the heart of statehood. Yet something new is afoot. These days democratic openness means more than that citizens can vote at regular intervals in free and fair elections. They also expect to have access to government data.

The state has long been the biggest generator, collector and user of data. It keeps records on every birth, marriage and death, compiles figures on all aspects of the economy and keeps statistics on licences, laws and the weather. Yet until recently all these data have been locked tight. Even when publicly accessible they were hard to find, and aggregating lots of printed information is notoriously difficult."

Read more, at The Economist.

As discussed on Legal Research Plus, governments are now becoming more open and information transparent.

The above articles discuss how this has had an impact on state, national, and international governments.

Mayor Mick Cornett re-elected to third term

2010-03-03T10:33:00.000-06:00

"Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett was re-elected Tuesday to a historic third term. Mayor Cornett defeated Steve Hunt 58.3 to 41.7 percent. The City’s 35th Mayor, Cornett became just the fourth mayor in the City’s history to secure a third term. Mayor Cornett will begin his third, four year term on Tuesday, April 13."

From The City of Oklahoma News.

Smart Phones and Public Records

2010-03-01T16:30:00.003-06:00

Many of us remember the news surrounding Barack Obama the Candidate and his beloved Blackberry smart phone. Most of the concern focused on the ability to track each and every communication going into or out of the smart phone, creating a logistics nightmare. As mentioned in the link above, President Obama has been allowed to keep his Blackberry...even though it is a, let's say, rare model.

NPR recently highlighted a story coming out of Florida concerning public records laws and the increased use of technology:

"State leaders in Florida are in a battle with technology: new forms of communications that make it difficult for public officials to follow the law.

The state has one of the best government public record laws in the country. Virtually every public document is accessible to the public. And though the state is embracing the perks of advanced technology — the Legislature just started piloting the use of electronic meeting packets, instead of printing them on paper — the use of cell phones and BlackBerrys is causing concern. It's simply too difficult to archive all communications."

Listen to the story or read more here.

Photo Credit: Jae C Hong/AP

March is National Women's History Month

2010-03-01T13:11:00.003-06:00

In observance of National Women's History Month, the Law Library has created a display of materials on Women in the Legal Profession. The display features Leading the Way: A Look at Oklahoma's Pioneering Women Lawyers, a project of the Oklahoma Bar Association Women in Law Committee.

Google Employees Convicted in Italian Court

2010-02-25T16:12:00.007-06:00

The Italian trial of four Google employees has resulted in a conviction of three of the charged individuals. As originally reported on Jurist, the indictment was for criminal defamation; however, subsequent reports noted that the indictment included charges for violation of the Italian Privacy Code.
According to a post on the Official Google Blog, "In late 2006, students at a school in Turin, Italy filmed and then uploaded a video to Google Video that showed them bullying an autistic school mate. The video was totally reprehensible and we took it down within hours of being notified by the Italian Police." However, the according to an NPR report, Italian prosecutors argued that because of the popularity of the video, which remained on the site for two month and was included on the most entertaining videos for the Italian site, Google should have been aware of and removed the video sooner.
Google asserts that "European Union law was drafted specifically to give hosting providers a safe harbor from liability so long as they remove illegal content once they are notified of its existence ... If that principle is swept aside and sites like Blogger, YouTube and indeed every social network and any community bulletin board, are held responsible for vetting every single piece of content that is uploaded to them ... then the Web as we know it will cease to exist, and many of the economic, social, political, and technological benefits it brings could disappear." As a result, Google stresses that it will support a vigorous appeal of the convictions.

Is the Virtual Law Office the Future for Legal Services?

2010-02-24T09:41:00.003-06:00

Witnesses at the ABA Commission on Ethics 20/20 suggested that clients are increasingly turning to web-based vendors to meet their legal needs. According to several experts, virtual offices, because of their accessibility and affordability are growing in popularity. Further, according to Stephanie Kimbro, co-founder of Virtual Office Technology, LLC, virtual office arrangements can benefit lawyers "by accommodating better work/life balance, producing economies for routine work, helping prevent malpractice, reducing overhead and expanding the potential client base."

To read more, click here to access the ABAnow article.

Fastcase Launches iPhone Application

2010-02-21T15:15:00.006-06:00

Access to the desktop version of Fastcase is free for members of the Oklahoma Bar Association (OBA). Fastcase allows OBA members to search federal and state case law and statutes. However, law students, because they are not yet members of the bar, have not had access to Fastcase. Law students, as well as bar members, may now access free Fastcase using a new App for the iPhone and iTouch. This is an excellent opportunity to become familiar with the Fastcase research tool.

Click here for additional information and the link to download the Fastcase App.

New Portal to Mexican Statutes and Regulations

2010-02-21T15:02:00.003-06:00

Justia has launched LeyMx, a portal that provides access to primary law, including the Mexican Constitution, state and federal laws, codes, and regulations. The site provides content in both image and text formats. As you might anticipate, content is provided in Spanish; however, using Google language tools or Yahoo's BabelFish will allow conversion to a readable English translation.

Hat tip to Wisblawg - From the UW Law Library

The Buzz on Google Buzz

2010-02-17T17:17:00.002-06:00

According to Google, Google Buzz is a service built into the Gmail service
as a "new way to start conversations about the things you find interesting." However, the roll out of Google Buzz has prompted numerous complaints that Google has violated the privacy rights of Gmail users. Additional discussions about the privacy issues raised by Google Buzz are available from Jurist and NPR.

Facebook and Privacy

2010-02-17T11:37:00.005-06:00

Concerned about potential employers using Facebook to "spy" on you? The New York Times has published an article about the three Facebook settings that every Facebook user should check.

