Category: Blog

From a recent Thomson West announcement: Thomson West Introduces Civil Procedure: A Contemporary Approach. “Civil Procedure: A Contemporary Approach is designed to appeal to visual, textual and kinesthetic learners.” [drc]

Recently posted on the GOVDOC listserv by Andrea Sevetson of LexisNexis:

In its latest step to create the most comprehensive and authoritative online collection of congressional information available, LexisNexis(r) announces today its plan to digitize the bound Congressional Record and its three predecessors. These four titles, the Congressional Record (1873-to date), the Annals of Congress (1789-1824), the Register of Debates (1825-1837), and the Congressional Globe (1838-1873) cover all the concerns of the day, provide researchers with a unique perspective on American history, and are considered key primary resources for research in American history, pubic policy, business and economics, politics, international relations, and the law.

The product will provide full text searching, as well as controlled subject, speaker, public law, and bill number searching. Offered through the LexisNexis(r) Congressional interface users will be able to search these titles separately or in conjunction with other LexisNexis Congressional Digital Collections they own, such as hearings, congressional prints, CRS reports, and the Serial Set. “Imagine the new avenues for scholarship that will be uncovered for researchers in a service that allows them to find all relevant hearings, debate, and reports on a topic or a piece of legislation,” said Tim Fusco, Vice President of Publishing Operations for LexisNexis Government and Academic Markets. “Our superior indexing and our commitment to make logical linkages between legislative documents will make it easier for even the most adept researcher to find relevant information across this huge collection of congressional documentation.” The product is scheduled to launch in early 2008. [drc]

Click here for the May 2007 issue. [drc]

Check out the nice list of legal wikis in Robert Ambrogi’s article, Legal Professionals Are Using Wikis – Widely and Wisely, from Social Computing Magazine. [drc]

Feres Doctrine (feer-is or feer-eez or fer-ez). Torts. The rule that a member of the military is barred from recovering damages from the United States on a claim brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act for injuries sustained in military service. [drc]

From The Chronicle of Higher Education, Todd Gilman provides a list of “four traits that would not only make librarians more effective, but happier and more productive, too.” [drc]

Adhesion Contract. A standard-form contract prepared by one party, to be signed by the party in a weaker position, usually a consumer, who adheres to the contract with little choice about the terms. — Also termed contract of adhesion; adhesive contract; adhesory contract; adhesionary contract; take-it-or-leave-it contract; leonine contract. [DRC]

Res Judicata [Latin “a thing adjudicated”] An issue that has been definitively settled by judicial decision. [DRC]

Makre sure you read this interesting Library Journal blog entry about things to consider before opting for a virtual education: Online MLS– Things to Consider When Applying.

West reference attorneys Ed Fisher, Katy Hauck and Andy O’Meara discuss how they approach the calls, e-mails and live chat messages they get every day. They also talk about why they became reference attorneys and offer advice for Westlaw customers in how to best use their help. Click here for more on this new Westcast Podcast.