Annotated Codes are your friends

If you have a project involving a statute, remember annotated codes (e.g. McKinneys, USCA, USCS, codes from other states) can be incredible research tools and time savers. If you know your statute citation, go to the annotated code - in print or on Lexis or Westlaw - and look for the Notes of Decisions or Case Notes section right after the statutory text. These sections will tell you what cases have interpreted your statute, saving you loads of time looking for cases.

If you need a refresher, watch for announcements next week for March research workshops. If you cannot wait, of course, do not hesitate to ask your friendly Reference Librarians.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Forms.gov

Need a federal form of some kind for personal or business reasons? More federal forms than you thought could possibly exist are available online at Forms.gov. Over 5,400 business and citizen forms appear on this Web site. Forms data are continually added and updated by agency partners.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Professor Explains the Law of Anna Nicole's Saga

There is a lot of serious law for a student to ponder in the sensational--but complex--legal saga of celebrity Anna Nicole Smith. Last week Hofstra Law Professor Joanna L. Grossman, a regular columnist for Findlaw in the areas of family law and trusts and estates, published "The Litigation Filled Life of Anna Nicole Smith, and the Legal Aftermath of Her Demise" on the legal information web site. Not only does Professor Grossman's column clearly set out the legal issues involved and the possible outcomes, but it also provides helpful links to her previous columns discussing Anna Nicole's claim against her late husband's estate, the impact of her U.S. Supreme Court win relating to that claim, and California's complicated parentage law now in play in the custody battle over her daughter. Take a look at Professor Grossman's discussion of the law behind the headlines.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Presidents Day: what is it all about?

OK, Presidents Day was Monday, but it will come around again next year. Presidents Day was originally an observance of President G. Washington's birthday and it was not until the late 1980's that the theme was expanded to include another President born in February, Abraham Lincoln.

Since 1862, there has been a tradition in the United States Senate that George Washington's Farewell Address be read on his birthday. His Farewell Address is worth reading and can be found here. Take a moment to observe the legacy of our first President.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat