Politics and Government going mobile

Stay informed on Washington happenings while mobile.  Check out the White House News Media app(iOS, Android) for news from the White House and the Congressional Record app (iOS) for what our representatives and senators are discussing.  Get a more current take on late breaking political news from the app Politics Today (iOS).  This app gathers Twitter feeds and then presents them as "news', "liberal" or "conservative"

For more detail on these and other political apps, see the NY Times article Let the Phone Be Your Political Advisor .

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Oklahoma District Judge Dismisses Challenge To Ten Commandments Monument

An Oklahoma County District Judge recently ruled that a privately funded Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Oklahoma Capitol Building does not violate the state's constitution. ACLU-OK Legal Director Brady Henderson indicated that the ACLU intends to appeal the decision to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. Read more here.

If the Oklahoma Supreme Court upholds the District Court’s decision, then will that open the door to the Satanic statue that we blogged about earlier this year?

Time will tell.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

FBI Digitizes Millions of Files in Modernization Push

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has digitized nearly 30 million criminal records and 83 million fingerprint cards as part of a system upgrade project.

"Earlier this month, the FBI announced the Next Generation Identification system (NGI) is now at full operational capability. The system replaced the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), the Bureau’s longstanding repository for fingerprints." 

Click here to read the full story.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Research Resources: Daily Report for Executives (BNA)

If you are interested in a daily news service that covers legislative, regulatory, news, and expert analysis for business and commercial issues check the BNA Daily Report for Executives.  The Report also provides in-depth coverage of leading legislative, regulatory, and judicial news as well as BNA insights and special reports.  Dates of coverage are from January 2, 1998 to the present.

To access the Daily Report for Executives (BNA):

• Go to the Library's home page, click "Online Resources"
• Click the "Commercial and Corporate Law" link
• Scroll down to "Daily Report for Executives  (BNA)"

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

DOJ Legislative Histories

A collection of federal legislative histories created by U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) library staff over the years, and previously available only to DOJ staff members, is now digitized and available to everyone here on the DOJ web site. Included are some well-known laws, such as the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, as well as some major criminal statutes. These legislative histories are easy to use and provide links to full-text PDF documents such as related bills, Congressional hearings and reports, debates, Presidential signing statements, and additional materials.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

They're Baaack. . . ?: PACER Update

A recent WSJ post reported that the federal judiciary plans to restore online access to archives of federal case filings that had been removed from PACER.

“We regret the disruption in electronic access to this information, but I am happy to inform you that we have developed a solution that will restore full electronic access to all the courts of appeals material by the end of October 2014,” wrote Judge John D. Bates, director of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, in a letter to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy on Friday.

The AALL Government Relations Committee will be following up with the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to clarify the WSJ report, including whether or not just the docket sheets, or the entire case files, will be made available.  Stay tuned for more developments.

 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Ireland to Repeal Antiquated Laws

Laws can hang around well after they make sense to the citizens in every country.  Ireland is now trying to remedy this by repealing some of their antiquated laws.  "Very soon, Ireland's upper class will be able to eat oatmeal and potatoes again, the country will no longer be at war with Denmark, and the first Wednesday of every month won't be devoted to fasting for relief of those afflicted with the bubonic plague. ... In what will be the "largest repealing measure" in the history of the Irish state, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is seeking to officially overturn some 4,500 laws signed into effect between 1660 and 1820." cite

Read more about the initiative to update Ireland's laws and streamline their statutes here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Paper Writing Resources

Are you taking a seminar that requires writing a paper?  Or, on a journal and starting work on your note?  Are you aware of resources beyond Westlaw Next and Google?

For help with getting started with your paper and resources available to you at Hofstra Law, check out the Paper Writing Resources research guide.  Tips for:

1.  Resources to help you find and narrow your topic;

2.  Find topic specific research guides;

3.  Resources for identifying legal and non-legal articles on your topic;

4.  How to obtain the articles you find;

5.  Find books on your topic;

6.  Current awareness resources.

 For the best paper you want to be thorough in your research.  Paper Writing Resources helps you move beyond your regular research strategy.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Writing Checklist App

Writing professor Kathy Vinson at Suffolk has developed a writing checklist app called iWrite Legal.  This app includes writing tips, tips for clear communication, writing checklists, as well as other resources to revise, edit, and proofread legal documents.  To learn more or to download the app, click here.

Hat tip to Legal Writing Prof Blog
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Scotland: Powers and Promises

As a virtual feline, I didn't take sides in the Scottish independence question decided last Thursday. Scotland's people, aged 16 and up, voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. After the vote, Prime Minister David Cameron announced in his official statement that the promised work toward a new devolution settlement--with increased powers for the Scottish Parliament--will soon be underway. He also advocated working toward increased legislative powers for Wales, Northern Ireland, and England over matters of taxation, spending, and welfare in their respective parts of the UK.

A brief list of the issues ("devolved matters") over which Scotland already enjoys legislative power, and those "reserved" to the UK Parliament in London, is posted on the Scottish Parliament web site.
This site is also a good source for current, previous, and enacted Scottish Parliament bills since 1999, the year after passage of the Scotland Act (1998) that established the current Scottish Parliament and Executive.  A colorful slide show illustrates the history of Scotland's parliaments from 1235 to the present day.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat