Legal Research

Defamation in Church: Tubra v. Cook (Oregon)

Posted on February 12, 2010
In a January 27th, 2010, opinion, the Oregon Court of Appeals decided:Tim Tubra v. John Michael Cooke and Ron Swor and the International Church Of The Foursquare Gospel, (A134332): Excerpt:?ARMSTRONG, J.This case arises from a defamation claim that plaintiff, a former interim pastor, brought against his employer church and two of its officials, and that ultimately resulted in a jury verdict and award of damages in plaintiff's favor...

Oregon Teachers and Religious Dress: 2010 HB 3686

Posted on February 12, 2010
Oregon 2010 HB 3686 (only the engrossed bill is available now. If it passes both Chambers, look for the enrolled bill, and later, after the Governor signs it, look for a 2010 Oregon Law, chapter xxx.)This Summary is from the html version of the engrossed bill (also in PDF):?SUMMARYThe following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly...

Washington County (Oregon) Law Library

Posted on February 11, 2010
The Washington County Law Library got a nice write-up at OregonLive:County law library in Hillsboro is not just for lawyers, by Michael O. Stevens, Community Blogger, February 05, 2010

Prison Libraries: ?A Mediocre Criminal, but an Unmatched Jailhouse Lawyer?

Posted on February 11, 2010
A Mediocre Criminal, but an Unmatched Jailhouse Lawyer, Adam Liptak, New York Times, February 8, 2010'... Mr. [Shon] Hopwood spent much of that time in the prison law library, and it turned out he was better at understanding the law than breaking it. He transformed himself into something rare at the top levels of the American bar, and unheard of behind bars: an accomplished Supreme Court practitioner?...

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Prison Libraries: Good Manners Seldom Hurt Your Cause

Posted on February 11, 2010
For prisoners, the library as lifeline, by Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, Feb. 7, 2010'... Was she scared to be among men who had murdered and raped?"No. They behaved more respectfully than many of the persons I encountered in public libraries. They were also grateful for the reading materials and for any questions that I answered...

Daylight Saving Time: When Do Clocks Spring Forward? March 14, 2010

Posted on February 11, 2010
We might be having mild weather out here in the Northwest (sorry mid-Atlantic - yikes!), but we still want more - more daylight!Daylight saving time begins: March 14th, 2010, at 2 a.m. (in most of the U.S.)NIST: In 2010, DST is from 2:00 a.m. (local time) on March 14th until 2:00 a...

Book: Autobiography of an Execution

Posted on February 11, 2010
I heard a riveting interview with the author of ?Autobiography of an execution,? by David R. Dow, and was moved to put the book on hold at my local public library.In case you want to hear or read about the book, here are some links:1) NPR, Fresh Air, Terry Gross interview, February 8, 20102) Excerpts from the publisher, Hachette Book Group3) The Autobiography of an Execution: A death penalty attorney writes with candor about the painful burdens of his job, by Steve Weinberg, Christian Science Monitor, February 8, 2010Read more about the death penalty: links here and here, and a link to two books about executions in Oregon.

Oregon Traffic Lights: What?s with the Flashing Yellow Left-Turn Arrows?

Posted on February 11, 2010
Joseph Rose, over at the Oregonian?s Commuting blog (aka Hard Drive) answers the question we are all asking. No, not that question or this one; the other one, this one:What?s with the Flashing Yellow Arrows and how are they different from the not-flashing yellow and red lights?Excerpt from: Of cleanups and flashing yellow arrows, by Joseph Rose, The Oregonian, February 01, 2010:?? Relatively new to American roads and designed to improve traffic flow at congested intersections, the left-turn arrows have popped up at 18 Washington County intersections in the past few months...

Oregon Supreme Court Decides State v. Machuca

Posted on February 11, 2010
State v. Thomas Gregory Machuca (TC 050647097) (CA A133362) (SC S057910):?DE MUNIZ, C. J.The state seeks review of a Court of Appeals decision that reversed and remanded defendant's DUII conviction. The Court of Appeals concluded that the trial court had erroneously admitted test results of defendant's blood alcohol content...

