First Monday in October

The first Monday in October marks the opening day of the new Supreme Court term, and this year is no different! The term begins on October 5, and ten cases have been set for oral argument over the first two weeks. The Court will hear arguments about defendants’ Eighth Amendment rights in four death penalty cases, a challenge to the Texas legislature’s redistricting plan based on the “one-person, one-vote” guarantee of Reynolds v. Simms (1964), and an Equal Protection challenge to the use of race in undergraduate admissions decisions. It will also hear a case involving whether public employees should be required to pay local union fees even if they opted out of joining the union.

Other major cases coming up this term include OBB Personenverkehr AG v. Sachs, in which the court will determine when an entity is an “agent” of a “foreign state” under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and Ocasio v. U.S., in which the court will determine whether a conspiracy to commit extortion requires that the conspirators agree to obtain property from someone outside the conspiracy.

Besides the SCOTUS Blog, other places to go for Supreme Court information include the Supreme Court’s website, where you can listen to oral arguments, the ABA’s Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases, where you can find the parties’ briefs, and Supreme Podcast. This is shaping up to be another fascinating and controversial term. What will The Nine do? Listen to the arguments, read the briefs, and see if you can anticipate their decisions!

There’s a Form for That!

Need to draft a contract, motion, pleading, or some other legal document and don’t know where to start?  Don’t re-invent the wheel because . . . there’s a form for that!

Practicing lawyers often use forms when drafting standard legal documents.  Legal forms can be found on the Internet, on subscription databases and in print.  Because there are so many places you can look, we suggest you start with the Mendik Library’s Legal Forms guide; it will direct you to sources that provide forms for a variety of practice areas.

When using a form, remember that it is important to review all relevant laws and rules.  Forms are not etched in stone and should be tailored (and updated) to conform to your particular case!

 

Celebrate the International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace, established in 1981 by United Nations General Assembly resolution 36/67, is observed each year on September 21st.  The theme of this year’s commemoration is “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” and the United Nations invites “all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.”  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also issued a statement calling “on all warring parties to lay down their weapons and observe a global ceasefire.”
 
For more information on the International Day of Peace visit the UN website.

Win . . . and Learn!

Have you submitted your Legally Clueless Info Hunt entry? The drawing will be on Tuesday September 1 at 5:50 pm, just outside the Library. As always, we plan to award lots of prizes, including OneCards (with pre-loaded cash values), all kinds of study aids, law school swag, and who knows what else!

The yellow entry form is in the packet you received and worked on during your First Week library tour. If you need another copy, you can pick one up at the Reference Desk. Spend a few minutes learning more about research and the library’s resources. You don’t even need to get the right answers, and you should always feel free to ask one of the reference librarians for help.

Good luck to all!

Happy Birthday ADA!

Twenty-five years ago, on July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 101 Pub. L. No. 336, 104 Stat. 327.  The ADA is one of America’s most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation and its impact on American society has been undeniable.  It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees them the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life—to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services. The ADA is an “equal opportunity” law for people with disabilities.

Want to know more?  Visit ADA.gov, the official government website from the United State Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.  And of course, the Library has a very comprehensive collection of materials for your review.  Getting started is as easy as doing a title search in the Library catalog: Americans with Disabilities Act.

Study Aids

Did you know the Library has a selection of study aids that some students find helpful in preparing for final exams?  These materials are designed to supplement – not replace – your own outlines and class notes and readings.  To find general information on major study aids along with specific information on study aids for various subjects, check out the Library’s “Study Guides” Research Guide,  which can be found by selecting the Research Guides link on the left side of the Library homepage.

Also, shelved separately in the Reserve area, we have a collection of titles from Gilberts, Black Letter, Emanuel and more!

Remember, a supplement, not a substitute.

Free E-Book Provides Overview of Emerging Law Office Technology

The former director of the ABA’s Legal Technology Resource Center  recently published an e-book, Law Practice Technology: An Introduction for Law Students, that introduces law students to current law office technology.  Targeting law students interested in starting their own practice, the e-book covers cloud computing, calendaring, security, training, document management, speech input to create documents, intake and conflicts checking, and technology to assist with discovery.  It’s short enough to read or browse quickly and it links to additional internet resources. We recommend checking it out!

Study Hall Notice

With final exams approaching, the Mendik Library has begun its Study Hall schedule. Our facility – including reading rooms, Group Study rooms, and computer labs – opens at 7 a.m. every morning, and remains open until 2 a.m. every day through the end of the exams period.

During Study Hall, the Library is staffed for Business Hours only:

Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The Circulation Desk and the Reserve Collection are closed during non-business hours – late nights and early mornings. All Circulation transactions, including borrowing and return of books, as well as charge-out and charge-in of Reserve Collection items, must be completed during Business Hours.

Late night and early morning hours are for finals study by NYLS students only. Security guards patrol the Library space. Policies regarding food, drink and quiet study remain in effect.

During Study Hall we strive to maintain an atmosphere of quiet, free of distraction. We welcome your cooperation.

It’s Our Turn to Lead

April 22 marks Earth Day’s 45th anniversary with the theme of “It’s our turn to lead.”  Did you know that the original symbol of Earth Day was created by artist and cartoonist Ron Cobb in 1969?  According to legend, it was created as a combination of the letters e and o, from the words environment and organism.  (If you’re curious for a visual, check out Ed’s overalls when you ride the elevator.)

There are plenty of ways to observe Earth Day – volunteer, plant trees, organize a community garden, or simply change a habit.  One other suggestion – drink your coffee, tea, or other beverage from a NYLS reusable mug.  You’ll help to reduce the volume of plastic, Styrofoam, and paper cups piling up in landfills or requiring energy for recycling.  At the same time, you’ll be complying with the Library’s food and drink policy and earning our thanks!  If you don’t have a spill-proof mug, pick one up at the Circulation Desk for $5.00. For every one purchased through the end of this semester’s exam period librarians will contribute $1.00 to Earth Day Network (www.earthday.org/), which works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement.