Law Librarian Blog

Judicial Selection During the Bush Administration

Alliance for Justice has issued a report that outlines the legacy of President Bush's appointments to the federal courts. In Judicial Selection During the Bush Administration: 2008, the authors contend that a close examination of key judicial appointments that have dramatically changed the landscape of the federal bench.   According to the report:

• Judges appointed by Republican presidents dominate the Supreme Court, the courts of appeals, and the district courts. Over 58% of all federal judges were appointed by Republican presidents. George W. Bush has appointed nearly 37% of all sitting federal judges.
• Many of President Bush’s judicial appointees have had a significant and detrimental effect on the law, and have instead advanced the President’s political agenda.
• President Bush has used the judicial selection process not simply to advance his political agenda at the expense of legal principles, but also as a tool to galvanize his base.
• President Bush’s judicial legacy is only beginning to unfold as the judges he appointed will continue to render decisions for decades to come.

[RJ]

The Facts Regarding the Google-Yahoo Ad Deal (According to Google)

Google has published a website explaining "the facts" surrounding the advertising deal it announced with Yahoo in June. According to a report on SearchEngineLand, the mini-site is an attempt to tell its story about why there’s no need to fear an ad partnership between it and Yahoo. 
According to the site, the main points are:

• This is a non-exclusive deal that will strengthen Yahoo!.
• Ad prices will continue to be set by competitive auction.
• The deal is win-win for consumers, advertisers and publishers: more and better ads.

For more information see:  Google Launches Yahoo-Google Facts Site, SearchEngineLand

The Science of Courtroom Litigation

The Science of Courtroom Litigation: Jury Research and Analytical Graphics
Edited and co-authored by Samuel H. Solomon, Joanna Gallant and  John P. Esser

List Price: $95.00
Law Journal Press (#ALM20); 384 pages; 2008.
ISBN: 978-1-58852-143-9

Product Description: With the tools discussed in this new book, trial teams can go to court with aresearch-based presentation strategy that will capture the jury's attention. The Science of Courtroom Litigation: Jury Research and Analytical Graphics shows you how to develop and test case themes using valid jury research techniques and how to create effective graphics that educate and persuade the jury. It also shows you how to make the most of trial technology to streamline and strengthen your case.

The authors discuss the techniques involved in creating a rich, engaging story in a multimedia fashion to meet the needs of the modern visual “instant information” culture. They also explore how mass media coverage of crime, litigation and high-profile corporate scandals have changed juror expectations and how trial lawyers can adapt.

The Science of Courtroom Litigation: Jury Research and Analytical Graphics examines in detail the research and consulting services used at each stage of a case, including focus groups, witness preparation, mock trials, jury selection and community attitude surveys, shadow juries, post-verdict interviews, and others. They also provide a thorough introduction to the use of analytical graphics at trial. This includes examples from well-known cases, including some that the authors themselves worked on, such as the World Trade Center insurance litigation.

State by State Bankruptcy Filings

CreditCards.com has created an interactive map for state bankruptcy statistics. By clicking on an individual state, the site automatically generates compiled stats including:

• Cumulative filings
• Filings per capita
• State rank
• Total population
• Increase (or decrease) in per capita filings
• Ratio between Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings

[RJ]

Buckley's Supreme Courtship

Christopher Buckley, the novelist, political satirist and son of the conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., is about to launch a book tour for his new novel, Supreme Courtship (Twelve, September 3, 2008). The storyline starts with the President ticked off at the Senate for rejecting his SCOTUS nominees so he chooses someone so beloved by voters that the Senate won't have the nerve to reject her--Judge Pepper Cartwright, star of the nation's most popular reality show. Or as the New York Times portrays the satire in
Free to Be His Own Buckley:

His latest book, “Supreme Courtship,” features a gun-toting television judge with a librarian’s sex appeal (Can you say Sarah Palin?) who has been nominated to the Supreme Court. She is pitted against a “cosmetically-enhanced” Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, no doubt a thinly veiled Joe Biden.

Sounds like Supreme Courtship is another classic Christopher Buckley comedy about the Washington institutions most deserving of ridicule. [JH]

Where Do the Most Elite Law Firms Go to Hire New Lawyers?

Brian Leiter (Chicago) has the answer on his Law School Rankings website. His study shows how little impact U.S. News rankings have on where the firms choose to hire and how much geography matters once you get outside the ranks of elite law schools. Details at The Top 15 Schools From Which the Most "Prestigious" Law Firms Hire New Lawyers. [JH]

The Citation of Wikipedia in American Judicial Opinions

Wikipedia has been cited almost 300 times in American judicial opinions as of September, 2008 according to Lee Peoples' The Citation of Wikipedia in American Judicial Opinions (SSRN). The article comprehensively examines citations to Wikipedia in American judicial opinions. The impact of references to Wikipedia in judicial opinions on law of evidence, judicial ethics, the judicial role in the common law adversarial system, the de-legalization of American law, and the future of stare decisis are explored. Best practices for the citation of Wikis in judicial opinions are also discussed.