The American Way: Speaking Out, Advocacy, Whining, Snipping, and Ranting

Posted on February 07, 2010
U.S. Presidents have been speaking out to members of Congress for a long time, and vice versa. Supreme Court Justices speak out every week, at the very least, and members of Congress get to have their say every minute of every day, or so it seems.So, why the fuss when they disagree (e...

Justice Bedsworth Says It Ain?t So: He is only sort-of Retiring

Posted on February 05, 2010
If you think sitting on a hard judicial bench is tough, try this hockey gig: ?My Retirement,? by Justice William W. Bedsworth (link to full Criminal Waste of Space article)Justice Bedsworth?s Criminal Waste of Space column (over at the OC Bar Association)

State of the Oregon Courts: Chief Justice DeMuniz Speech

Posted on February 05, 2010
The Oregon Judicial Department has posted the video of Chief Justice Muniz?s State of the Courts speech to the Salem City Club and the text of his State of the Courts address (PDF).You can find additional Oregon Judicial Department Media Releases at their website.

Listen to Oregon Legislative Hearings Live (and recorded)

Posted on February 03, 2010
Practice Free Speech Every Day!It?s easy to listen to Oregon legislative hearings.If you want to tell your legislators what you think, you can do that too:1) Find Your Legislator2) Have your say: read these blog posts about hearings and speaking out.And don't forget to vote (voter registration and official election results).

Pods, Blobs, and Niches at the Third Wave Lawyer

Posted on February 03, 2010
The Third Wave Lawyer links us to this garden office pod (the OfficePOD link) Very funny, rather pricey, but it has promise. It?s better than a cubicle, unless the boss puts it out in the parking lot rather than in a bucolic setting.(Chuck also blogs about living in the Blob - and interesting legal topics such as DIY Lawyers (pro se litigants) and the practice of ?niche? law).

Business Lawyering Certificate in Oregon (Willamette University - Portland)

Posted on February 02, 2010
Certificate in Business Lawyering at Willamette University Portland Center (1120 NW Couch Street, Suite 450, Portland, Oregon)?The Certificate in Business Lawyering (CBL) program offers a structured approach to business that provides the tools, resources and concepts to increase an attorney?s value and productivity...

Tax Preparation Assistance in Oregon

Posted on February 01, 2010
Please pass this information along to people you know who may need tax preparation assistance and who do not have Internet access.Many public libraries work with AARP and other organizations to make tax preparation services available to their residents...

What Oregon Legislators Need During Public Testimony

Posted on January 31, 2010
On the countdown to the 2010 Legislative Session, I offer this:While listening to a particularly interesting Oregon Legislative Committee hearing (yes, they can be interesting), I noticed how wide-ranging the questions from Legislators were. So, I made a list of the types of information that were asked about during this single hearing:(See also, How To Testify Before a Legislative Committee...

13 Ways (and 147 Tools) to Help Your [Business] Save Money on Technology

Posted on January 29, 2010
This was an interesting list and worth passing along - and clearly useful for all, not just libraries:13 Ways (and 147 Tools) to Help Your Library Save Money on Technology(Thanks to iLibrarian for the lead to the Librarian in Black link.)

Federal GPO Access Becomes FDsys

Posted on January 29, 2010
GPO Access will soon become FDsys (GPO's Federal Digital System (FDsys)). It is still the Government Printing Office website, but new and improved and with a confusing name, FDsys. Two out of three isn?t bad at all and the important part is good content and a friendly interface...

2009 Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS): Now Online

Posted on January 28, 2010
The 2009 Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) are online - hurrah! - just in time for the start of the Oregon 2010 Special Legislative Session, when we start all over again - aghhhh!

So You Want to be a U.S. Supreme Court Law Librarian?

