Hearsay

Restricted Library Access

2012-01-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Westminster Law Library will be on restricted access evenings and weekends from January 30, 2012 - February 27, 2012. The change to restricted access is being implemented to help support our law graduates by providing a quieter place to study while they are preparing for the February 2012 Colorado bar examination.

The doors will be locked from 6pm - closing weeknights and from 6pm Friday until opening on Monday morning. During those times, patrons will need a DU law school ID card to swipe at the front door to gain access. Non-law school patrons, such as attorneys and other individuals needing to do legal research, will need to knock on the door and speak to the Circulation Desk employee in order to enter the library. DU (non-law) students are asked to please find another place to study during this time. Thank you for your consideration.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

Legal History Databases

2012-01-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in legal history or trying to track down a classic work in a particular are of law for your paper? The library subscribes to a database with several modules called the Making of Modern Law (MOML). These are available remotely to current SCOL students, faculty and staff. Other patrons may access these databases from the public access terminals on Level 2 & Level 3 of the Law Library.

Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources, 1620-1970

For researchers of American legal history, Primary Sources is a fully searchable digital archive of the published records of the American colonies, documents published by state constitutional conventions, state codes, city charters, law dictionaries, digests and more.

Making of Modern Law: Treatises

Provides digital images of every page of 22,000 legal treatises on US and British law published from 1800 through 1926. Full-text searching on more than 10 million pages provides researchers access to critical legal history in ways not previously possible.

Making of Modern Law: Trials, 1600-1926

Historical trial accounts and official documents covering famous cases as well as everyday events in U.S & British courts. Primary source material also includes some legislative and administrative proceedings.

Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978

U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs contains the world's most comprehensive online collection of records and briefs brought before the nation's highest court by leading legal practitioners. It includes transcripts, applications for review, motions, petitions, supplements and other official papers of the most-studied and talked-about cases, including many that resulted in landmark decisions.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

Resources Supporting Research on P4R

2012-01-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

A recent post on The View From Above, the blog of The Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law, discussed the World Bank’s Project for Results (P4R) which proposes a new financing alternative from the World Bank for development, and poverty reduction programs. Students in SCOL courses such as Global Climate Change or the Sustainable Development series, or international business courses may be interested in locating materials in this area.

If you would like to find additional information on the World Bank or the Project for Results, as well as some basic background for the discussion, here are some resources to get you started – there are many other resources you will want to consult. See particularly the tabs on Projects and Operations, and Data. Research papers can be found under the Publications tab.Here is a link to the results of a search in the Westminster Law Library catalog for a keyword search on “world bank” AND “indigenous peoples”

If you would like to find additional information on the World Bank or the Project for Results, as well as some basic background for the discussion, here are some resources to get you started – there are many other resources you will want to consult.

About/From the World Bank:

Jurist’s This Day in Law: World Bank Created

The World Bank Group homepage - See particularly the tabs on Projects and Operations, and Data. Research papers can be found under the Publications tab.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Here is a link to the results of a search in the Westminster Law Library catalog for a keyword search on “world bank” AND “indigenous peoples”

World Bank Project For Results

World Bank – Indigenous Peoples Policy

Non-World Bank organizations that may be of interest include:

p4rcomments.org

Indian Law Resource Center

International Rivers

Recent Westminster Law Library Project Finance books include the following:

1) Energy & Environmental Project Finance Law & Taxation: New Investment Techniques. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. Level 1 K3981 .E4 2010

2) The Law and Business of International Finance. Hoffman, Scott L., New York: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Level 1 K891.B8 H64 2008

3) Project Finance, Securitsations, Subordinated Debt. Wood, Phillip., London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2007. Level 1 K1331 .P765 2007

And, don’t neglect the Penrose Databases. Some items that might be of interest include these three items:

1. Doing business [electronic resource] : an independent evaluation : taking the measure of the World Bank-IFC doing business indicators / World Bank Independent Evaluation Group

2. International Business/Finance Databases from Penrose Library

3. International Financial Statistics - Covers the monthly publication International Financial Statistics as well as data found in the annual publication International Financial Statistics Yearbook. Our subscription does not cover Balance of Payments Yearbook, Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook, or Government Finance Statistics Yearbook. The product can browsed by country or by variable, and can also be searched. Areas of statistical coverage include exchange rates; fund accounts; interest rates; international liquidity; international transactions (imports and exports); balance of payments; money and banking; government finance; prices, production, and labor; and national accounts. IMF press briefings, press conferences, official IMF statements, and many other documents are also available through the service. Our subscription allows up to five simultaneous users.

Using a research guide is a great way to learn more about the resources available, as well as to keep track of the places you’ve looked. The American Society of International Law’s Electronic Research Guide: International Economic Law is an excellent guide for this topic.

And, finally, don’t forget the Nanda Center’s Research Guide. Use the “Enviro” and “Indig Ppls” tabs to locate additional resources.

Written by Joan Policastri, Foreign, Comparative & International Law Librarian

Writing Tip of the Week: Capitalizing "Court"

2012-01-23T14:32:00.003-07:00

Rules B7.3.1 and 8 of the Bluebook explain when practitioners should capitalize the word “court” in court documents and legal memoranda. Under these rules, capitalize “court” in the following three situations:

1. When “naming any court in full.”

The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit addressed this question in Gove v. Robinson.

2. When “referring to the [United States] Supreme Court.”

Justice Scalia wrote the dissenting opinion for the Court.

3. When “referring to the court that will be receiving that document.”

This Court should deny the Motion for Summary Judgment.

Otherwise, do not capitalize “court.”

The Smith court considered whether a swimming pool was an attractive nuisance.

The court in Wilson found the physician liable for failing to warn the victims about his patient’s threats against them.

The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation R. B7.3.1, at 22, R. 8, at 84 (Columbia Law Review Ass’n et al. eds., 19^th ed. 2010); see also Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers, “Punctuation, Capitalization, & Typeface” (follow “Capitalization” hyperlink; then follow “Words in Text” hyperlink; then follow “Court” hyperlink) (C. Edward Good ed., 2009).

Lexis Advance Launches at DU

2012-01-23T13:47:00.001-07:00

Lexis is hosting a Lexis Advance Launch Party on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 in the forum. Come have fun and learn more about this exciting new Lexis product. There will be carnival games, a snow cone machine, and help for registering Lexis Advance IDs. Open to everyone!

You can also learn more about Lexis Advance by watching a YouTube video or reviewing some Research Guides. Robert Ambrogi's LawSites blog includes a review of the main features of the new software.

Katy Sparks, the Academic Lexis Rep for DU will be offering Lexis Advance training sessions later in the semester.Lexis Advance is available via your iPad or iPhone! Click here to download the free apps.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

“Shepardizing” Confusion

2012-01-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

How do you know if your case, statute or other authority is still good law? How can you find other authorities on the same subject or who have cited your case? Use a citator, one of which is Shepard’s Citations. Frank Shepard originated this legal service in 1873, and the company moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1948. For over 100 years, this citator was only available in print. It was primarily lists of case citations (without case names) that cite your case, preceded by a letter indicating whether it affirmed, overruled, discussed or followed your case. Shepard’s also listed the number for the West headnote topic and key number which the case discussed. This meant that one did not have to physically look up all of the cases listed, only the ones which dealt with your legal issue.

LexisNexis purchased Shepard’s in the later 1990s, and released their first online version around 1999. They began developing their own system for research headnotes and tools, which are also not a part of the case opinion they may precede. Until LexisNexis switched over to its own Citations they continued using the West topic and key numbers for their Shepard’s Citations. Like many libraries, the Westminster Law Library has discontinued most of their print Shepard’s Citations, except Colorado. The online version of Shepard’s is found in the law school password protected LexisNexis research system, as well as the publicly available LexisNexis Academic database on the Westminster Law Library’s homepage.

Here comes the confusion. West is a competitor of LexisNexis, and still publishes many of the official case reporters and secondary sources such as AmJur, ALR and digests, using its research tool known as the West topic and key number system. The password protected and the public Westlaw databases use this same tool, and call their citator “Keycite”. The Westlaw headnotes are not part of the case opinion, just as the newer LexisNexis headnotes used in their current online databases are not a part of the online opinion. So, you cannot plug a LexisNexis headnote into a West product, and you cannot use the West headnotes to find materials in the LexisNexis research system. Although you may hear attorneys using the now trademarked term “Shepardizing”, they often are still referring to the West citator and headnotes, or may be using that verb generically to say “is it still good law?”

Written by Catharine Cott, Reference Librarian

Writing Tip of the Week: Generic Transitions

2012-01-19T15:13:00.007-07:00

Generic transitions are connecting words or phrases that introduce a sentence to help the reader understand how the new information relates to the previous information. Common generic transitions include expressions such as “however,” therefore,” and “in addition.” Good writers use these transitions not just because they “sound good,” but because they help show the logical connections between the ideas in different sentences or paragraphs.

