Moritz Legal Information Blog

I recently came across an article pairing rap lyrics with more formal poetry. Here are a couple of samples: FOUNDING FATHERS/EARL SWEATSHIRT We hold these truths to be self-evident Say hi to the Ritalin regiment ("Declaration of Independence" and "Pigions") ROBERT FROST/2PAC Whose woods these are I think I know Creep with me through that immortal flow ("Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "Thug Passion") On a more serious note, there is a growing body of law surrounding the use of rap lyrics as confessions or other evidence in criminal trials. In the past two years, rap lyrics have formed the basis of convictions in more than three dozen cases. For more on this subject, check out Confessions in the Courtroom ; Silence , Confessions, and Improperly Obtained Evidence ; The U.S. Court of Appeals and the Law of Confessions ; and Confessions, Truth, and the Law .

Don't forget that networking includes being involved in your local bar associations. The Ohio State Bar Association makes it easy for you with its Law Student Hub . The Columbus Bar Association runs Columbus Bar Inc. , "a program intended to accelerate the successful development of new lawyers in an environment that provides an array of business support resources."

Four years ago, we wrote on this very blog about the case research tools bar associations make available to members: State Bar Association - Members Legal Research Tools . Here's a quote: "For example, Ohio State Bar Association members have access to Casemaker. Members of the Illinois and Iowa bar associations have Fastcase." Great news: Now you can access both  CasemakerX and Fastcase (via HeinOnline) , so you can practice with these tools before you become an attorney. Sure, you know Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg, but those tools aren't available at every law firm. Taking time now to build your skill set with Fastcase or Casemaker will make you a more efficient (and consequently more valuable) researcher when you work this summer. Need another reason to practice with these tools? Take a look at this helpful map showing which state bars provide access to which services: Duke Law Blog . (Incidentally, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar also provides access to Fastca

Straight from SXSW, meet the printer that can produce a copy of the U.S. Constitution in six seconds on a strip of paper only slightly bigger than a receipt from a spending spree at the Jeffersonville Outlets on Black Friday. h/t 1L David Walsh

"[Y]ou are legitimately famous, the M.I.T. team has decided, if a Wikipedia page under your name exists in more than 25 languages."  " Pantheon , a new project from the Macro Connections group in M.I.T.’s Media Lab...has collected and analyzed data on cultural production from 4,000 B.C. to 2010. With a few clicks on its website, which just went live, you can swing through time and geography...." Alas! Only one attorney made it into the top ten most famous people from the U.S. since 4000 B.C. Actually, there is only one in the top twenty! Itching to know which attorney is more famous than Britney Spears and Jimi Hendrix? Take a look at Pantheon, search by Rankings, and limit the search to "United States" for "Place of Birth."

Find the answer here . You may think to yourself, "Who cares? It's not a crime for which I will be arrested!" While that may be true, consider whether it's the wisest response for a person pursing a legal career. Consider, for example, whether this kind of thinking evidences [t]he ability to exercise good judgment in conducting one's professional business [and] the ability to conduct oneself with a high degree of honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness in all professional relationships and with respect to all legal obligations. (From the Ohio State Eligibility Requirements for the Practice of Law. ) I hate to be a downer , but with great power comes great responsibility . Keep that in mind next time you speed, download music or movies via suspect channels, or otherwise undermine the legal system. As if losing actual money on that NCAA bracket wasn't enough!

The Big Data conference is right around the corner, and we've prepared a guide to resources that will help you understand this phenomenon and its consequent legal issues. For the most up-to-date take on how companies use (and will use) Big Data in the future, read this article from Inside Counsel . (Because who knew whether your Facebook friends write on your wall in all caps could affect your credit score or your insurance rates?)