Moritz Legal Information Blog

I love cooking, eating, and reading, so my love of cookbooks only makes sense. While I love highbrow cookbooks , I also have a penchant for the more ubiquitous, like my hometown favorite, Some Like it South, from the Pensacola Junior League. There's something touching about lay cooks compiling a collection of time-honored classics, especially around the holidays. I find cookbooks like these are always particularly helpful when you want something straightforward, like how to bake an ordinary chocolate cake or roast a chicken. These kinds of books are also a treasure trove for bizarre, fanciful recipes like " Driftwood Salad ," a concoction of lemon Jello, lime Jello, canned pineapple, horseradish, mayonnaise, cottage cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and other ingredients not customarily found in salads. That list of ingredients may leave you queasier than clients with a convoluted legal issue, but believe it or not, you may have to face both problems simultaneously. 

Yesterday's blog post gave the status of pending legisla tion in Ohio. Undoubtedly, it left you wondering, "How can I keep apprised of other pending legislation in Ohio?" and "What can knowing about pending legislation do for me?" While you're in law school, Westlaw and Lexis both have features for setting up alerts. Hannah Capitol Connection  is another great way to really focus on Ohio issues and track the latest developments in Ohio law. Gongwer News Service is yet another tool for staying on top of issues at the capitol. Using these tools is a way to familiarize yourself with the people shaping Ohio law. Looking for something timely to talk about in an interview with a law firm that represents particular clients (e.g., those in construction  or  arts and entertainment )? Hannah and Gongwers can point you in the right direction. You can also track issues affecting lawyers and the judiciary  if you have an interview for an Ohio clerkship lined up.

Senate Bill 160, also called "Roberta's Law," would notify victims and families of when an offender will be paroled.  It is named after Roberta Francis, who was raped and murdered in 1974 by Paul Saultz.  When he was paroled in 2005, Roberta's family was not informed.  (Saultz is now back in prison after molesting someone else.)  The bill passed the Senate unanimously and is awaiting a vote in the House of Representatives. Bill Analysis Status Report of Legislation Columbus Dispatch ABC 5 Cleveland Local 12 Cincinnati

It's Native American Heritage Month---if pressed, could you accurately describe the legal relationship between tribes and the federal government? Did you know it might depend on whether the tribe is federally recognized ? Did you know that if you move to Washington State, New Mexico, or South Dakota to practice law after you graduate that Indian Law is on the bar exam? You may not plan on practicing in areas typically associated with Indian tribes, such as environmental law or civil rights law, but an awareness of Indian law may come in handy nonetheless. For example, if you practice family law or work as an assistant attorney general for the state, the Indian Child Welfare Act may impact your dependency cases. If you practice intellectual property law or otherwise work with artists, knowledge of the Indian Arts & Crafts Act , the National Historic Preservation Act , the Archaeological Resources Protection Act , and the Native American Graves Repatriation Act, may also pr

I'm a big fan of multi-tasking. I also lost my capacity to read highbrow literature once I went to law school, too exhausted each day to break out anything more taxing than a New Yorker magazine. Thank heavens for podcasts. Since discovering them, I've been able to get back into the news, exercise some, and even relax with a few great comedy podcasts . Turns out, there are also scores of law-related podcasts out there. The Legal Talk Network has shows on solo practice , the business of running a law practice , and even cool stuff like digital issues (think e-discovery, metadata, and digital forensics).

Sheena Hardin didn't just drive on the sidewalk--she drove on the sidewalk so she wouldn't have to stop for a school bus full of children.  And she had apparently done this many times before being caught, both on camera and by the police. Judge Pinkey S. Carr ordered Hardin to stand at an intersection, wearing a sign that says, "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus."  Hardin's license was suspended for 30 days. Fox 8 Cleveland ABC News Blog Jonathan Turley

Colorado and Washington both passed marijuana legalization laws on Tuesday, and other states have similar laws on the books. But does that mean folks in those states can simply light up with impunity? Probably not as these articles suggest: Labor & Employment Law Alert: Medical Marijuana and Zero Tolerance Drug Testing Policies Colorado  Officials Seek Clarity After Passage of Marijuana Measure Pot Legal Dec. 6, 'Jury is Out on What Happens' After That Marijuana: For Many Employees, it's Legalization in Name Only   For more information, check out these library resources:  Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know Marijuana Legalization: A Bad Idea Medical Use of Marijuana: Policy, Regulatory and Legal Issues    Also consider looking at employment law desk books or other practitioners' resources that might include pertinent chapters. This legal research guide can also point you in the right direction.