Using the correct transition is just as important as knowing when to use a transition. For example, the transition “in addition” adds a new point, whereas the transition “likewise” shows similarity. Some of the most common types of generic transitions show addition; comparison or contrast; illustration; or conclusion. Even within these categories, different words can have slightly different meanings, so be sure to use the precise transition you need.

Sutter’s eyes were bloodshot, and the officer smelled alcohol on his breath. However, Sutter was able to walk a straight line. (transition contrasts ideas in the two sentences)
The Andersons engaged in many activities at the cabin. For example, each year they held a family reunion there. (transition indicates illustration of idea will follow)
The suspect was with his daughter at an amusement park until 11:00 p.m. that night. Therefore, he could not have committed the robbery. (transition shows conclusion will follow)

For more information, see Robin Wellford Slocum, Legal Reasoning, Writing, and Persuasive Argument 236-38 (2d ed. 2006); Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 53-60 (3d ed. 2009); and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 497-511 (5th ed. 2010).

Foreign, Comparative & International Law Research Classes

2012-01-16T14:35:00.003-07:00

Are you interested in practicing global or international law? Are you a member of the International Law Journal and want to improve your foreign, comparative & international law research skills? Come join Joan Policastri, the Westminster Law Library's very own FCIL research specialist in a series of classes being offered during the Spring semester.

There will be nine classes offering a variety of databases that can help you with your research projects. Each topic will be offered twice, once at noon and once at 5:15pm on the same day. A certificate of completion will be offered to those students who attend all nine sessions. Click here to print off a flyer with more details. Noon sessions will be held in SCOL Rm. 313, PLEASE NOTE: the Evening sessions have been moved to SCOL Rm. 327 due to a conflict.

Topics include:

HeinOnline - Law Journals, UN Collection
Foreign Law Guide / Index to Foreign Law Periodicals
United Nations website & UN Treaty Collection
HeinOnline - Constitutions of the World, Treaties & Agreements Library, FIL resources
Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law / International Encyclopedia of Law
Oxford Reports on International Law / Oxford Scholarship Online
Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO) / Europa World
Inter-Am / Latin America
Social Science Research in the Penrose databases

For more information, contact Joan Policastri at jpolicastri@law.du.edu or 303-871-6017.

Colorado Bar Association (CBA) Offers Free Student Memberships

2012-01-13T12:10:00.001-07:00

Become a student member of CBA today. Click Not A CBA Member? JOIN NOW on left frame. Scroll to and click Student Membership Application and complete online. Your student CBA membership also includes free membership in one of the following local bar associations:

First Judicial District

Arapahoe

Boulder

Denver

Douglas/Elbert

El Paso

Pueblo

Weld

Students may also join the following CBA sections for a fee prorated fifty percent after January 1, 2012

Law Practice Sections Dues

Agriculture & Rural Law 15.00

Dispute Resolution 25.00

Business 25.00

Communications & Technology Law 15.00

Construction Law 10.00

Criminal 25.00

Disability Law 15.00

Elder Law 25.00

Entertainment & Sports 15.00

Environmental 15.00

Family 30.00

Government Counsel 15.00

Health 15.00

Immigration Law 15.00

Intellectual Property 30.00

International Law 20.00

Judicial Section 15.00

Juvenile Law 20.00

Labor & Employment Law 15.00

Litigation 20.00

Natural Resources & Energy Law 20.00

Real Estate 25.00

Solo/Small Firm Practice 15.00

Taxation 25.00

Trust & Estate 25.00

Water Law 20.00

Workers’ Compensation 30.00

Written by Sheila Green, Reference Librarian

Changes to Prospector Borrowing

2012-01-10T07:34:00.004-07:00

UPDATE: Please note that NO Prospector borrowing is available via the law library until February 4th due to the merge listed below. Please request materials through WorldCat / ILL until Prospector is working again.

Prospector is a combined catalog of 26 Colorado & Wyoming libraries that allows you to search for and to request items that are not owned by DU. The library catalogs for the Westminster Law Library and the Penrose Library at the University of Denver are being merged on the Prospector borrowing system. Due to this merge, Westminster Law Library patrons will need to request books through Prospector by selecting the U of Denver tab instead of the U of Denver Law tab when asked by the form “With which library are you affiliated?” This change begins January 9, 2012. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Department at illdept@law.du.edu.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

International Law... From Above

2012-01-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in international affairs? Want to know what some of your faculty think about current events? Want to hear more from the folks at the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy? You can find all of those things, and more, at SCOL’s newest blog, The View From Above (TVFA). July 1, 2011, marked the first postings from The View From Above, the official blog of The Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law, and the archives are already a great source of ideas for papers as well as source materials. Some of the topics on the blog have included: drones, responsibility to protect, China, corporate responsibility, piracy, Greek debt, South Sudan, Palestine, and the Arab Spring. (At least one posting has already had an inquiry re citing it in a paper.)

Here is how TVFA describes itself -

The View From Above is a Denver-based online publication dedicated to creating a forum where practitioners, professors and students can share ideas, debate and engage in an ongoing conversation about international law and foreign policy. In the long term, The View From Above aspires to become the primary online publication for high-level discussion on current international law developments as they occur. Through the use of the internet and social media, we hope to disseminate information in a meaningful way in order to bridge the gap between academics, practitioners, policymakers, and students. The View From Above hopes to advance the practice of international law by making the discussion of international legal issues as responsive to the rapidly changing landscape as technology will allow.

The TVFA is a great addition to SCOL’s already excellent, world-respected line up of international law resources, including the Ved Nanda Center for International and Comparative Law, and the Denver Journal of International Law and Policy (it was great to see the DJILP prominently displayed at the entry to the Peace Palace Library). The Nanda Center was created in 2006 with a gift from DU Law alum Douglas Scrivner, and, his wife, Mary. The DJILP was created by our own Professor Ved Nanda in 1971.

In addition to posts from Prof. Nanda, other bloggers include Professors Akerson and Wiersema, your fellow law students and members of the DJILP staff. Guest bloggers include former students and current staff. Jon Bellish was instrumental in putting together the final product, and he is an active blogger, too. And the project could not have come together without Karlyn Shorb, the Administrative Director of the Nanda Center.

Written by Joan Policastri, Foreign, Comparative & International Librarian

Bar Exam Changes in 2012

2012-01-04T09:38:00.004-07:00

The Colorado Supreme Court (Court) exercises jurisdiction over all matters involving the licensing of persons to practice law in the State of Colorado. The Court also appoints the Colorado State Board of Law Examiners (Board), which recommends changes or additions to the rules of procedure governing the admission to the practice of law. The Board announced that Colorado has adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) effective November 1, 2011. Other jurisdictions adopting the UBE include Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Washington. See amended C.R.C.P. Chapter 18 Rules 201.1 et. seq., as well as the following websites: http://www.coloradosupremecourt.com/BLE/ble_home.htm ; http://www.cbaclelegalconnection.com ; and http://www.ncbex.org/ for information.

The UBE score includes scaled scores from the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) (50%), Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) (30%), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) (20%). Prior to admission to practice law in Colorado, applicants must also complete the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) and the one day Mandatory Course on Professionalism. The ability to transfer UBE scores among states is determined by each individual jurisdiction.

Written by Catharine Cott, Reference Librarian

New Journal Comes to DU

2011-12-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

A new journal is coming to the Sturm College of Law! The Journal of Energy & Natural Resources Law is published quarterly by the International Bar Association’s Section on Energy, Environment, Natural Resources and Infrastructure Law. The journal will be edited at DU under the supervision of Professor Don Smith, Director, Environmental & Natural Resources Law & Policy Graduate Program. For more information about the move from the Denver Business Journal, click here.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

Library Closed for Holidays

2011-12-21T13:20:00.001-07:00

The Westminster Law Library will be closed from 4pm on December 23, 2011 - January 2, 2012 as part of the University's holiday closure. The Law Library will reopen on January 3 at 8am for reduced hours until classes begin for Spring semester. Click here for the full schedule.

Legal Administration Program at DU

2011-12-19T10:25:00.009-07:00

Are you interested in managing and operating a law firm, court, or legal organization? Know someone who is? Check out the Master of Science in Legal Administration at the University of Denver. Billed as the MBA for legal professionals, the is rather similar to a Master of Business Administration degree, but with particular focus on legal organizations.
Currently, the MSLA can be completed in a single year (two semesters and a summer externship)of full-time study or between two and four years of part-time study. To help accommodate the needs of a variety of students, all MSLA courses are available either in-person or online.

Students pursuing the MSLA degree choose a focus from amongst three different concentrations:

1) Law Firm Administration Concentration
Concentration Information
Concentration Course Plan
Concentration Video Link

2) Court Administration Concentration
Concentration Information
Concentration Course Plan
Concentration Video Link

3) International Court Administration Concentration
Concentration Information
Concentration Course Plan
Video Link

The MSLA Program also benefits from an active group of alumni, and the program has made efforts to make keeping in touch after graduation even easier in a variety of ways. It has established a presence on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and professional sites like LinkedIn, as well as hosting events for alumni like a dinner for those attending the National Association for Court Management conference and distributing a free quarterly newsletter.

