Moritz Legal Information Blog

The Arkansas Access to Justice Foundation recently released a free iPhone app called iProBono , billed as the "first interactive pro bono mobile app." The app allows licensed Arkansas attorneys to browse potential pro bono cases by legal topic and county, and to request a case directly "with a push of a button." The release was partly in response to steep cuts in state and federal funding for legal aid programs. A preview of the app is available at the iTunes store . This model seems destined for replication.

We previously posted on Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the "underwear bomber," here . Today, Abdulmutallab was sentenced to four life sentences plus sixty years, by U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds in Detroit.  Five people aboard the flight made victim-impact statements.  Judge Edmunds stated that Abdulmutallab "has never expressed doubt or regret or remorse." Detroit Free Press Detroit News Wall Street Journal

Live viewing of proceedings on the floor of the U.S. Senate is now possible on the Senate's website . The Senate has archived video for sessions so far in 2012. View proceedings on the House floor at houselive.gov  with archived sessions from January 2009.  C-SPAN also provides coverage of House and Senate activity. Thanks to the Law Library of Congress for the tip on the Senate's webcasts.

Several news and legal sites have reported a rise in claims of "adverse possession."  However, these types of cases may not appear in the textbooks.  The people attempting to claim homes in Texas, Colorado, and Florida have been accused of squatting and breaking and entering.  Remember, students, pay attention in Property! Legal Blog Watch Consumerist  (and update ) CBS Denver Northwest Florida Daily News

After some delay , President Obama released his budget for fiscal year 2013 today. This release marks the first step in the Congressional budget cycle, kicking off a series of hearings, as explained in this brief CRS Report . The Senate Budget Committee will be examining the budget on Tuesday . Ohio merited at least a couple of mentions in the President's Budget, including funds to improve infrastructure along the Ohio River (p. 174 of .pdf) and funds to clean up nuclear waste in Ohio and several other states (p. 104 of .pdf). Keep an eye out for a possible change to the budget process. Last week, the House passed HR 3521, Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011 . For background on line item veto proposals over the last couple of decades, see this CRS Report , Item Veto and Expanded Impoundment Proposals: History and Current Status.

CALI (Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction) is offering a free 9-week course titled "Topics in Digital Law Practice." Areas covered include: The Virtual Law Office Document Automation Technology in the Courts Unbundling Legal Service Delivery Free Legal Research Tools Contract Standardization Online Legal Forms in Legal Aid Unauthorized Practice of Law in the 21st Century Social Media for Lawyers See CALI for more details including registration. The first session (30-min. lecture, Q & A, interactive assignment) begins at 2:00 pm today. New CALI users must create an account using the OSU code .

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor made a recent appearance on Sesame Street .  Justice Sotomayor explained that Justices "solve arguments," and proceeded to solve an argument between Goldilocks and Baby Bear, regarding a broken chair. ABA Journal The Volokh Conspiracy The Huffington Post