Moritz Legal Information Blog

The world of administrative law offers many specializations, including, as one Ohio community is discovering, civil works law. Hundreds of homes in Buckeye Lake were built on the backside of an earthen dam, as the Columbus Dispatch reports , leading the US Army Corps of Engineers to conclude the dam is at risk of “catastrophic damage.”  Civil works law includes both federal and state matters, further complicating the legal framework.    Situations like this potential dam failure, involve many issues, from fiscal law and government contracting to environmental law.   Both the Corps and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the dam’s owner, offer dam safety programs.   To explore dam safety in particular, you might examine both the Corps and ODNR websites.   If you’re thinking of tackling similarly urgent issues in the administrative law context, check out our career services shelves, which include titles like Landing a Federal Legal Job .

We've written here lately about copyright infringement litigation and pointed you to a number of entertainment news sources for background. Did you, like me, get overeager perusing online newspapers for more information and run into a pay wall telling you you'd reached your reading limit for the month? Good news! Those affiliated with OSU or using a computer terminal here on campus can often access many of these newspapers online for free. Many of these are available for free through the Columbus Metropolitan Library as well (under their site tabs for Research or Services). All you need is a library card . Should you not go the free route, however, don't forget that if you're a practicing entertainment lawyer, you may be able to deduct certain business expenses , including subscriptions to entertainment news sources such as the L.A. Times and Variety .

Just last Tuesday we posted about the Blurred Lines copyright infringement trial , and the jury reached a verdict yesterday. At issue was whether the authors of Blurred Lines infringed on Marvin Gaye's copyright in the song Got to Give It Up . (Actually, his estate owns the copyright.) The verdict? ‘Blurred Lines’ Jury Orders Pharrell, Robin Thicke to Pay $7.3 Million to Marvin Gaye Family. Are there ramifications for artists attorneys should know about so they can counsel clients accordingly? The L.A. Times thinks so with four articles on the subject in just five days: 'Blurred Lines' ruling stuns the music industry Ruling that 'Blurred Lines' copied Marvin Gaye song rocks music world 'Blurred Lines' verdict a blow to creative expression How the 'Blurred Lines' case could have chilling effect on creativity Is the analysis accurate? How can an attorney truly assess the impact of this verdict, and what obligation of sound counsel does th

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Our previous coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing covered civil liability for defamation, the right to privacy, and criminal procedure. The trial finally started (after several motions to change venue over concerns about the ability to secure an "impartial" jury in Boston), and opening statements were made. Jury selection took 22 days in court. Twenty-two days! Consider CLEs have been offered advising on a meaningful and effective 30-minute voir dire ! What's more, though jury selection has been said to "make or break" a trial verdict, often judges are in the driver's seat when it comes to the actual questioning and selection of jurors, depending on your court. We of course have numerous resources you could consult on how to conduct effective voir dire. And if you're looking for a respite from trial practice, consider checking out Runaway Jury .

Copyright infringement litigation is ubiquitous, perhaps because infringement is a relatively easy claim to allege, and there are big stakes so damages can be significant. From an economics perspective, the statutory damages rate theoretically has to be high enough to discourage infringement rather than negotiating a license, but actual damages may be relatively easy to prove and might be higher. At any rate, plaintiffs have at least two possibly lucrative avenues should they prove infringement. A quick search of Google news produces dozens of recent copyright infringement suits filed, and here are just a few that might pique your interest: Heavy-Weight Plaintiffs Left Shark journeys from Super Bowl to Internet meme to lawsuit threat : Katy Perry's legal team has sued a figurine maker who is trying to capitalize on Left Shark's 15 minutes of fame. An Equal-Stakes Bout Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams Deny 'Blurred Lines' Copyright Infringement Claim: " Ro

How many heads tall is the average man? What on earth kind of measurement is "a head?" Or a bushel? Or a fortnight? You know we love weights and measures here at the Moritz Law Library, and its a more pressing topic  as drug laws around the country change . Well, great news! Franklin County, Ohio, will celebrate National Weights and Measures Week March 1-7 celebrating the 216th anniversary of the first weights and measures law in the United States. The Franklin County Auditor’s Office Weights and Measures Department will be hosting all sorts of cool events to celebrate