Those interested in earning both a J.D. and MSLA degree may also be interested in the joint degree program at DU.

For more information on the MSLA Program at DU, contact Hope Kentnor at 303-871-6308 or via e-mail at hkentnor@du.edu or use the contact web page. Also, see the
MSLA Information Brochure .

Written by Hope Kentnor, Director, MSLA Program

DU Alum Sworn in as CO Supreme Court Justice

2011-12-12T16:36:00.005-07:00

Brian Boatright is the newest Justice on the Colorado Supreme Court. The new Justice was sworn in privately Nov. 21, 2011 and his public swearing in ceremony is on December 13th.

Boatright, 49, was selected by Governor John Hickenlooper in part because of his 10+ years as a trial court judge in the 1st Judicial District. See Denver Post article about the announcement. Boatright was a popular judge who received the highest marks in his 2008 retention survey report. His official court biography details his earlier work as a Deputy D.A. Justice Boatright graduated from the University of Denver law school in 1988. Already hard at work, the new Justice sided with the majority in five recent opinions.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

UPDATE
Justice Boatright will be the commencement speaker for the SCOL graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at 10 am. It will be held in Magness Arena at the Ritchie Center.

Reduced Reference Hours: Dec. 16th

2011-12-09T17:07:00.003-07:00

The Chancellor has announced an shortened day on Friday, December 16th for University staff. In accordance, the Reference Desk will only be open from 9am-noon that day. The Library itself will remain open.

New Library Director / Assistant Director

2011-12-08T12:58:00.001-07:00

Dr. Sylvia Hall-Ellis was named Interim Director of the Westminster Law Library at the University of Denver Sturm College of La w effective October 3, 2011. Dr. Hall-Ellis is an Associate Professor at the Morgridge College of Education and brings over 35 years of experience working in libraries as an administrator, development officer and project manager. She has unique expertise in the areas of database building and maintenance, bibliographic cataloging, research and grant writing. Dr. Hall-Ellis is a member of a variety of professional organizations and is listed in several editions of regional and national bibliographic volumes. Dr. Hall-Ellis has published numerous technical reports, articles, and three monographs and has conducted major field research studies.

Dr. Stacey L. Bowers, the Outreach & Instructional Services Coordinator at the Westminster Law Library was name Interim Assistant Director effective October 3, 2011. She practiced law for 14 years prior to joining the law library in 2006. Dr. Bowers is an adjunct professor at the Sturm College of Law where she teaches legal research courses and corporate drafting. She is a member of both state and national professional organizations and has published articles and co-authored a book.

Library Hours for Finals, Intersession

2011-11-30T13:20:00.001-07:00

The Law Library and the SCOL building will have special hours during finals and intersession. Please see this handout for a detailed list of hours. Please also see our earlier post about special access policies during finals. Remember to carry your DU id card with you for entrance to the library in the evenings and weekends through December 15th.

GOOD LUCK on your exams!

Turkey Trivia

2011-11-22T11:10:00.003-07:00

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, thoughts of Turkey may be of more interest than studying for finals (at least for a few days!). Here is a research guide created by the University of Chicago Library with everything you ever wanted to know about turkeys:

1) History of the Turkey in the US
2) The Turkey trot - dances and more recently, 5K's
3) Cooking the Turkey to perfection (with help from Julia Childs)
4) Turkey hunts
5) Turkeys around the world

Enjoy your short break before finals!

Dogs Visit Law School, Nov 28th-29th

2011-11-18T17:13:00.001-07:00

Lower your blood pressure! Reduce stress! Give your brain a study break!

We know that preparing for exams can be very stressful so the Westminster Law Library and the Office of Student Affairs are sponsoring a PAWS to RELAX program to bring several therapy dogs to the SCOL building for study breaks. The program is being offered on Monday, November 28 and Tuesday, November 29 from noon-6pm in room 145.

Therapy dog teams from the American Humane Association will rotate throughout the day, but each two-hour time block will include 2-4 dogs available for drop in visits. NO appointments necessary. These dog and handler teams have all undergone training and are used to interacting with adults and kids in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and libraries.

Big dogs, small dogs, we have them all. So stop by for a short study break and say hi!

UPDATE
Thanks to everyone who dropped by to visit a therapy dog on Monday or Tuesday. We hope that you enjoyed your study break and it helped ease the stress a little. We had about 110 people on Monday and 152 people on Tuesday participate in the event, so perhaps we can try it again during spring semester.

Good Luck on Finals!

Access Changes to Library During Finals

2011-11-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Beginning Tuesday, November 22^nd,and continuing every weekday through Thursday December 15^th, the law library entrance will lock at 5:30 every evening and only allow those with DU law school ID cards to enter the library. The library will still close at midnight. Circulation Associates may allow someone without a card entry if it is an alumnus or practicing attorney that needs access to our collection, but they will not allow others in who may want to use the study space. Every Friday during Reading Week and Finals the library entrance will lock at 5:30PM and not open without a law school ID card until Monday morning.

Also beginning Tuesday, November 22^nd, and continuing through Thursday, December 15^th, those with DU law school ID’s will be allowed to remain in the law building after the building is closed to others. Please remember, you must have your ID with you or you will be asked to leave when Campus Safety closes the building at midnight.

Additionally, the law library closes for both Thanksgiving and the Friday following it. The building will be open for those with law school ID cards. Signs, with the hours for both the library and the building will be posted beginning tomorrow.

Thank you for your attention and please remember your Pioneer ID cards.

JoAnna Patrick

Director of Facilities & Operations, SCOL

303-871-6153

Writing Tip of the Week: Using Quotations

2011-11-15T14:27:00.003-07:00

Don’t make the mistake of overusing quotations because you are unsure about how to use them. Remember that the purpose of quotations is to call attention to specific words. You lose the reader’s attention when your quotations are too long or too frequent, so quote only when the exact words themselves are important.

Statutes are a good example of when the exact words matter: a case often turns on the interpretation of particular statutory language. But even when quoting a statute, be selective about how much you quote, and quote only the portions of the statute that are relevant to your issue.

Use quotations from case law more selectively. You should usually paraphrase the court’s holding and reasoning, saving quotations for key words and phrases or sentences that are so well-written that you could not improve on them. You will rarely need to quote the facts of a case.

Finding that there was no “special relationship” between the parties, the court held that the University had no duty to protect the plaintiff from the “well-known dangers of using a trampoline.” University of Denver v. Whitlock, 744 P.2d 54, 62 (Colo. 1987).

When you do use quotations, quote the material accurately. Use brackets to show any changes or additions you have made to the original and ellipses to show any deletions necessary to make the quotation fit within your sentence.

The purpose of the Good Samaritan statute is “to encourage . . . assistance by persons on a voluntary basis to enhance the public safety.” Colo. Rev. Stat. §13-21-116(1) (2005).

Robin Wellford Slocum, Legal Reasoning, Writing, and Persuasive Argument, 257-59 (2d ed. 2006); Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 111-13 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 555-56 (5th ed. 2010).

Thanksgiving Hours

2011-11-11T11:56:00.003-07:00

The Law Library will be on reduced hours for part of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011
7:30am-8pm

Thursday, November 24, 2011
Closed

Friday, November 25, 2011
Closed

Saturday, November 26, 2011

8am-8pm

Sunday, November 27, 2011
8am - midnight

The Reference Desk will be closing from 3pm on Wednesday - Sunday. A full listing of library & building hours during exams, holidays & intersession is posted here.

Writing Tip of the Week: Use the Correct Tense

2011-11-09T20:18:00.004-07:00

Knowing which verb tense to use when discussing the law, precedent cases, or client facts can be confusing at first. But as in other writing, use the present tense to describe facts or rules that exist now and the past tense for facts or events that have already happened.

Use the present tense to discuss the rule of law.

A significant change in employment status constitutes an adverse employment action under Title VII. (rule of law exists in the present)

Use the past tense to discuss the facts of a precedent case and the court’s holding or reasoning.

In Sanchez, the school district transferred a teacher from one school to another, but her title, salary, benefits, duties, and responsibilities remained the same. (the transfer occurred in the past)

The court held that her transfer did not constitute an adverse employment action. (court decided case in the past)

The court reasoned that because she had the same job title, salary, benefits, duties, and responsibilities, her transfer was a mere lateral transfer rather than an adverse employment action. (court reasoned in the past)

Use the past tense for client facts that have already happened, but use the present tense for client facts that exist in the present.

Mr. Smith worked in the branch office, where he represented adult clients in high-profile criminal cases. (Ms. Smith did these things in the past)

The company’s client list contains names, addresses, and phone numbers for all corporate clients. (list exists in the present)

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 178-82 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 620-23 (5th ed. 2010).

BNA Rep Visits DU - 11/14

2011-11-09T15:05:00.000-07:00

Want to find out more about the specialized legal research topics available via the Library's BNA database?

The BNA Legal Solutions Consultant, Heidi Reese, will be staffing a table on Level 1 from 11am-2pm on Monday, November 14, 2011. She will have handouts & tips on searching the various BNA databases that the library has under subscription. Heidi can also give you some tips on using BNA resources to find research or paper topics in your upper level writing classes.

