Moritz Legal Information Blog

Here is a helpful website of where to go if you're looking for Federal or State court documents or case information! From WisBlawg

Sometimes when you are doing legal research, the best place to look for information is at the court where the case took place. Justice Served has released it's list of the 10 Best Court Web Sites to help you identify which sites are going to be the easiest to use for your research! From Legal Blog Watch

This week is Banned Books Week and the American Library Association is encouraging all of us to remember what a precious freedom it is to have access to books containing a wide array of viewpoints -- many of which are controversial. Take a look at this 2008 list of Most Frequently Challenged Books then head over to the library and celebrate the freedom to read! From beSpacific

Today is the 7th Annual International Right to Know Day . The goal of the day is "to raise awarness of every individual's right of access to government held information" and to recognize success stories in the area of open access to information. From beSpacific

The Library of Congress' American Folklife Center has produced a new presentation, American English-Dialect Recordings: The Center for Applied Linguistics Collection , as part of the Library's American Memory collections. The collection contains 118 hours of recordings documenting North American English dialects. The recordings include speech samples, linguistic interviews, oral histories, conversations, and excerpts from public speeches. The collection includes recordings from forty-three states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and parts of Canada. They were made from 1941 to 1984, with the bulk being recorded between 1968 and 1982.

You may have heard about this case , in which the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Paris Hilton in her case against Hallmark over the phrase "that's hot" -- popularized by Hilton's use on her reality TV show. More recently, singer Beyonce was sued by Columbus-based Abercrombie & Fitch over her use of the word "Fierce" for her signature perfume. The clothing company claims that the singer's use of the word would create confusion with A&F's own Fierce brand. From Law.com

Today is the International Day of Peace. Established by the United Nations, it is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. This year's focus is on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Learn more at the UN'S International Day of Peace website . From Novalawcity

Interviewing for OCI is well underway and as everyone at Career Services will tell you, writing a thank you note is absolutely essential! But, if you're not quite sure where to start, this website provides some useful tips on how to construct the perfect post-interview thank you note. From Stark County Law Library Weblog

Typography for Lawyers is a website created and maintained by Matthew Butterick, a Los Angeles attorney. Mr. Butterick, a Harvard educated graphic designer before going to law school, notes that "[e]ven though the legal profession depends heavily on writing, legal typography is often poor." "Typography is always important because presentation is always important." Although some of the legal profession's typography woes can be blamed on rigid court rules governing the form of pleadings, Mr. Butterick claims that much of the problem stems from lawyers themselves. Font issues are discussed on the site, including the use of bold and italicized text. "Straight quotes should never, ever appear in your documents" (referring to the straight form of quotation marks, as compared with the curly form). "I recognize that many law offices will wimp out and retain Times as their official font." The site is divided into basic, intermediate and advanced leve

An article from Wired Science suggests that our constant multi-tasking and clicking through endless tv channels and websites may be leaving us easily distracted and unable to concentrate, even when our computers, phones, and tvs are turned off. From Novalawcity

On September 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitutional Convention signed the United States Constitution. The day is now observed as Constitution Day . For more information about the signing of the Constitution and the Constitutional Convention, check out this website , from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Project Gutenberg is the largest online collection of free electronic books. Here is their most current list of the Top 100 Downloaded books of the over 3,000 in the entire collection.

The Office of the Historian's website offers a wealth of information about the history of U.S. diplomacy around the world. Search by country, browse the timeline, or learn a little bit more about the history of the U.S. Department of State! From Santa Clara Law: Heafey Headnotes

As the folks in Washington, D.C. continue to debate about the possibility of Health Care Reform legislation, remember to take a look back on the Acts of Congress that have helped shape America. In his book, The Laws that Shaped America: Fifteen Acts of Congress and Their Lasting Impact , Dennis W. Johnson explores the lasting importance of legislation like the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Interstate Highway Act of 1956 . If you're interested in learning more, the book is available right here in the Moritz Law Library . From BLS Library Blog

Think you check your gmail and facebook accounts too much? Well, if you don't watch out, you could end up at ReSTART , an internet addiction center that recently opened outside Seattle. The center offers a 45-day program designed to help people wean themselves off excessive, obsessive, and pathological computer use. From Law Librarian Blog

Several women on Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women list hold a J.D. These women include First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Hilary Clinton, and the newest addition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Sonya Sotomayor. Who is the most powerful woman in the world? According to this list, it's Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. From Law Librarian Blog

While print newspapers are struggling across the country, online news outlets are thriving and, for the most part, you can access local and national newspapers free online. However, this trend of free online news may soon change, according to this blog post (citing an article from the Financial Times), which predicts that there will soon be fees associated with the use of news sites. From Due Process: The Georgetown Law Library Blog

In case you missed it today, here is a copy of the remarks prepared by President Obama for an address to the nation's school children. From beSpacific

Although the heat of summer seems to be behind us, this document (pdf) from the National Wildlife Federation explains how global warming is causing extreme heat waves and what cities are trying to do to keep its residents safe. From beSpacific

There are some documents, which, although not codified as law, still command significant respect in classrooms and are often cited in court opinions. This post lists a few of these extra-special, extra-canonical texts. From Concurring Opinions

Designed to give college faculty a frame of reference for incoming freshman and created by Beloit College, this "College Mindset List" takes a look at the cultural reference points that have shaped the lives of college students, based on the year when most students of a particular class were born. For example, the 2013 list looks at students who will graduate from college in 2013 and who were (for the most part) born in 1991. It's an interesting look back on the cultural milestones that have shaped generations. From CM Law Library Blog