Having some trouble with legal research? You can always ask a law librarian, but if you’re at home or otherwise away from the law school, reach for the library’s selection of online research guides. We’ve got everything from Asylum, Immigration, and Refugee Law to Verdicts and Settlements. Take a look!
The Federalist Society has posted a thoughtful debate among four law professors about extending marriage rights to same-sex couples. Among the participants is Dale Carpenter, a contributor at The Volokh Conspiracy, which hosts a further exchange of views about the debate.
Lexis has a new product (still in Beta) called Lexis Web. Lexis Web uses a Google-like search engine to provide access to the open web while filtering content to obtain more informational or scholarly results. Lexis Web will also show hits into LexisNexis itself for those with Lexis passwords. Check it out!
The New Republic has published a long essay by Judge Richard Posner (CA, 7th Circuit), assessing the Supreme Court’s recent decision in District of Columbia v. Heller.
According to Posner:”The true springs of the Heller decision must be sought elsewhere than in the majority’s declared commitment to originalism. The idea behind the decision–it is not articulated, of course, and perhaps not even consciously held–may simply be that turnabout is fair play. Liberal judges have used loose construction to expand constitutional prohibitions beyond any reasonable construal of original meaning; and now it is the conservatives’ turn. Another plausible example of payback is the conservative justices’ expansive interpretation of the free-speech clause of the First Amendment to limit regulation of campaign financing.”
The full essay is available at the TNR site.
Today, Massachusetts Gov. Duval Patrick signed a bill repealing a 1913 law that prevented most same-sex couples from other states from getting married in Massachusetts. See the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald for details.
Senate bill 800 repeals sections 11, 12, 13 and 50 from Chapter 207 of the General Laws.
Incoming law students sometimes ask for suggested readings that may help to prepare for law school.
Among those available on the Internet, you might consider Owen Kerr’s essay, How to Read a Legal Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students, which has been posted at the Social Science Research Network.
Many bloggers and others have offered suggested reading lists for incoming law students, or opinions about them. If interested, check out these posts from Law Vibe, Legal Profession Blog, and Ms.JD; and there is this list provided at Tulane Law School. There are many others.
Whatever else you do, enjoy the rest of your summer!
See The Top 100 Law and Lawyer Blogs, an opinionated ranking, courtesy of Criminal Justice Degrees Guide. The list is broken down by topic and includes blogs of particular interest to law students.
As expected, the Supreme Court released today its decision in District of Columbia et al. v. Heller (No. 07-290). The decision affirms an individual right under the Second Amendment to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia.
The Supreme Court released four new opinions today, including one in a major death penalty case and a decision that vacated the punitive damages award following the Exxon Valdez oil spill. SCOTUSBlog provides links to the decisions.
The Office of the Inspector General has released “An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring in the Department of Justice Honors Program and Summer Law Intern Program” which confirms allegations of politicized hiring.