Corporate Drafting Class

2011-11-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Spring registration is upon us and you should consider taking the Corporate Drafting class taught by Stacey Bowers, one of our law librarians. Two sections of this class are being offered: (i) Mon/Wed from 9:00 – 10:15am, and (ii) Mon/Wed from 2:45-4:00pm. This class will cover transactional drafting skills and students will draft a variety of corporate and transactional provisions and documents. Registration is subject to professor approval so please contact Stacey Bowers at sbowers@law.du.edu if you are interested in this course. This class is part of the Corporate & Commercial Law Program and meets the upper level writing requirement.

App for HeinOnline Databases

2011-11-03T13:38:00.000-06:00

HeinOnline now has an free app for your iphone or ipad. You must use your name & DU id to login.

Features Include:
• View HeinOnline's Imaged-based PDFs
• Use HeinOnline's Citation Navigator
• Browse by Volume
• View Electronic Table of Contents
• Search HeinOnline using Advanced Searching Techniques

For more information and to download, see the HeinOnline help center.

Reference Desk Closure

2011-11-02T11:23:00.002-06:00

The Reference Desk is closing at 3:00PM today because of staff illnesses.

Writing Tip of the Week: Pronoun Agreement

2011-11-01T12:13:00.002-06:00

A pronoun must agree with the noun it replaces (the “antecedent”) in number, gender, and person. Errors often occur with agreement in number. To avoid these errors, use a singular pronoun when referring to a singular antecedent and a plural pronoun when referring to a plural antecedent.

Correct: The police read Jack Rayburn his rights.

Correct: The police read Jack and Sue Rayburn their rights.

The same rule applies when the pronoun replaces a generic noun.

Incorrect: The police must read the defendant their rights.

Correct: The police must read the defendant his or her rights.

Correct: The police must read defendants their rights.

Collective nouns, such as court, jury, or team, are singular (unless referring to the members of the court, jury, or team), so they take singular pronouns.

Incorrect: After the court heard the testimony, they dismissed the case.

Correct: After the court heard the testimony, it dismissed the case.

Indefinite pronouns, such as everybody, someone, or no one, usually take singular pronouns.

Incorrect: Anyone would know that they should not drive while intoxicated.

Correct: Anyone would know that he or she should not drive while intoxicated.

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 189-94 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 631-34 (5th ed. 2010).

Emergency Notifications

2011-10-26T13:56:00.000-06:00

Sign up for the University's emergency notification system to get the latest news about snow closures, campus safety alerts, etc. You can request that notifications be sent to your email, home or cell phone.

A full list of suggestions for various emergency scenarios is also listed on the DU Office of Emergency Preparedness website, along with a video of what to do in an active shooter situation.

Be prepared!

Writing Tip of the Week: Principal and Principle

2011-10-24T18:25:00.003-06:00

Principal and principle look and sound alike, yet have different meanings. While principal can be a noun or an adjective, principle is a noun.

As a noun, principal generally means main or head person, such as the principal of a school. (Some people remember this meaning using the memory device, “the principal is our pal.”) As a noun, it can also mean a capital sum of money; a perpetrator or aider and abettor to a crime; or one who employs another (an agent) to act for him. When used as an adjective, principal means “main” or “primary,” such as the principal finding in a study.

On the other hand, principle is a noun that means a rule, tenet, or basic truth, such as the principle of gravity.

Thus, use principal as a noun to refer to important people and as an adjective to signify someone or something important. In contrast, use principle, a noun, when you mean a rule or doctrine.

The principal of the high school led the students in singing the national anthem. (principal as a noun meaning the main or head person)

The principal issue in this case is whether the defendant waived his right to trial by jury. (principal as an adjective meaning main or primary)

Freedom and justice are the principles upon which our country was founded. (principle, a noun meaning rule, tenet or basic truth)

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 311 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 775-76 (5th ed. 2010).

Advanced Legal Research Course

2011-10-24T10:34:00.004-06:00

Advanced Legal Research Course Description

Students will select an area of practice in which to explore all major legal research resources, formats, and costs, and refine their ability to formulate cost-effective research strategies. They will identify an issue of interest and formulate a Legal Research Plan for an analysis on the issue; draft a Library Purchasing Plan for the practice area; write and revise a legal analysis on the issue; draft a client letter on the legal analysis; consider potential ethical issues for the practice area and write a short paper on these concerns; give an oral presentation; and write a final reflection.

Prerequisites: None
Credit Hours: 3
ULW: This course does satisfy the Upper Level Writing requirement (ULW)

The class will be taught by Professor Debra Austin.

Lexis Training: Special Topics

2011-10-20T11:09:00.003-06:00

The Lexis rep, Katy Sparks, is offering some advanced training classes for 2L's & 3L's. Sign up now for a session on the Lexis law school page!

Search Tactics
Advanced use of Terms & Connectors searching - with search tips for specific databases included

10/20/2011 12:00 PM 25 min Room 259

International Law
Come let us show you the international law sources available through Lexis and how to easily locate them on the website.

10/24/2011 12:00 PM 25 min Room 259
10/24/2011 4:45 PM 25 min Room 180

Business Law
Come see the sources on Lexis that will help you in a business law practice or business law related field.

10/24/2011 6:00 PM 25 min Room 165
10/26/2011 12:00 PM 25 min Room 259

Shepard's training
Review of basic Shepard's feature and an exploration of the more advanced features

10/25/2011 11:00 AM 25 min Room 259
10/25/2011 2:30 PM 25 min Room 145
10/25/2011 5:00 PM 25 min Room 125

Criminal Law
Come get some research tips on using the Lexis sources for practice in criminal law.

10/26/2011 4:45 PM 25 min Room 180
10/27/2011 12:00 PM 25 min Room 259

Environmental Law
We'll show you the best and most frequently used databases for environmental law research - and give you some tips along the way!

10/31/2011 12:00 PM 25 min Room 259
10/31/2011 4:45 PM 25 min Room 180

Writing Tip of the Week: Spelling "Judgment"

2011-10-17T12:34:00.004-06:00

In law, judgment means “a court’s final determination of the rights and obligations of the parties in a case.” Remember that there is only one “e” in judgment. Thus, the correct spelling is JUDGMENT, not judgement.

• The court entered a judgment in favor of the plaintiff.

• The judgment included injunctive relief and damages.

Black’s Law Dictionary 918 (9th ed. 2009). For more information, see Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers, “Legal Dictionary” (follow “J Words” hyperlink; then follow “judgment” hyperlink) (C. Edward Good ed., 2009).

Copyright Research Guide

2011-10-12T10:15:00.000-06:00

The Law Library is pleased to announce the creation of a new research guide on Copyright Law. This research guide provides background information on copyright issues, discusses various treaties that affect U.S. copyright law and provides links to statutes, regulations and secondary materials. There is a section listing the various exceptions such as the fair use doctrine and also how to research copyright registrations. Take a look at this guide as well as over 40 other topical research guides that we have developed to help you with your legal research questions.

Writing Tip of the Week: Affect and Effect

2011-10-10T13:13:00.006-06:00

Affect and effect are easily confused because they look alike. Further, although affect is normally a verb, effect can be either a verb or a noun, adding to the confusion. You can distinguish the two words by taking a closer look at their definitions.

Affect is a verb that most commonly means “to influence.” When used as a verb, effect means “to bring about” or “to accomplish.” When used as a noun, effect means “result” or “consequence.”

Therefore, to choose between affect and effect, you must first consider whether you are using the word as a verb or a noun. If you are using it as a verb, select affect if you mean “to influence” and effect if you mean “to bring about.” As a noun, effect will normally be the correct choice.

The new law affects voters in several swing states. (affect used as a verb meaning “to influence”)

The new law will effect a change in the way states recount votes in close elections. (effect used as a verb meaning “to bring about”)

It is difficult to gauge the effect of the new law. (effect used as a noun meaning “result”)

Less common meanings for affect and effect are as follows: affect as a verb that means “to put on a pretense or feign”; affect as a noun in psychology that means “emotion”; and effect as a noun meaning “personal possessions.”

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 160-61, 307-08 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 772 (5th ed. 2010).

U.S. Supreme Court Hears Copyright Case With DU Tie

2011-10-04T16:12:00.003-06:00

For an update on the case, see this article from The Clarion, DU's student paper.

Oral arguments will be heard on Wednesday, October 5th in a copyright case with DU connections. To see more details about DU music professor Lawrence Golan's challenge to current U.S, copyright law, read the DU news story and a recent update from Law Week Colorado.

Writing Tip of the Week: Use the Serial Comma

2011-10-03T13:23:00.002-06:00

The “serial comma” is the final comma before the conjunction joining a series of three or more words, phrases, or clauses. Although the serial comma is optional in many other types of writing, you should use it in legal and business writing because it is more precise.

The plaintiff must establish duty, breach, causation, and damages.