Hat tip to Legal Research Plus. [JH]

FindLaw Special Edition: Elections 2008

FindLaw Special Edition: Elections 2008 is an election portal with resources that provide authoritative election information, specifically as it pertains to the legal world, including:

• Election commentary from FindLaw legal specialists
• Featured late-breaking Reuters politics videos.
• Extensive voting rights and voter information section, including:
  • Introduction to Federal Voting Rights Laws
  • Voting and Civil Rights: History and Law
  • FAQ: Voting Rights and Discrimination
  • State-by-State Voter Registration Information

[RJ]

Universities Form HathiTrust as a Backup Repository to the Google Book Project

While the Google Book Project steams along, university libraries involved in the project have banned together to form HathiTrust, a repository to archive and share their digitized collections. Their goals are to:

• To build a reliable and increasingly comprehensive digital archive of library materials converted from print that is co-owned and managed by a number of academic institutions.
• To dramatically improve access to these materials in ways that, first and foremost, meet the needs of the co-owning institutions.
• To help preserve these important human records by creating reliable and accessible electronic representations.
• To stimulate redoubled efforts to coordinate shared storage strategies among libraries, thus reducing long-term capital and operating costs of libraries associated with the storage and care of print collections.
• To create and sustain this “public good” in a way that mitigates the problem of free-riders.
• To create a technical framework that is simultaneously responsive to members through the centralized creation of functionality and sufficiently open to the creation of tools and services not created by the central organization.

For more information see, University Libraries in Google Project to Offer Backup Digital Library, The Chronicle (sub req)  [RJ]

2008 Report on International Religious Freedom

The U.S. Department of State has issued it's 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom.  The annual report highlights both the protections and the unjust violations of religious freedom around the world.  Part I of the report  details U.S. actions in countries of particular concern.  Part II identifies Country-Specific conditions of international religious freedom.  [RH]

Opening: Reference and Student Services Librarian, Oklahoma City University Law Library (Search extended)

The Reference and Student Services Librarian provides legal reference services to law students, law faculty and other patrons of the Law Library. This includes answering legal research and general reference questions, assisting law students, law faculty, and other patrons with print and electronic resources. The position has specific responsibilities for serving students, acting as the library liaison for student organizations and publications, such as the law review, and overseeing interlibrary loan processing of student requests. The librarian also produces research guides, pathfinders and library aids, and serves as a guest lecturer in the First Year Legal Research and Writing program. Additionally, the librarian makes presentations on research materials and strategies and team teaches two Advanced Legal Research courses with other librarians.

Candidates should have a JD or equivalent degree and a Library Science degree. For someone pursuing or completing a Library Science degree (who already possesses a JD degree) previous employment in legal or related fields could be considered. The salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

More information is available in the complete job description at: https://jobs.okcu.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51216

Information about the University and benefits are available at: http://www.okcu.edu/hr/jobs.asp

Oklahoma City University is ideally located in a growing metro area with a low cost of living.  The Oklahoma City University Law School provides a dynamic atmosphere and proudly supports the Center on Alternative Dispute Resolution, the Center for the Study of State Constitutional Law and Government, and the Native American Legal Resource Center.  The 15 member library staff works in a collegial, professional environment and provides an ideal job opportunity for a candidate interested in providing legal reference and instruction services.

*Please note that Judy Morgan, Director, Lee Peoples, Associate Director (405-651-6030), and Darla Jackson, Head of Reference and Access Services (405-208-5915), will be available at the Mid-American Association of Law Libraries (MAALL) Annual Meeting in Fayetteville to answer questions about the position.  Candidates should submit an application, resume, cover letter, and references online at https://jobs.okcu.edu/.

Law School Rank and GPA Aren’t the Best Predictors of BigLaw Success

Law school rank and grade point average aren’t the best predictors of success at large law firms, according to a study of more than 1,300 associates conducted at a top 25 law firm trying to combat high associate attrition rates. The study's aim was to identify lawyer recruits who have the required educational credentials as well as the “stuff” to thrive at the law firm according to Moneyball Indeed!, a summary by James Bergin and Ron Paquette, consultants from Kerma Partners. The study identified 12 factors of success including  group hobbies, collegiate-level athletics, specific law school classes, and foreign language proficiency, and a number of attributes that were detrimental to success in BigLaw.