Thanks to Law Librarian Blog

Post authored by Tim Gatton, Student Reference Assistant

Current Events Displays In the Library

2010-02-17T10:29:00.008-06:00

There are a number of events occurring in February. February is Black History Month. President's Day (Washington's Birthday), Valentines and Mardi Gras are celebrated in February. The world is working to provide aid to Haiti. Finally, athletes are competing in the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Law Library is displaying materials related to all of these events.
Visit the displays and find some material of interest.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, Jurist-in-Residence

2010-02-09T19:38:00.014-06:00

Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, will visit OCU LAW February 9-11, 2010. Justice Gorsuch will appear as a special speaker in OCU LAW classes, meet with students and faculty, and deliver a public lecture, titled "But My Client Made Me Do It: The Struggle of Being A Good Lawyer and Living A Good Life" at 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 10 in the Homsey Family Moot Courtroom.

In 2008 OCU LAW partnered with McAfee & Taft to create the McAfee & Taft Jurist-in-Residence program. Justice Gorsuch is the 2010 McAfee & Taft Jurist-in-Residence. If you would like to review some of Justice Gorsuch's publications, please visit the display in the Law Library.

Innocence Project

2010-02-08T12:27:00.004-06:00

Oklahoma City University Law School is working to establish an Innocence Project.

Based at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University, the Innocence Project established in 1992 by Barry Scheck and Peter Neufeld is marking a significant achievement, the exoneration of its 250th client. To commemorate the occasion, the New York based project released 250 Exonerated, Too Many Wrongfully Convicted on Feb. 4, 2010. The report details each one of the 250 DNA exoneration cases and includes statistics on common causes of the wrongful convictions.

Hat tip to Law Librarian Blog

Are You Using Zotero?

2010-02-07T20:19:00.002-06:00

Zotero is a free Firefox extension that helps you organize and bluebook your sources. To get started, read this Quick Start Guide from BU Law Library and download Zotero.

WestlawNext

2010-02-07T20:12:00.003-06:00

Curious about the new Westlaw interface? Take a look at WestlawNext and provide your feedback to West.

January Acquisition List

2010-02-04T15:41:00.000-06:00

A list of the OCU Law Library's acquisitions during the month of January is now available on our website. See what new books are available for you!

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition.

Library Open Regular Hours Today

2010-01-31T13:49:00.003-06:00

The library will resume normal operating hours today, 31 January. The grounds staff at OCU has worked hard to clear the streets and sidewalks, but use caution as there is still ice around.

Please call the circulation desk if you have any questions about operating hours. 405.208.5393.

Library Closing Due to Weather

2010-01-29T19:33:00.003-06:00

The OCU Law Library will be closed Saturday, January 30th, due to the snow fall Oklahoma City has been experiencing.

At this point our Sunday, January 31st, hours remain 1pm-12am, but this may change and is dependent on the state of the weather and the roads.

Stay safe out there!

Image credit: http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1271660880062928585Dzniav

LexisNexis and Westlaw Will Reorganize Sites

2010-01-26T07:00:00.002-06:00

According to this New York Times article, both Lexis and Westlaw are planning changes to appeal to younger users and compete with the many free sources of legal information.

Thanks to Legal Research Plus.

Morgan Papers Are Digitized

2010-01-25T07:00:00.001-06:00

Edmund Morgan, professor at Harvard Law School, chaired the committee that created the Uniform Code of Military Justice. His papers have now been digitized and offer a rare glimpse into the committee's work on this groundbreaking document.

Thanks to Et Seq.

Corruption in Afghanistan

2010-01-23T07:00:00.002-06:00

The United Nations (U.N.) recently released a report detailing the problem of corruption in Afghanistan. As a reminder, U.S. President Obama announced a troop surge in Afghanistan and has outlined several objectives for the region.

Thanks to Gov Docs Guy.

December 2009 -- Acquisition List

2010-01-22T11:07:00.002-06:00

A list of the OCU Law Library's acquisitions during the month of December is now available on our website. See what new books are available for you!

http://www.okcu.edu/law/lawlib/library_geninfo.php#MonthlyAcquisition

Legal Outsourcing

2010-01-21T07:00:00.002-06:00

While focusing on law firms in Great Britain, this article presents the new reality of outsourcing legal work to India.

Thanks to beSpacific.

Clio

2010-01-20T19:00:00.000-06:00

For busy attorneys who do not want to bother with new software, the online practice management suite Clio has arrived. For a mere $49 per month, attorneys can get a monthly subscription which includes time management, billing, document management, and task lists. You can also try the product gratis for thirty days.

Thanks to Emily Z. Brown.

Playing With the Pros

2010-01-19T13:45:00.002-06:00

If you have ever fantasized about being on the U.S. Supreme Court, you can still sign up for FantasySCOTUS.net. According the site's founder, you can sign up and participate in the Court's decisions. At the end of the term you will receive a score based on your predictions.

Thanks to the University of Baltimore Law Library blog.

Citation Finder

2010-01-18T07:00:00.002-06:00

Legal Information Institute (LII) announced its new Citation Finder feature. First, you must download it to your linkbar. Once you have installed it, you can highlight text on a Web page and Citation Finder will scan it for citations.

Thanks to Barco 2.0.

No Longer Their Golden Ticket

2010-01-16T09:47:00.002-06:00

In No Longer Their Golden Ticket, the NYTimes examines the current state of legal hiring at large law firms across the country. According to the author, lawyers at large firms are facing tough and uncertain times in the current economy.