After the transfer, Mr. Jones could no longer ride the bus, carpool with his coworkers, or take the light rail to work.

Omitting the serial comma can make the last two items in the series look like a single unit, which can create ambiguities.

The company’s website includes instructional manuals, links to other sites and items for sale. (Are the items for sale available on the company’s website or linked on the “other sites”?)

The company’s website includes instructional manuals, links to other sites, and items for sale. (The items for sale are on the company’s website.)

A series requires three or more words, phrases, or clauses. Two items are not a series and do not ordinarily require a comma before the conjunction.

The physician followed the community standard of care and the hospital’s policies. (no comma necessary before the conjunction)

However, under a different comma rule, insert a comma before the conjunction when using a conjunction to join two main clauses (each of which could stand alone as a complete sentence).

The physician followed the community standard of care, and he also complied with all hospital policies.

For more information, see Anne Enquist and Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 224-26 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 662-64 (5th ed. 2010); and Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers, “Punctuation, Capitalization & Typeface” (follow “Comma” hyperlink; then follow ”Joining-Serial Comma Rule” hyperlink) (C. Edward Good ed., 2009).

Federal Rules EBooks

2011-09-29T11:49:00.002-06:00

CALI and the Legal Information Institute at Cornell Law School have worked together to produce free ebooks on the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Criminal Procedure and Evidence. These ebooks also work with iPads and they are hoping to release a Kindle compatible version in the future.

MAC Malware Warning

2011-09-28T11:13:00.000-06:00

A warning for MAC users from our EdTech Department:

A new Trojan disguises itself as a flash player installer. Bottom line: make sure you install flash player from http://www.adobe.com and not from third party sites. Also, make sure that if you use Safari you have unchecked ‘Open safe files after downloading’ option under Preferences>General.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/27/apple_updates_mac_malware_protection/

Writing Tip of the Week: Commas with Introductory Clauses

2011-09-26T15:36:00.002-06:00

A sentence often includes both a main and a subordinate clause. The most obvious difference between the two is that a main clause can stand alone as a complete sentence, whereas a subordinate clause cannot. In addition, a subordinate clause often begins with a subordinating conjunction, such as “although,” “because,” or “if.”

A subordinate clause that introduces a main clause is called an “introductory clause.” Use a comma to separate a long introductory clause (four or more words) from the main clause.

Although Mr. Jones’s job title did not change, his responsibilities changed significantly.
In his Motion for Summary Judgment, the Defendant argued that the statute of limitations had expired.
Glaring at the Defendant, the witness recounted how he had invested his entire retirement savings in the Defendant’s company.
Because the Plaintiff has failed to state a claim for relief, the Court should find for the Defendant.

You should also use a comma when you begin a sentence with a short prepositional phrase (even if fewer than four words) or a single transitional word.

In Bloodsaw, the court recognized non-consensual medical testing as a “basic” invasion of privacy.
However, the plaintiff did not provide any evidence of bad faith.
Therefore, the legislature did not intend for the statute to cover access to websites.

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 213-15 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 653-55 (5th ed. 2010); and Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers, “Punctuation, Capitalization & Typeface” (follow “Comma” hyperlink; then follow “Setting Off Introductory Clauses or Phrases” hyperlink) (C. Edward Good ed., 2009).

Changes to Criminal Law Key Numbers

2011-09-21T11:09:00.000-06:00

As criminal law grows, so does the West Key Number System

New Key Numbers for Criminal Law (topic 110)

Criminal law has seen many changes in the last few years, particularly in areas such as the application of Miranda, the exclusionary rule, and the admissibility of the defendant's prior misconduct.

West's response: As of August 1, more than 400,000 headnotes have been reclassified in the West Key Number System, particularly within Criminal Law (topic 110) and Arrest (topic 35). Changes are especially significant in the following areas:

Evidence of other crimes or misconduct: The "other crimes, wrongs, or acts" rule, in its entirety, has been the subject of more appeals than any other evidence rule. David P. Leonard, Character and Motive in Evidence Law, 34 LOY. L.A. L. REV. 439, 44 (2001). Accordingly, there are now more Key Numbers covering the purposes for which evidence of other crimes or misconduct is admissible (e.g., the single Key Number for the admissibility of other crimes or prior bad acts evidence to prove motive has been expanded to 26, organized by the offense being prosecuted), more Key Numbers covering the use of such evidence to prove knowledge and identity, and newly created Key Numbers for the frequently-litigated issues of gang membership and juvenile misconduct evidence.

Confessions, statements, and admissions: Three former sections for confessions, statements, and admissions have been consolidated into a single section, so that similar concepts governing all three types of evidence are in the same place. For example, headnotes pertaining to whether a defendant is "in custody" for the purpose of Miranda warnings are now classified under a single Key Number.

Wrongfully obtained evidence: There are more Key Numbers to cover frequently litigated issues, such as the inevitable discovery and good faith exceptions to the exclusionary rule. Key numbers have also been added for exclusionary rule issues not involving searches and arrests, such as violations of privileges and attorney disciplinary rules.

For all three areas, West attorney-editors have created new Key Numbers covering specific procedural issues in the admission of such evidence, such as motions, hearings, notice, and burden of proof.

In addition, there have been many smaller changes in other topics, such as those under Schools and States relating to notice, demand, and presentation of claims.

Reprinted from the July / August issue of Westlaw Edge Newsletter.

Writing Tip of the Week: Avoid "Throat-Clearing" Phrases

2011-09-19T20:26:00.002-06:00

Avoid cluttering your writing with word-wasting expressions like “it is important to note that” or “the facts show that.” These expressions are referred to as “throat-clearing phrases” because they add little or no substance to the sentence. You can usually edit them out or shorten them without losing meaning.

One way to spot throat-clearing phrases is to watch for phrases in the form of “it is ________ that,” which often appear at the beginning of a sentence or after a dependent clause.

Example: It is evident that Congress intended the courts to interpret the statute narrowly.
Better: Congress intended the courts to interpret the statute narrowly.

Example: Unlike the plaintiff in Tidewater, it is clear that Smith did not possess the property openly and notoriously.
Better: Unlike the plaintiff in Tidewater, Smith did not possess the property openly and notoriously.

Another key to eliminating these phrases is to avoid expressions that instruct the reader to notice something. You generally do not need to tell your reader to pay attention to what you are writing.

Example: Please note that the court did not address whether the employee was a member of professional staff to executive and management personnel.

Better: The court did not address whether the plaintiff was a member of professional staff to executive and management personnel.

For further information, including a list of common throat-clearing expressions, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 84-85, 115-18 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 558-59 (5th ed. 2010).

Writing Tip of the Week: Commas before Conjunctions Joining Main Clauses

2011-09-15T14:26:00.002-06:00

When you join two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction, use a comma before the conjunction. Although the terminology in this comma rule may sound complicated, it is really quite simple. A main clause (or independent clause) can stand alone as a complete sentence, whereas a subordinate clause (or dependent clause) cannot stand alone. The seven coordinating conjunctions are as follows: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. You can use the mnemonic device “FANBOYS” to remember them.

The defendant provided his own billing system, and he also paid for his own bookkeeping services. (“and” joins two main clauses)
The appellate court held that the noncompete agreement was void, but it remanded the case for further determination on the question of trade secrets. (“but” joins two main clauses)

While it may be tempting to add a comma every time you use a coordinating conjunction, the rule applies only when you are joining two main clauses with one of the FANBOYS conjunctions. A sentence with a compound verb does not have two main clauses; thus, it does not take a comma even though it contains a coordinating conjunction.

The defendant provided his own billing system and paid for his own bookkeeping services. (dependent clause comes after “and,” so no comma)

Likewise, do not use a comma to join two main clauses without a coordinating conjunction. In that case, use a semicolon.

The defendant provided his own billing system; he also paid for his own bookkeeping services. (two main clauses but no FANBOYS)

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 211-13 (3d ed. 2009) and Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 652-53 (5th ed. 2010).

Google Scholar

2011-09-12T12:04:00.000-06:00

Google Scholar can be an important resource for finding free legal information, especially cases and law review articles. Check out our research guide for search tips and a tutorial on how to get the most out of Google Scholar for your research needs.

Writing Tip of the Week: Use the Active Voice

2011-09-08T14:34:00.003-06:00

When you write in the active voice, the subject of your sentence does the acting. In contrast, in the passive voice, the subject is acted upon.

Active voice: The batter hit the ball. (the subject, the batter, is doing the action in the verb, the hitting)

Passive voice: The ball was hit by the batter. (the subject, the batter, is acted upon)

Because the active voice is generally clearer and more concise, make a habit of using it unless you have a good reason not to. You can spot passive voice in your writing by looking for some form of the verb “to be.” In some forms of passive voice, you will also see the preposition “by.”

Passive voice: It can be determined that the rule is violated by prosecutors when they fail to research adequately. (17 words)

Active voice: Prosecutors violate the rule when they fail to research adequately. (10 words)

In other forms of passive voice, the writer leaves out the subject, requiring the reader to fill in the missing information.

