Information about Lawyers

Saturday, March 1, 2008

More free online legal research

In case you havent heard, more than 1.8 million court rulings are now available on a free online database created by Internet pioneer Carl Malamud.

Malamud may be best known for pushing the federal government in the mid-1990s to put corporate filings and patent documents online at no cost. Now, hes try to get the courts to do the same.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat earlier this month reported that Malamud has posted free electronic copies of every U.S. Supreme Court decision and Court of Appeals ruling since 1950.

Apparently, Malamud hopes the move will inspire legal researchers to demand that all court rulings be made available online for free. But as those of us in the legal profession know, such a demand could negatively impact the $5 billion legal publishing industry.

Malamud says the release of the 1.8 million rulings is the first in a series that will eventually put 10 million rulings online for free.

Despite the economic problems it might cause legal publishers like the Thomson Corporation and LexisNexis, I think the idea makes sense. Court decisions are public documents, so why should the public (including lawyers) have to pay to get or print them online?

The legal database can be downloaded at http://bulk.resource.org/courts.gov.

Read More...

[Source: Minnesota Lawyer Blog]

Friday, February 29, 2008

Legal lessons learned from Reese Witherspoon

The Ordway is apparently getting into the field of legal education. It just announced its 2008-09 season, and, starting in late April 2009, the theater will host the musical version of the Reese Witherspoon movie "Legally Blonde." For those who missed this legal classic, it features a ditsy Malibu Barbie-type California sorority sister who enrolls in Harvard Law School to win back her old boyfriend. She winds up trying a murder case as 1L and, in a pivotal scene, using her hairdressing knowledge during a cross-examination to discredit a witness and win.

OK, OK, it isn't "To Kill a Mocking Bird," but I must admit the movie gave me a chuckle or two. I have not seen the musical version yet, but, if you recall the character Billy Flynn from the musical "Chicago," you know it isn't the first time a lawyer has been made to sing and dance in a Broadway-style production.

If the Ordway wants to get a lot of lawyers to go to "Legally Blonde," it should apply for CLE credits. If they call it a "Law and Literature" program and agree to provide attendees with free chocolate chip cookies, they may just be able to pull it off ....

Read More...

[Source: Minnesota Lawyer Blog]

Looking for a few good trends

Minnesota Lawyer is currently planning to take a look at 10 interesting trends in the law during the last decade. What 10 trends have most affected the law -- how have things changed in the last 10 years in that area -- and where are things going. If you have any suggestions for trends we should focus on, please let me know.

Read More...

[Source: Minnesota Lawyer Blog]

Thursday, February 28, 2008

How to write good, legal edition

A San Francisco-based legal writer and editor has a blog that -- along with writing tips -- features the tortured attempts at the written word that are perpetrated on a regular basis not only by lawyers, but also by their law firm employers.

Take this doozy from a law firms want ad:

Law firm experience is required as is excellent writing skills.

Or this roundabout lesson in copyright infringement:

In short what the amendment provides if a user can not find the works creator and they tweak the work they have cart blanc to use an artists work without any fees being paid even when the creating artist identifies themselves they do not even have to stop infringing.

With its Latin, legalese and other jargon, the writing produced by lawyers is impenetrable enough as it is. Is a basic grasp of English grammar too much to ask?

Read More...

[Source: Minnesota Lawyer Blog]

Democrats Oppose FMLA Changes

Democrats on Congressional Hill are voicing opposition to the proposed changes to the FMLA implementing regulations recently announced by the U.S. Department of Labor. Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) recently expressed their concern that the proposed changes would discourage employees from exercising their right to take family and medical leave. Senator [...]

Texas Primary-Caucus Combo Explained

I seem to be queried almost daily these last few weeks about the intricacies of the Texas Primary/Caucus system. Believe me when I tell you that it is not something they cover in law school. So to the rescue comes this NPR interview of Kenneth Molberg. Mr. Molberg is a friend who [...]

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Immigration doesn't cause car accidents

Like everyone else, I am grieved by the deaths of four children in a van-school bus accident in Cottonwood last week. I am also grieved by the demagoguery that this accident is giving some an excuse to exhibit. By way of example, a reader of the popular Powerline blog, which is run by two local lawyers and a Washington, D.C., lawyer, placed as a comment to a Feb. 21 John Hinderaker post ("Illegal alien caused fatal bus accident") a photo of open train cars packed with people standing in them along with the caption, We need to round up the illegals. We need to put them on a train. To me, it looks like a picture of prisoners heading for a concentration camp. Offensive photo and language aside, the author of the comment -- along with much of the media and the original post on Powerline -- wrongly focuses on the fact that the driver was in the country illegally. Illegal immigration is a serious social issue, but it doesnt cause car accidents.

I call on lawyers, who are skilled at logical reasoning, to bring some honor to the discussion by challenging the connection between immigration law and the deaths of these children. Let the legal process against the driver take its course. Jesse, Hunter, Emilee and Reed dont deserve to be used to further other peoples hatred.

Read More...

[Source: Minnesota Lawyer Blog]