Monday, May 19, 2008

Bilingual Legal Dictionaries

In the latest issue of Law Library Journal, Dennis Kim Prieto of Rutgers Law Library offers a timely and useful article on bilingual English-Spanish dictionaries. He reviews the latest lexicographic research to undercover criteria by which to judge bilingual legal dictionaries. The annotated bibliogrpahy at the end of the article will prove useful to acquisitions librarians as they make decisions about which dictionaries to buy. Dennis' article is a welcome addition to the understudied area of legal lexicography.

Citation:

Dennis Kim Prieto, En la tierra del ciego, el tuerco es rey: Problems With Current English-Spanish Legal Dictionaries, and Notes Toward a Critical Comparative Legal Lexicography, 100 L. Libr. J. 251 (2008).

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Changes to the Key Number System

On May 12, 2008, West plans to release significant changes to the Key Number System.

Attorney editors have completed the reclassification of over 500,000 headnotes. The improvements include the following:

  • A large portion of the topic CRIMINAL LAW has been revised and expanded to account for recent changes in the law relating to the right to counsel, effectiveness of counsel, conduct and argument of either prosecuting attorneys or defense counsel, authentication of evidence, mistrial, regulation of trial, and standards of review on appeal.
  • Revisions have been made to the topic SENTENCING AND PUNISHMENT relating to application of the Sentencing Guidelines.
  • Dozens of other areas of the Key Number System have been given minor improvements, particularly in the topics AUTOMOBILES, INNKEEPERS, INSURANCE, and NEGLIGENCE
Changes to the Key Number System do not affect a researcher’s ability to search by a former classification number. West tracks the former Key Number next to the updated classification, so Westlaw can be searched using old or new numbers. Depending upon the total impact on the bound print volumes, the reclassified headnotes may go into the pocket part.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

FREE STUFF!!!

...that's what your laptop becomes when you leave it unattended.


During Reading Days & Exams, do not leave your belongings unattended in the library, even if you're gone "just for a second," or "have take this very important call," or grab a snack etc. etc. A moment is all that a thief needs. The librarians at the reference desk move around the third floor and cannot keep an eye on your stuff.

Carry on then.