Passive voice: Every week, all confidential material was shredded and discarded. (Who shredded and discarded the material?)

Active voice: Every week, the company shredded and discarded all confidential material.

For further information on passive voice, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 69-73 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 176-78, 513-18 (5th ed. 2010); and C. Edward Good, Legal Writing & Its Cure ch. 7, (reprinted in Lawmanac—Clickable help for Legal Writers 2009).

Judicial Humor

2011-09-07T11:19:00.000-06:00

Although the law is generally a serious matter, there is a lighter side to the law that is all-too-often overlooked. Thanks to the team at Judicial Humor, however, you can easily keep informed on the entertaining, funny, and sometimes absurd side of the law. Divided into topics such as Humorous Plaintiffs, Parody & Verse, and Veiled References, Judicial Humor offers case names and citations, usually along with quotes from the decisions or brief recaps on why the case was included on the site.

Besides Judicial Humor, there are a few other websites dedicated to the lighter side of the judiciary as well. McClurg's Legal Humor Headquarters, for example, has a section devoted to Strange Judicial Opinions. Likewise, Say What?! hasn't been updated since March of 2010, but the archives are full of courtroom humor originally collected by U.S. District Judge Jerry Buchmeyer and published in a column for the Texas Bar Journal.

Of course, not everyone finds the idea of judicial humor amusing. According to Justice George Rose Smith, …Judicial humor is neither judicial nor humorous. A lawsuit is a serious matter to those concerned in it. For a judge to take advantage of his criticism-insulated, retaliation-proof position to display his wit is contemptible, like hitting a man when he's down. (21 Ark. L. Rev. 197, 210).

Likewise, in the note Judicial Humor: A Laughing Matter? (41 Hastings L.J. 175), Marshall Rudolph suggests that there are certain circumstances where judicial humor is out of place.

What's your take? Do you think a certain level of humor within the judiciary is acceptable? Is there some point where that acceptable humor becomes, in the words of George Rose Smith, contemptible?

Written by Marty Witt

CALI Tutorials

2011-09-01T16:12:00.002-06:00

Want to learn about a new area of law or review for an upcoming exam? Need to work on your legal writing or research skills? Try a CALI exercise!

The Center for Computer Assisted Legal Research (CALI) creates and distributes CALI Lessons, a library of over 850 interactive tutorials in a variety of legal subjects written by law school professors and librarians. Exercises range from about 10 minutes to several hours depending on the complexity of the topic. Students, faculty & staff at the Sturm College of Law have unlimited access to CALI tutorials and podcasts. And CALI lessons work on mobile devices like iPads and iPhones.

Register for a free CALI password at www.cali.org so that you can access additional features and the new material that is released throughout the year. Just use our school code to register (see the Databases / Indexes section of the Law Library's website for more information), you will need your DU ID to access. Colorado specific CALI tutorials cover both primary and secondary resources.

Or if you prefer CD-Rom access, stop by the Reference Desk or the Educational Technology office to pick up your own copy of the current CALI exercises on disk.

Writing Tip of the Week: Its Versus It's

2011-08-30T12:26:00.003-06:00

Don’t make the mistake of confusing the possessive “its” with the contractive “it’s.” “Its” is a pronoun meaning “belonging to it.” Like the other possessive pronouns (my, mine, your, yours, his, her, hers, ours, their, and theirs), “its” does not take an apostrophe. Conversely, “it’s” with an apostrophe is a contraction meaning “it is” or “it has.”

Here is the simple rule: if you mean “it is” or “it has,” use “it’s” with an apostrophe. Otherwise, always use “its” without the apostrophe.

Example: It’s important to let justice take its course. (first “it’s” is a contraction meaning “it is,” so use the apostrophe or write it out; second “its” is possessive, so no apostrophe)

Example: It’s been a long time since he visited the site. (contraction meaning “it has,” so use the apostrophe or write out the words “it has”)

Example: The company will not voluntarily release its financial records. (possessive, so no apostrophe)

Example: The court heard its first case this week. (possessive, so no apostrophe)

Because legal writing is a formal style of writing, however, you will rarely use contractions like “it’s.” Thus, you will normally write out “it is” or “it has” and use only the possessive “its.”

For more information, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 108-09, 238, 310 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 680, 775 (5th ed. 2010); and Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers, “Punctuation, Capitalization & Typeface” (follow “Apostrophe” hyperlink; then follow “Contractions” hyperlink) (C. Edward Good ed., 2009).

Labor Day Holiday Hours

2011-08-29T08:40:00.005-06:00

The Law Library will be open regular hours during the Labor Day holiday:

Friday, September 2
7:30am - 10pm

Saturday, September 3
8am - 8pm

Sunday, September 4
8am - midnight

Monday, September 5
7:30am - midnight

The Reference Desk will be closed Saturday - Monday. If you have a question that is not urgent, please contact us at 303-871-6206 or refdesk@law.du.edu and we will get back to you on September 6.

Starting Your Own Law Practice

2011-08-25T13:05:00.000-06:00

Interested in opening your own solo or small firm? Take a look at the Library's new resource guide to help you reach your goal. This indepth guide provides information and resources on law office management, ethics, CLE's, marketing, betworking and technology related issues that will help your new firm to be successful.

Writing Tip of the Week: Use Plain English

2011-08-22T10:52:00.003-06:00

Beginning legal writers sometimes make the mistake of using legalese to make their writing sound more “lawyerly.” But complex or archaic words and unnecessary Latin phrases only make your writing hard to understand. Use simple, standard English unless you have a good reason for doing otherwise.

Example: At this point in time immediately subsequent to the termination of the aforesaid altercation on the above described premises, the defendant-appellant removed himself from the aforementioned locus and repaired to a situs on the premises immediately adjacent thereto.

Translation: Right after the fight, the defendant went next door.

Example: It behooves us to note that, prior to such accident, said plaintiff was domiciled with his wife.

Translation: Before the accident, the plaintiff lived with his wife.

For more information on plain English, including a list of Latin words and phrases that are generally acceptable in legal writing, see Anne Enquist & Laurel Currie Oates, Just Writing 127-36 (3d ed. 2009); Laurel Currie Oates & Anne Enquist, The Legal Writing Handbook 569-578 (5th ed. 2010); and C. Edward Good, Legal Writing & Its Cure ch. 8 (reprinted in Lawmanac—Clickable Help for Legal Writers 2009).

Europa World Database

2011-08-19T05:17:00.000-06:00

The Westminster Law Library has a new research database called Europa World. This is an online version (plus some additional features) of the Europa World Yearbook which we have cancelled in print. Europa World covers political and economic information on over 250 countries and territories as well as international organizations. It also allows a statistical comparison across countries on a variety of topics.

You can find it listed under Databases / indexes – A-Z & also through the International & Foreign sub-category. It is available to all DU patrons and does allow for remote alumni access. There is also a link from the library catalog record.

Bankruptcy Research

2011-08-15T13:04:00.000-06:00

Are you trying to do some research for yourself or someone else on bankruptcy laws? Check out our new research guides on Bankruptcy for Individuals and Bankruptcy for Small Businesses. Developed as part of the Colorado Law Project for use by pro se individuals and public librarians helping patrons, these guides join others on topics as diverse as senior law, victim's rights, small claims and workers' compensation.

DU Law Clinics: Practical Experience

2011-08-12T09:22:00.000-06:00

Any well-rounded legal education must strive not merely to teach students theory and how to "think about" the law, but also must equip them with some practical skills that can be readily applied to work outside of academia. There are a number of ways that law schools can help students develop those skills, but one of the very best is through the availability of clinic programs. Clinic programs generally allow law students - under the supervision of faculty mentors - the chance to work on real-world cases from start to finish. Here at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Lawwe are fortunate to have one of the oldest and very best clinical programs in the nation.

Always at the forefront of clinical legal education, the University of Denver was responsible for starting the very first legal aid clinic in the United States. As recounted by Reginald Heber Smith in Justice and the Poor: a Study of the Present Denial of Justice to the Poor and of the Agencies Making More Equal Their Position Before the Law, With Particular Reference to Legal Aid Work in the United States,
"… in Denver a departure was made of much interest in the field of legal education, when the local law school started "The Legal Aid Dispensary of Denver." The instructor in practice was made the attorney and the senior students were used as his assistants. The plan was too successful and had to be abandoned. The character of the service given was so high that hundreds of persons applied. The rising cost entailed thereby exceeded the funds at the disposal of the law school, and as neither the lawyers nor the charities would help, the project was discontinued in 1910."

Before too long, the DU clinic program returned, and as it now stands the program represents interests of the pubic across a range of topics. There are today six specialized in-house clinics at DU:

- Civil Litigation Clinic
- Civil Rights Clinic
- Community Economic Development Clinic
- Criminal Defense Clinic
- Environmental Law Clinic
- Mediation and Arbitration Clinic

For more information on any of the clinics, including how to get involved as a student or apply for assistance as a member of the community, visit the appropriate link to the specialized clinic above. To keep abreast of developments in all of the clinics, be sure to check out the Denver Law Clinical Programs Clinical Review published every semester.