Hat tip to the ABA Journal. [JH]

Sarah Palin's "First Official Press Conference"

From SNL. [JH]

2008 RAND Institute for Civil Justice Annotated Bibliography

The RAND Institute for Civil Justice has released an annotated bibliography covering its analytical research.  "The ICJ facilitates change in the civil justice system by analyzing trends and outcomes, identifying and evaluating policy options, and bringing together representatives of different interests to debate alternative solutions to policy problems." 
Subjects include:

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Areas of Liability
• Bankruptcy
• The Business of Law\
• Corporate Ethics and Governance
• Employment Law
• Entrepreneurship
• Health and Safety in the Workplace
• Insurance Law and Regulation
• Litigation, Jury Verdicts, and Damages
• Mass Torts and Class Actions
• Terrorism Risk Management Policy
• Tort Reform
• Trends in the Tort Litigation System

[RJ]

Sovereign Wealth and Sovereign Power, Risks to U.S. of Dependence on Foreign Governments to Finance Deficit

Reducing our dependence on foreign governments should be an important priority for the next president, according to a new report Council on Foreign Relations.  According to Sovereign Wealth and Sovereign Power, "the longer the United States relies on central banks and sovereign funds to support large external deficits, the greater the risk that the United States’ need for external credit will constrain its policy options." 
The report's recommendations include:

• Reducing U.S oil imports
• Consulting with allies
• Supporting policy changes abroad that would reduce the buildup of assets in state hands
• Reducing the U.S. budget deficit over time

[RJ]

New State Forms Compilations

From Law Journal Press:

Library of Connecticut Family Law Forms (October 2008)(978-1-57625-334-2; $249.99)
Product Description: Library of Connecticut Family Law Forms is a comprehensive library of 260+ sample documents and court forms in matters of Separation, Divorce, Child Custody, Visitation, Domestic Violence. Find a wide variety of forms from initial summons through ADR,  trial and relief. Low-tech and easy to use, the CD allows for easy drafting and editing of Word documents. The 8 ½" x 11" soft cover book contains a printed version of each form, and is organized to bring you through your matter from start to finish.

Library of New Jersey Collection Law Forms (Available December 2008)(978-1-57625-334-2, $239.95)
Product Description: Every civil litigator has a client who needs to collect money or resist collection efforts. Whether you handle one or hundreds of collection matters, you'll want the wide array of sample documents Gerald Felt has assembled from his expansive practice. In addition to supplying all the forms you need, each chapter of the book is preceded by advice on how, when, where, and why the forms are filed.

You'll find sample documents and forms to bring your matter from start to finish. Low-tech and easy to use, the CD allows for easy drafting and editing of a large variety of Word documents. The 8 ½ x 11 soft cover book contains a printed version of each form, and is organized to bring you through your case start to finish.

Opening: Senior Reference Librarian , Texas Legislative Reference Library

WORKING TITLE: Senior Reference Librarian

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• As a member of the Legislative Reference Library team, serves as an information consultant to legislative staff, state agency staff, and the general public.

ESSENTIAL TASKS:

• Provides reference assistance in person and over the telephone.
• Conducts in-depth library reference/research using primary and secondary sources.
• Serves as a consultant in research involving legal and electronic information sources.
• Assigns and/or supervises the work of others.
• Researches, writes and/or prepares materials, reports and articles for publication by the library.
• Trains library staff and library users.
• Reviews journals and internet sites to select appropriate articles for current awareness service.
• Assists in developing new services.
• Assists in developing manual and online research aids.
• Works extensive evening and weekend hours during legislative session.

OTHER DUTIES

• Participates in library orientation programs and conducts tours.
• Participates with other staff in long-range planning.
• Participates in traditional and electronic collection development activities.Indexes and/or catalogs legislative documents and/or library materials.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree from a library school accredited by the American Library Association.
• Three years of professional level experience as a reference, legislative reference, or law librarian.
• Three years of experience searching a variety of online databases, including LEXIS/NEXIS.
• Extensive knowledge of legislative and legal research materials.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve problems with tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Five years of professional reference experience as a legislative or law librarian.
• Experience managing special projects.
• Experience creating and maintaining research aids.
• Thorough knowledge of Texas state government and the Texas legislative process.
• Experience supervising reference librarians.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Submit portfolio of writing samples and other relevant work products.

SUPERVISION

• Reports to Library Director

To apply, mail or fax a completed State of Texas Application for Employment, resume, and letter of interest to Donald Brower at the Legislative Reference Library. Applications may be found at http://www.workintexas.com.

Donald Brower
         512-463-1632       phone
         512-475-4626       fax

In Their Own Words: Voices of Jihad — Compilation and Commentary

New report from the RAND Corporation:

"This book presents the actual statements and writings of jihadis expressing their views on virtually every subject relevant to their cause. It is not about Islam as it is practiced in its many varieties in Muslim communities throughout the world, nor is it about Islamic fundamentalism or the various Islamist political movements. Rather, it is about a small group of Muslims who carry out and promote terrorism in the name of Islam. Because the jihadis’ statements are often more appalling and more profoundly revealing than the accounts that have been written about jihadi terrorism, this book provides unfiltered access to a broad range of the stories, rationales, ideas, and arguments of jihadi terrorists and those who support them. Introductory and contextual material is also included, to provide the background and origins of what the jihadis are saying — to each other and to the world. It is hoped that this will provide greater insights into the motives, plans, and participan! ts in jihadi terrorism, as well as the nature of the threat they pose. Not all of the quotations are from prominent jihadis. Some have been selected because they are representative, others because they are contradictory, and still others because they provide a unique insight into the jihadi mentality."  [RJ]