Posted on January 28, 2010
Did you ever wonder what a U.S. Supreme Court law librarian job description looks like? Here?s your chance - and it?s a part-time job too (well, at least you?ll be paid for only 30 hours a week).Direct link or link from Law Librarian Blog:?Provides complex, interdisciplinary reference and highly technical research support services; uses resources in newly emerging information sources in all formats; creates new methods and formats for assembling, organizing and delivering knowledge and information to Court constituencies; participates in the design, implementation, and maintenance of a complex relational database incorporating imaging, indexing, data migration and file transfer across the Court intranet and extranet; serves as an expert in all aspects of the evaluation, navigation, access and retrieval of worldwide online and Internet resources and services; works under great time pressures; performs collection development and related collections services duties; conducts tours, briefings and orientations; and undertakes broad programmatic responsibilities for long-term projects and programs which impact the overall effectiveness of the Research Department...

Legal Research Database Interface-Hoopla: Westlaw, Lexis, and Beyond

Posted on January 28, 2010
Not unlike the iPad rollout, the new-interface rollouts for Lexis (aka New Lexis) and Westlaw (aka Westsearch or WestlawNext) are creating a lot of buzz.Whether or not there is substance, improvement, change, or anything worthy of all the hoopla remains to be seen...

New Law School to Open in Boise, Idaho

Posted on January 26, 2010
Visit the Concordia University Law School website to learn the status of this future Boise, Idaho law school. You can sign up to receive news updates.Link to their fact sheet and press releases from their homepage.

Go Online to Report a Crime in Portland, Oregon

Posted on January 26, 2010
You can report a crime and print out a crime report:Portland Police Bureau Citizen On-Line Reporting System is open for business:From their website:?Welcome to the Portland Police Bureau Citizen On-Line Reporting System. If this is an Emergency please call 911...

Oregon Small Claims Court and Local Court Rules

Posted on January 25, 2010
I haven?t blogged about Oregon Small Claims Court in a little while, and while not much has changed overall, here are a couple of updates:1) It is very important to keep up with your Small Claims Court rules and procedures. Always read:a) the Small Claims packet of information the Court gives you or that is on their website,b) the Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) chapters on Small Claims actions (use the Index to locate the relevant sections)And,c) your County Circuit Court?s Supplemental Local Rules (SLRs), to find out if they address small claims court matters...

Trial Practice and the Use of Archived Web Pages

Posted on January 25, 2010
Citing to digital legal resources with specificity (and confidence in the URL's permanence) is tricky business.Documents and websites have a habit of moving around cyberspace - a lot. Corporations aren't the only non-human entities that have "people"-rights to move cross-country, so to speak; digital documents change their addresses (URLs) as frequently as human-people do and there is no law stopping them from doing so...

Robbery Prevention and Parenting Classes in Washington County (Oregon)

Posted on January 25, 2010
The Washington County (Oregon) Sheriff?s Office is offering the following classes:1) Parent University (series of classes)2) Robbery Prevention and Awareness Training for Retail Businesses

Vote or Don?t Complain: Oregon Ballot Deadline: January 26, 2010

Posted on January 24, 2010
The ballot deadline is January 26, 2010. Please don?t mail your ballot at this point. Please find a drop box.It has been said that people spend more time shopping for a TV than they do mulling over an election ballot. For crying out loud, in Oregon you can fill in your ballot while sitting in a comfy chair, drinking a beverage of choice, and mumbling or ranting to your heart?s content...

Immigration Law Primer and a Free, Online Learn-a-Language Primer

Posted on January 22, 2010
1) The Gallagher Law Library blog reminds us that an ?Immigration Law Primer? is available at the Federal Judicial Center.2) The basic print immigration law primer is Kurzban?s ?Immigration Law Sourcebook.?3) Speaking of immigration - and travel, Oregon public libraries have a new language database, Mango Languages...

Oregon Circuit Court Filing Fees

Posted on January 21, 2010
Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) Filing Fee website and fee calculator.Oregon attorneys have additional information at the PLF website, including this memo that was revised January 12, 2010: ?Understanding the New Filing Fee Requirements in Civil Cases (HB 2287) Effective: October 1, 2009?

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