See the Sturm College of Law History Exhibit for historical photos and articles about the Clinic. We also have a video from the 1970's that shows students explore issues of law and social change through internships and “practice programs” sponsored by the College of Law. Various settings described include the Urban Center, area high schools, legislative and model cities committees.

1L Research Guide

2011-08-09T15:55:00.003-06:00

The Westminster Law Library is pleased to announce the release of a new online research guide specifically for first-year law students – the 1L Guide. This guide was created to provide first-year law students with basic information regarding the law library and its services; study, exam, and stress tips; and database information. Additionally, the 1L Guide contains a section on each of the first year required courses including relevant hornbooks, treatises, and study aids; CALI lessons; and audio resources. Lastly, the guide has information regarding the Lawyering Process course, including links to flow charts, resource maps, other on-point research guides, and research tips and tutorials.

We hope the 1L Guide supports you during your first year of law school. Welcome to the University of Denver Sturm College of Law!

Subject Compilations of State Laws

2011-07-30T14:13:00.000-06:00

More than 600 new entries were added to HeinOnline’s Subject Compilations of State Laws Database recently. These entries cover a diverse array of topics, including Bullies and Bullying, Climate Change, Credit Reports and Reporting, Data Security Breaches, Insurance Adjusters, Medical Waste, and Rent to Own. Subjects with the greatest number of entries are Bankruptcy, Corporate Directors and Officers, Corporations, Foreclosure, Marriage, Real Estate, Trusts and Trustees, and Whistleblowers.

The database covers 1960 - 2010. To access, go to the Law Library's website and click on the Databases / Indexes link on the left side to locate the HeinOnline database.

Adapted from Apr 21, 2011 entry from HeinOnline Blog (www.heinonline.org) by Miranda Rosati.

Reduced Library Hours: 7/31 - 8/11

2011-07-26T16:17:00.004-06:00

The Law Library will be on reduced hours starting Sunday, July 31 - Thursday, August 11. Good luck to everyone currently taking the bar exam and finishing up finals or papers for summer classes!

Reduced Library Hours:
Sunday, July 31 - Sunday, August 7
8am - 8pm

Monday, August 8 - Thursday, August 11
8am - 11pm

Normal Library Hours: (Resume on Friday, August 12)
Friday 7:30am - 10pm
Saturday 8am - 8pm
Sunday 8am - midnight
Monday - Thursday 7:30am - midnight

Summer Reference Assistance:
Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm

Juror Behavior in the Information Age

2011-07-25T13:06:00.000-06:00

Interested in research into what goes on in jury decision-making? Take a look at this article which discusses use of the Internet &social media by modern day juries. Some issues discussed involve mistrials where jurors do their own Internet research on aspects of the case; post status updates on Facebook or exchange emails discussing aspects of the defense or prosecution. For more details on the implications of social networking on jury behavior, see 48 A.L.R. 6, Prejudicial Effect of Juror Misconduct Arising from Internet Usage.

Press v. Privacy

2011-07-20T02:51:00.000-06:00

In most respects, the American system of law and the English system of law are similar. It only makes sense, of course, as the American legal system was developed by those who were, in fact, by and large English. Over the past 200+ years, however, there has been some marked divergence between the two systems. One area that is treated somewhat differently today is related to the freedom of the press.

To Americans, freedom of the press is very nearly sacrosanct. Especially with respect to public persons, the idea that the press be kept from reporting newsworthy events is in many ways contrary to the fundamental principles of our nation, as articulated in the First Amendmentof the U.S. Constitution. In England, however, the existence of something commonly known as “super-injunctions” can restrict such reporting. “Super-injunctions” essentially keep the press from reporting not only on items that might be deemed newsworthy, but also from mentioning the existence of the restriction itself. Most commonly applied with respect to the would-be-private lives of public persons in England, super-injunctions have come to the forefront of news coverage recently because they have come into conflict with technological advances, particularly Twitter.

The poster-child for super-injunctions has quickly become Ryan Giggs, a soccer superstar who plays for Manchester United. His now much-publicized affair with Welsh model and Big Brother star Imogen Thomas initially went unreported by the English press, due to the presence of one of these super-injunctions. Nevertheless, the news of the affair (along with other pieces of information being kept quiet by super-injunctions) was broken on Twitter on May 8, 2011 by an anonymous Twitter user posting under the pseudonym Billy Jones – “Footballer Ryan Giggs had an extramarital affair with Big Brother star Imogen Thomas which lasted for 7 months. #superinjunction” Within a matter of hours, it had been re-tweeted thousands upon thousands of times, and was very much publicly known. And yet, the English press was nevertheless still bound by the super-injunction and was unable to report on the story. It was not until John Hemming, a British Member of Parliament, invoked Parliamentary privilege and publicly named Giggs as the soccer player [“footballer”] involved in the scandal that the English press reported on the Giggs-Thomas relationship.

In the meantime, Giggs – technically an anonymous plaintiff using the moniker CTB – has filed suit against Twitter based on its users breaking the injunction. Still pending, this case really may serve as a crossroads for English privacy law in the digital age. Some argue that this incident may portend the end of super-injunctions altogether, while others seem to believe their scope should be expanded to include newer news technologies. In either event, it bears following and serves as a striking reminder just how valued freedom of the press is in the U.S.

Further reading/watching:
Twitter Inc., Unknown Posters, Sued by ‘CTB’ at U.K. Court, Bloomberg Businessweek, May 20, 2011

Twitter faces legal action by footballer over privacy, The Guardian, May 20, 2011

Twitter sued for ‘breaking’ UK super injunction. Oh Yes., TechCrunch Europe, May 20, 2011

Twitter, The British Press, Super Injunctions And The Freedom Of Tweets, Mediabistro: All Twitter, the Unofficial Twitter Resource, May 23, 2011

Information wars: Twitter versus English privacy laws, Dangerous Minds, May 23, 2011

We will not be gagged, M'lud: As Ryan Giggs is named in Parliament as cheating star after weeks of legal farce, MPs launch a defiant message, The Daily Mail, May 24, 2011

Injunctions: was MP right to name Ryan Giggs, The First Post, May 24, 2011

Super Injunction Malfunction: Ryan Giggs and Britain’s Worst Kept Secret, The Faster Times, May 24, 2011

Death of the super-injunction, Aljazeera, May 25, 2011 (Video Report)

How Twitter is upending British privacy laws, The Christian Science Monitor, June 1, 2011

The Battle for Privacy, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 15, 2011 (Video Report)

Written by Marty Witt, Law Librarian Fellow

New Titles in Library

2011-07-13T09:35:00.000-06:00

Check out some of the new titles at the Westminster Law Library. These materials were added to our collection from April - June 2011. You can see a list of all items or search by subject. Fill out our online form to have the list of new titles emailed to you when it is updated next quarter.

Legal Resources for Businesses

2011-07-12T12:04:00.000-06:00

The Library is pleased to announce the release of a new research guide, aimed at researchers who are delving into areas of law related to business organizations. The guide highlights general resources such as books, free online sites and CALI tutorials, as well as highlighting topical treatises and databases. Links are also provided to various business related legal forms specific to Colorado.

Pro Se Cases Increase in U.S. Federal Courts

2011-06-30T08:41:00.000-06:00

Federal Caseload Trend: More Civil Cases Being Filed Without Lawyer's Help

The number of civil cases filed in U.S. district courts without a lawyer’s help has increased over the last several years. In fiscal year 2010 – the 12-month period ending September 30, 2010 – a total of 72,900 “pro se” cases were filed.

That total compares to 71,543 in FY 2009; 70,948 in FY 2008; and 70,240 in FY 2007. As in previous years, most of the civil pro se cases filed in FY 2010 were filed by prison inmates challenging some condition of their incarceration. In FY 2010, 48,581 of the 72,900 pro se filings were prison petitions.

But the number of non-prisoner pro se cases has been climbing as well. In FY 2010, that total was 24,319. It was 22,821 in FY 2009; 20,192 in FY 2008; and 20,545 in FY 2007.

These statistics are compiled by the Administrative Office of the United States and are available on Table 23 of Judicial Business of the United States Courts (pdf).Comparable statistics are available back to 1997 on uscourts.gov.

Taken From U.S. Courts - Press Release, June 15, 2011

For a related article, see Pro Se Law Clerks: A Valuable Resource, published in the April 2011 issue of The Third Branch.

Library Closed on July 4, 2011

2011-06-24T15:00:00.002-06:00

The Westminster Law Library will be closed on Monday, July 4, 2011 which is a University holiday. Regular hours will resume the next day.

Penrose Library Update

2011-06-20T14:55:00.002-06:00

The temporary Penrose Library, Penrose@Driscoll, opens today, June 20, and will be the home of most library services for the duration of the building project. Visit Penrose@Driscoll in the Driscoll Ballroom for Circulation, Document Delivery, Course Reserves, the Research Center, the Writing Center, and the computer lab. Penrose@Driscoll is your place to study and access library services during the renovation.

