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The Public Library of Law makes legal search easier for non-lawyers |
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Fastcase is the next-generation legal research system of choice for legal professionals everywhere. Jenkins has Fastcase available at the workstations in the Jenkins’ Reference Room so come visit us to try it out. |
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Submitted by: RayAna Park, Web Developer
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According to 
Comments (0)April 24, 2008
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How to Find Documents Mentioned in Compiled Federal Legislative Histories |
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For visual instructions on many Hein products check their presence on YouTube. |
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Submitted by: Katrina Piechnik, Head of Technical Services
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March 10, 2008
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Ban anonymous internet posting in Kentucky??? |
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According to Kentucky Action News:
First of all, I’m ok with anonymous posters as long as it’s not malicious. Secondly, this bill is ridiculous in every aspect and will probably never go into effect. How would they even enforce this? It’s just like trying to enforce age restrictions on accessing certain websites — almost impossible. And how would they be able to tell if a poster uses their real name? As such, there’s no difference between posting anonymously and posting incognito. Some blogs are authored completely anonymously (ie. the Annoyed Librarian) and are meant to be enjoyed that way. I don’t think this Kentucky Representative has any idea what the internet is. I understand that he’s just trying to curb online bullying but it’s quite a utopian goal, wouldn’t you say? Might as well shield our kids from the internet until they’re 19. |
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Submitted by: RayAna Park, Web Developer
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February 5, 2008
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Are you ready for … E-filing? |
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The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Civil Division recently promulgated e-filing Rule *205.4 which took effect on 1/1/2008. Don’t get too worked up about it yet, a note in the rule specifically states:
I encourage you to read Dan J. Siegel’s recent article in the Law Practice Management supplement to the Fall 2007 issue of The Philadelphia Lawyer, E-Filing is Coming: Here’s How to Prepare*. He points out the many benefits of e-filing and that the process is meant to make it easier to file and access pleadings and other filings. Most importantly he states:
Stay tuned for effective date information. * © 2007 The Philadelphia Lawyer. Used with permission. |
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Submitted by: Ida Weingram, Head of Outreach Services
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January 29, 2008
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Straight from the IRS: Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Will Affect the 2008 Filing Season |
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If you are like me then you already have your taxes e-filed and you are waiting for your refund. Many people have not heard that the IRS is requiring tax payers who file certain forms to wait until February 11, 2008 to file their taxes. Some of the forms are pretty common like the Schedule 2 for Child and Dependent Care Expenses and form 8396 for Mortgage Interest Credit. See what other forms will require the February 11 start date. You can also subscribe to the IRS e-News to get up to date information. |
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Submitted by: Nikki Butler, Acquisitions/Serials Coordinator
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January 7, 2008
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Full Public Access to the Laws of Pennsylvania is Here |
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Back in July, the General Assembly posted the official consolidated statutes for Pennsylvania on the Internet. Today I noticed that the unofficial Purdon’s Pennsylvania Statutes from West has replaced the official consolidated version. Although Purdon’s is not an official publication of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, it is the best resource to use when researching the laws of Pennsylvania by subject. West’s Purdon’s Pennsylvania Statutes, hosted by Westlaw, is easy to browse and can be searched using natural language or by typing a statute citation in quotations. This free version is not annotated and does not include court rules. If you are looking for the annotations or other resources outside this free site, additional materials can be accessed on Westlaw using a credit card. |
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Submitted by: Kathy Coon, Deputy Director
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December 14, 2007
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Federal Rules of Civil Procedure |
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Amendments to the rules became effective on December 1, 2007. Because the new amendments represent a comprehensive change, the major legal publishers will be sending updates to their federal resources. In the meantime, a copy of the New Federal Civil Rules is available from the U.S. Courts website. |
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Submitted by: Nancy Garner, Head of Information & Research Services
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October 17, 2007
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hey that’s me! no joke. i think i’m being insulted … can you tell me where this was taken. |
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Back in May, a Flickr member posted this picture of a billboard he saw in Adelaide, South Australia. Apparently, Virgin Mobile had been trolling Flickr accounts, looking for images that they could use in an advertising campaign. The first person to comment, the young woman in the picture, said: “hey that’s me! no joke. i think i’m being insulted…can you tell me where this was taken.” Personally I’d be amused to discover that I was on a billboard halfway around the world. But the teen wasn’t. So the whole thing has — predictably — ended up in federal district court in Dallas four months later. She’s suing Virgin Mobile and her church youth pastor — now that’ll make for some uncomfortable moments in Sunday School! — because they didn’t ask permission to use her image. The original photo was released under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license, so she’s suing them as well, because they were too vague about the rights of people in pictures. So what are the legal takeaways from all this?
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Submitted by: Dan Giancaterino, Internet Librarian
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September 11, 2007
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What is the First Freedom? |
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Religious liberty is often referred to as the “First Freedom” because the Framers placed it first in the Bill of Rights. Check out these three internet resources to learn more about this fundamental right. “The First Freedom Project” was created in response to the increase in religious discrimination charges, brought by workers over questions of time off for observance, wearing of religious garb and symbols, and prayer in the workplace. The U.S. Justice Department has created an educational program, with nationally held seminars and a website, to teach employers and others their rights and responsibilities. The First Freedom Center, on the Council for America’s First Freedom website has a wealth of information on religious freedom including educational programs, resources for teachers, and newsclips. The Council’s mission is to increase understanding and respect for religious freedom in diverse communities worldwide, through education about this core human value: the freedom of thought, conscience and belief. For historical research, make sure you take time to browse or search The Jeffersonian Cyclopedia - A comprehensive Collection of the views of Thomas Jefferson. This is part of the Thomas Jefferson Digital Archive collection hosted at the University of Virginia Library. |
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Submitted by: Kathy Coon, Deputy Director
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July 13, 2007
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One Step Closer to Public Access in Pennsylvania |
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According to a July 12th press release, Senator Jake Corman announced that the Senate changed its rules to require the placement of the acts and statutes of the Pennsylvania state legislature on the Internet. This is a major step for Pennsylvania! The official consolidated statutes have already been posted and are searchable by keyword. The consolidated statutes are not the complete set of laws for Pennsylvania and a warning should be posted on the state’s website. Hopefully, every Pennsylvania Statute that is in effect will be added soon. In another attempt to make this information accessible to the public, three bills (HB976, SB422, and SB102) have been introduced in the General Assembly. Pennsylvania is the last state to make their official laws available for free on the Internet. |
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Submitted by: Kathy Coon, Deputy Director
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