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Three citators: a brief test

From results of a search in Westlaw’s NJ-CS for the phrase “we disapprove,” I compiled a list of 30 New Jersey cases that had each been at least partly disapproved by a later case. I then checked those 30 cases in Shepard’s (on Lexis), KeyCite (on Westlaw), and BCite (on Bloomberg Law).
Shepard’s flagged the negative treatment for 29 out of the 30 cases (calling it “overruled” except for 2 cases that were marked as “criticized”). The one other case was Cureton v. Eley, 294 N.J.Super.321 (Law Div. 1996), which Shepard’s marked just as “cited by” the later case Jimenez v. Baglieri, 295 N.J.Super. 162 (App. Div. 1996) — though Shepard’s did note that Cureton was “among conflicting authorities noted in” Jacques v. Kinsey, 347 N.J. Super. 112 (Law Div.2001).
KeyCite red-flagged 27 out of the 30 cases — 26 of them as “disapproved,” one as “disagreed with” — and yellow-flagged two cases as “distinguished”. For the case D.Y.F.S. v. R.G., 397 N.J.Super. 439 (App.Div.2008), KeyCite treated it as merely “cited” by the later case D.Y.F.S. v. G.M., 198 N.J. 382, 405 (2008), but did red-flag it because the overruling by the G.M. case was recognized by D.Y.F.S. v. N.S., 412 N.J.Super. 593 (App.Div. 2010).
BCite gave a red negative symbol on only 6 out of the 30 cases, a yellow caution symbol on 3 other cases, and a blue distinguished symbol on 3 others. On 18 out of the 30 cases, BCite indicated positive treatment (“discussed”) by the specific later case, and BCite’s “composite analysis” was “positive” for 16 of the
30 cases. On the case D.Y.F.S. v. R.G. 397 N.J. Super. 439, BCite did analyze it as negative because of D.Y.F.S. v. N.S. which recognized the prior overruling, but BCite did not include the overruling case D.Y.F.S. v. G.M. at all as a citing case. On State v. Williams, 381 N.J.Super. 572 (App.Div. 2005), although BCite’s composite analysis was negative, its specific analysis of each of the 3 citing cases was positive.

Three citators: a brief test

From results of a search in Westlaw’s NJ-CS for the phrase “we disapprove,” I compiled a list of 30 New Jersey cases that had each been at least partly disapproved by a later case. I then checked those 30 cases in Shepard’s (on Lexis), KeyCite (on Westlaw), and BCite (on Bloomberg Law).

Shepard’s flagged the negative treatment for 29 out of the 30 cases (calling it “overruled” except for 2 cases that were marked as “criticized”). The one other case was Cureton v. Eley, 294 N.J.Super.321 (Law Div. 1996), which Shepard’s marked just as “cited by” the later case Jimenez v. Baglieri, 295 N.J.Super. 162 (App. Div. 1996) — though Shepard’s did note that Cureton was “among conflicting authorities noted in” Jacques v. Kinsey, 347 N.J. Super. 112 (Law Div.2001).

KeyCite red-flagged 27 out of the 30 cases — 26 of them as “disapproved,” one as “disagreed with” — and yellow-flagged two cases as “distinguished”. For the case D.Y.F.S. v. R.G., 397 N.J.Super. 439 (App.Div.2008), KeyCite treated it as merely “cited” by the later case D.Y.F.S. v. G.M., 198 N.J. 382, 405 (2008), but did red-flag it because the overruling by the G.M. case was recognized by D.Y.F.S. v. N.S., 412 N.J.Super. 593 (App.Div. 2010).

BCite gave a red negative symbol on only 6 out of the 30 cases, a yellow caution symbol on 3 other cases, and a blue distinguished symbol on 3 others. On 18 out of the 30 cases, BCite indicated positive treatment (“discussed”) by the specific later case, and BCite’s “composite analysis” was “positive” for 16 of the

30 cases. On the case D.Y.F.S. v. R.G. 397 N.J. Super. 439, BCite did analyze it as negative because of D.Y.F.S. v. N.S. which recognized the prior overruling, but BCite did not include the overruling case D.Y.F.S. v. G.M. at all as a citing case. On State v. Williams, 381 N.J.Super. 572 (App.Div. 2005), although BCite’s composite analysis was negative, its specific analysis of each of the 3 citing cases was positive.

UPDATE: On Aug.23,2011, I rechecked the same cases on BCite. Of the 18 cases for which the specific analyses had been “positive,” 5 had been changed to “negative” (“overruled in part”). On two others, although the specific analyses remained “positive,” the composite analysis had changed to negative because of a later case noting “prior overruling.” And of the 3 cases for which the specific analysis had been “caution” (“criticized”) 2 had changed to “negative” (“overruled in part”). The third case that been “caution”(“criticized”) (State v. Ginnetti, 232 N.J. Super.378, as cited by State v. Bernhardt, 245 N.J.Super. 210) was now “positive” (“discussed, quoted”).

New Platform, New Product Mix, New Market, New Pricing—LexisNexis Advance

Information Today, Inc. reports –

LexisNexis learned from WestlawNext’s debacle of a launch—which involved telling everyone at the same time about a new product while only providing it to one market and leaving other markets to the guesswork; not telling anyone the price; and generally irritating librarians by promoting the new but often unavailable service directly to patrons. Instead, LexisNexis is doing it differently. LexisNexis is targeting the solo and microfirms with the new Lexis Advance. These lawyers have to drum up their own clients and manage their own taxes, payroll, calendars, billing, staffing, and training—all in addition to practicing law! They don’t have librarians or law libraries. They work in small offices, home offices, or shared suites.

For the full story, Click Here.

MetaLib: A New Federated Search Tool from the GPO (Government Printing Office)

MetaLib is a library portal providing end users with an easy and personalized interface which can search simultaneously for information in a variety of electronic resources, such as catalogs, reference databases, digital repositories or subject-based Web gateways. These information resources are collectively referred to as databases. Once you have found the information in which you are interested, MetaLib provides you with the tools to save it for future reference in your E-shelf, save it to disk or send it by email.

For the full story in Resource Shelf, Click Here.

NJLJ Books converting to annual softcovers

Following an industry trend that gives readers greater convenience and publishers greater revenue, New Jersey Law Journal has announced conversion from supplemented hardbacks to annual softbound editions for two more of its book titles, starting with their 2010 editions: New Jersey Employment Law by Rosemary Alito, and the Encyclopedia of New Jersey Causes of Action by John J. Bannan. (New Jersey Law of Personal Injury by James Hely and Donald A. DiGoia was already supposed to be annual starting with the 2008 edition.)

Research and Markets: Law Library Benchmarks, 2010-11 Edition – More Than 31% of Libraries Sampled Said That Their Budgets Would Increase in 2011

Research and Markets has announced the addition of the “Law Library Benchmarks, 2010-11 Edition” report to their offering.

This study presents data from a survey of more than 50 law libraries in the United States and Canada. The study presents overall and per lawyer employed spending on content/materials, books, print reporters, online services and other legal information vehicles. It covers the trends in use of floor space, overall budgets and staffing, including hiring plans and the breakdown in total staff between librarians and other employees.

For the complete story, Click Here.