While the Penrose Library building will be closed for renovation starting on June 20, a few services such as Quick Copy, Special Collections and Archives, and the Center for Teaching and Learning, will remain in the building for a few weeks. Patrons needing to access these services should follow posted signs to an alternate entrance. All library services and materials will be out of Penrose Library by July 12, 2011.

Of course, as always, it is still possible to request books and other items using the “Request It” button in the online catalog (use the Find Books and More search).

For continuing updates about the library building project, please see the library home page http://library.du.edu. If you still have questions, click the “Ask Us” button on the library home page to find all the ways to contact us.

We look forward to seeing you at Penrose@Driscoll!

(For more details on the move see our post on June 10, 2011)

White House Project: Encouraging Women to Run for Political Office

2011-06-19T12:46:00.001-06:00

The White House Project is "a national, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization, 501(c)(3), [that] aims to advance women’s leadership in all communities and sectors, up to the U.S. presidency." Working from the local level up, The White House Project offers training and networking opportunities to women interested in running for public office and making a difference in their communities.

On Thursday, June 23rd, 2011 from 5:30 to 7:30pm, the Rocky Mountains (CO) chapter of The White House Project will be hosting the 2011 Invite a Woman to Run - Colorado eventat the Cellar Wine Bar in Denver, CO. You can attend to support other candidates or The White House Project generally, or you (or a woman in your life) can also attend to learn more about running for office. If you've been looking for a way to make a difference as a lawyer, law student, or just community member, perhaps this is it!

Written by Marty Witt, Law Librarian Fellow

Law & the Multiverse

2011-06-17T13:10:00.006-06:00

Have you ever wondered about how the Second Amendment might impact those with superpowers? Read this article . What about whether Batman would really be allowed to prosecute alleged criminals like he did in the 60's television show? Read this. And who is responsible for all the property damage that inevitably accompanies a good-vs.-evil mega-battle? Read this post.

Those issues, along with dozens of additional - and pressing - questions dealing with the intersection of law and comics are explored at Law and the Multiverse: Superheroes, supervillians, and the law. Authored by two licensed attorneys, Law and the Multiverse explores "the hypothetical legal ramifications of comic book tropes, characters, and powers" with well-reasoned and detailed analysis and a flair for the fun.

Although extensive tagging and categorization makes finding posts of interest easy - whether you are looking just for posts about the X-Men or want posts involving labor law issues in comics - posts are well-written and fresh enough that it is worth reading every one. With posts every other day - about 15 to 20 per month - there is enough material to keep things engaging and to provide a good break from studying (or practicing) the law, while still potentially providing interesting and useful analysis.

For fans of comic books or the law, it should already be bookmarked and you probably subscribe to the RSS feed. If you've missed it so far, you only have about 6 months of posts to catch up on, but be warned - once you start, you may well be hooked.

Oh, and for those of you who may need CLE credits, Law and the Multiverse is hosting two upcoming CLE webcasts !

June 21, 2011 at 1:00 PM EDT
Kapow! What Superheroes and Comic Books Can Teach Us About Torts
Link

June 27, 2011 at 1:00 PM EDT
Everyday Ethics from Superhero Attorneys
Link

Also, you can use promotional code HEROES2011 for a 25% discount to either webcast!

Written by Marty Witt, Law Librarian Fellow

Penrose Library Renovations

2011-06-10T10:49:00.002-06:00

The Penrose Library Academic Commons project will create an entirely new library in the same location, at the heart of campus. Improvements to Penrose's current location will make it a more inviting and energy efficient library in which students, faculty, and staff can research, study, and learn. The project, which is slated to begin in mid-July 2011, will take 18-24 months to complete. Low-use collections have already been moved out of Penrose Library to the Hampden Center storage facility in anticipation of the renovation. Everything and everyone will be out of the Penrose Library building by July 12 for construction to begin.

During construction, a temporary Penrose Library will be set up at the Driscoll Ballroom in the center of campus. The temporary library will continue to offer the Research Center, the Writing Center, the Math Center, and a computer lab in one convenient location, along with a book pick-up and drop-off location and reserves at the Access Services Desk.

Other services, including Special Collections, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Writing Program faculty offices, will relocate to Aspen Hall on campus. The UTS computer help desk will be relocated to the UTS building and the Quick Copy Center will be relocated to the DU Bookstore.

Books and other materials requested online will be delivered to the temporary library at the Driscoll Ballroom from the Hampden Center storage facility. We aim to deliver requested materials within two to four hours using delivery vehicles running in a continuous loop during library hours.

After construction is complete, which the University hopes will be in December 2012, the Hampden Center will continue to permanently house a portion of the library collection. This will include many low-use materials, including most of the bound journal volumes, government publications, microforms and boxed archival collections, as well as low-use books. The library is currently working with the Provost and campus stakeholders to identify those collections that should return to the on-campus library after renovation. These collections are likely to include the most frequently checked out and most recent books (less than 10 years old), as well as those actively used for teaching and scholarship. Any materials stored in the Hampden Center after the new library building is complete will continue to be available for delivery by request.

To keep up with the Penrose Library Academic Commons project, please visit our Academic Commons site. You are also encouraged to submit any questions and feedback to Karen Nozik (karen.nozik@du.edu) or to the Research Center by email, phone, chat(IM), or text. Just click on the “Ask Us!” button found on the library homepage and throughout the Academic Commons website for all the ways to reach the Research Center.

We are dedicated to providing uninterrupted access to library materials and services during the renovation process and appreciate your patience and support.

Nancy Allen
Dean and Director, Penrose Library

(Penrose Library is the main library for the University of Denver)

U.S. Government Channel on YouTube

2011-06-08T16:42:00.000-06:00

Market Wire reported on May 21, 2009 that YouTube would host The U.S.Government Channel. This channel was developed to bring more transparency into our Government and provide answers to basic civics questions from various federal departments. The participating departments include the State Department, FBI, NOAA, NASA, IRS, the Social Security Administration, the Library of Congress, the Centers for Disease Control, and the White House, just to name a few. Each agency provides answers to common questions like tax information, how to get a passport, how to apply for Social Security benefits, and weekly addresses from the President.

The Law Library of Congress began posting debates and discussions on YouTube in January 2011. These videos include lectures on Constitutional law, foreign law, and debates on topics about Guantanamo detainees and the legal challenges facing NATO. While there is not a lot of information posted now, the videos that are there cover very interesting topics and are definitely worth watching. The lectures are from distinguished law professors, members of Congress, U.N. Representatives, law librarians, and high ranking military officials. The majority of the videos posted cover various aspects of International Law so for those interested in this area of law; the Law Library of Congress is definitely worth a visit.

Written By Brooke Jennings, Law Librarian Fellow

Researching Cases With Reporters & Digests

2011-06-07T04:28:00.002-06:00

The Westminster Law Library is pleased to announce the release of a new research guide on doing case law research using print resources such as reporters & digests. We currently have 39 online research guides on a variety of topics. Take a look and let us know if there are other areas where you think a guide would be useful.

Interterm & Holiday Hours for Law Library

2011-05-18T09:25:00.004-06:00

The Westminster Law Library will be open reduced hours beginning May 20, 2011 until summer classes begin. We will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2011, which is a University holiday.

Library Hours:

May 20th – May 29th - 8am to 6pm

Closed May 30th

Reference Hours:

Monday - Friday - 9am to 6pm

Closed Saturdays & Sundays

Freedom of Information Act

2011-05-16T08:57:00.000-06:00

The Freedom of Information Act provides a right to access government records. The 1966 enactment of the FOIA created a right for the press and public to access government information, making that right judicially enforceable. Specifically, the FOIA provides access to federal agency records and "ensure[s] an informed citizenry, vital to the functioning of a democratic society, needed to check against corruption; holding governors accountable to the governed."

However, the goal of an informed citizenry and open government is often at odds with other public interests. For example, there are the interests of maintaining an efficient and effective government; in responsible use of limited resources; and in the preservation of the confidentiality of sensitive information. Thus, the FOIA seeks to accomplish "disclosure as the predominant objective," while protecting the other important interests. The FOIA shifts the burden of proof from the public to the agency when records are withheld from public scrutiny. Moreover, the purpose of the FOIA is to establish "a general philosophy of full agency disclosure unless information is exempt under delineated language" and to provide a court procedure "by which citizens and the press may obtain information."

Written by Jennifer Hayden, Law Librarian Fellow

Summer Job Boot Camp

2011-05-09T12:53:00.000-06:00

Help make your summer work experience a success! Attend the DU Sturm College of Law's Boot Camp on Thursday, June 2, 2011 from 4pm-7:10pm. Co-sponsored by the Westminster Law Library, the Legal Externship Program and the Career Development Center, Boot Camp will set you on the path to a successful legal job experience.

Boot Camp coverage includes communicating with your supervisor, Colorado legal resources, legal forms & documents, career advice, research tools & electronic sources beyond Westlaw & Lexis. Click here for a flyer with details.

Please rsvp by May 27th to Stacey Bowers. Sandwiches & dessert will be provided.