Income Tax Deadline

Prepare yourself for April 15 income tax filing deadline by checking the following links:

(     1).)  Colorado: Read Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Taxation, Individual IncomeTax  Find out the amount of Colorado’s income tax rate, how to file or amend tax returns, procedures for downloading forms for current or prior years, e-file options, and more.

(     2.)  Other States:  See Links to State Tax Forms & Filing Options from Federation of Tax Administrators.

(      3.)  Federal:  Browse Internal Revenue Service (IRS) TaxTopic Index  for the following general individual and business tax information: IRS Help Available, IRS Procedures, Collection, Alternative Filing Methods, General Information, Which Forms to File, Types of Income, Adjustments to Income, Itemized Deductions, Tax Computation, Tax Credits, IRS Notices, Basis of Assets, Depreciation, and Sale of Assets, Employer Tax Information, Electronic Media Filers – 1099 Series and Related Information Returns, Tax Information for Aliens and U.S. Citizens Living Abroad, and Tax Information for Residents of Puerto Rico.

See Frequently Asked Questions  and Tax Trails  for additional answers.

Written by Sheila Green, Reference Librarian

EU Research Guide

The Westminster Law Library is pleased to let you know about a new Research Guide for the European Union. This research tool will allow students and others seeking information about the European Union (EU) to locate the basic materials needed for legislative and case law research. Before beginning EU research, it will be most helpful to get an overview of the organization of the European Union system and the various entities that comprise the governing body. The “European Union System” tab will take the reader through a brief description of each of these areas and the role that it plays. Researchers will also want to know about the various types of legislation in the EU and about the Court system. The Guide is located here.

Researchers may also want to know that the Europa website provides free access to all European Union materials, and EU publications can be downloaded at no charge 

Please contact me if you have questions about research materials for the European Union. 

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

Lexis Practice Tools Class

• Monday, March 12 at Noon in Room 155
• Monday, March 12 at 5:00pm in Room 125
• Tuesday, March 13 at Noon in Room 155

This class will cover tools that you might see in practice, including File and Serve, CourtLink, Lexis for Microsoft Office, & Lexis Advance. This is also good for any students considering taking a clinic or an internship where you will be required to file documents with the Colorado court system.  Get snacks (no lunch), 400 points, & an entry for a $250 J. Crew gift card!  Please sign-up at www.lexisnexis.com/lawschool and click on the 'MySchool' tab.

Why get Lexis Certified?   To show employers that you know what you are doing!  Being Certified means you are an efficient legal researcher and are aware research costs.

How does Certification work?  It is a two-part series.  The first class is called "Practice Tools" and the second class is called "Cost Effective Research".  Practice Tools is offered next week and Cost Effective will be offered after Spring Break.  To become certified, you need to attend both classes and then take a quiz.  If you pass the quiz, then you will get listed on our National Certification Registry and can put "Lexis Certified" on your resume.

This year there is an added incentive!  One person at DU who attends a Certification class will win a $250 J. Crew gift card and an ABA membership!   The entire program is worth 1300 Lexis Rewards points - 400 for each class and 500 for passing the quiz.

Spring Break Hours

The University of Denver will soon be celebrating Spring Break. The Westminster Law Library will be on reduced hours during that time.

The Library will be open 8am-6pm Saturday, March 17th through Saturday, March 24th. Regular Library hours resume on Sunday, March 25th from 8am-midnight.

The Reference Desk will also have reduced staffing, although you can still leave a message at refdesk@law.du.edu or 303-871-6206 and we will get back to when someone is available.

•     Closed Saturday, March 17th - Sunday, March 18th 
•     9am - 5pm on Monday, March 19th - Friday, March 23rd 
•     Closed Saturday, March 24th - Sunday, March 25th

Enjoy your break from classes!

Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act

Increasingly, states are providing online access to statutes, regulations and court rules. How can states manage electronic legal information in such a way that access is guaranteed for future users? How can users be sure the material is trustworthy and has been authenticated? The Uniform Law Commission addresses these concerns with the publication of the Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act (UELMA).

Established in 1892, the ULC meets to review and draft statutes for areas of U.S. law that they feel should be consistent or uniform across the states. This model legislation can then be adopted as is, or with modifications, by individual states. Uniform acts cover a range of topics including probate, foreign money judgements, anatomical gifts, child custody and trade secrets. One well-known uniform act is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC).

The American Bar Association's House of Delegates (ABA) approved the UELMA at its February 2012 meeting in New Orleans. Legislation has been introduced in Colorado, California and Tennessee.  The Colorado bill, HB 1209 was introduced January 30, 2012 and assigned to the Judiciary committee.

For more information on the UELMA, including a Legislative fact sheet and an explanation of why states should adopt the act, see the ULA website.

Written by Patty Wellinger, Reference Services Coordinator

New at the Westminster Law Library: QR Codes

What are QR codes?

QR codes are scannable barcodes that can be read by mobile devices. Simply open a QR reader app and point your mobile device’s camera at the QR code to discover a URL, open a map, send an email, and much more!

Sounds great, but what are they doing here?
There are a number of QR codes posted in the library stacks. Scan a QR code located in the area you are using to find more resources relevant to your research topic.

How do I start scanning QR codes?
Many QR code readers are available for free on the iphone/ipad and on android devices. Here is a short list:

iPhone: ·        QR Reader ·        NeoReader ·        Barcode ·         ScanLife Barcode Reader

Android: ·        Barcode Generator/Reader ·        QR Droid ·        QuickMark QR Code Reader ·        ScanLife Barcode Reader

Questions? Comments? Please email hevans@law.du.edu
 

Written by Hannah Evans

CO Legislative History Research Guide

• What is Colorado legislative history?

• What is legislative intent and why is it important?

• Why is researching legislative history in Colorado sometimes challenging?

• Why is January 1, 1973, a critical date for Colorado legislative history researchers? 

Find answers to these questions and more in Westminster Law Library’s new libguide: Colorado Legislative History.

Browse “Researching Pending Legislation,” “Researching January 1, 1973 and After,” and “Researching Before January 1, 1973” tabs. And discover how microform, online, and print legislative materials in Colorado Capitol Watch, Colorado General Assembly, Colorado Joint Legislative Library, Colorado Legislative Bill Room, Colorado Legislative Council, Colorado State Archives, Colorado Supreme Court Library, Denver Public Library Central, Office of Legislative Legal Services (OLLS), and Westminster Law Library can assist researchers with legislative history projects. 

Written by Sheila Green, Reference Librarian