Ross-Blakley Law Library Blog

Every 1L is familiar with the Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad torts case.  The 1928 New York Court of Appeals decision, written by Judge Benjamin Cardozo, helped establish the concept of proximate cause.  This Lego Law rendition of Palsgraf, created by law students, is a humorous take on the famous case.

Lego Law – Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad

Hat tip to the Law Librarian Blog.

Halloween is just around the corner and we have some treats for you. Sign up for Tweets from the Ross-Blakley Law Library and from now until Halloween you will receive random Treat Tweets for a sweet treat.

Sign-up to follow us on Twitter at:  http://twitter.com/asulawlibrary

Happy Halloween!

Part 6 of the new books series focuses on a guide to mastering ALWD citations.

ALWD Companion: A Citation Practice Book
By Coleen M. Barger and Brooke J. Bowman
Law Reserve KF245 .A453 2010

The ALWD Companion: A Citation Practice Book by Coleen Barger and Brooke Bowman is a workbook of citation exercises meant to help students master legal citation.  The book begins with basic citation guidance, and then addresses citing to specific legal sources.  Exercises cover primary sources, including federal and state constitutions, statutes, cases, and regulations, as well as commonly used secondary sources, such as law review articles, treatises, court … Continue Reading

The ABA Journal recently asked its readers whether they could think of any “delightful client malapropisms” they had heard and would be willing to share.  Below are some highlights from the 103 comments posted by attorneys:

• In a rape case, the witness said the woman had the reputation of being a prostitute. The judge asked the witness, “Is she a chaste woman?”  The witness responded, “Yes sir Judge, lots of men chases her.”
• I once heard a witness in a criminal case take the “Fifth Dimension”.
• Defendant had just been sentenced to life in prison with no opportunity for parole.  He turned … Continue Reading
  

The Arizona Memory Project recently announced an exciting addition: the Arizona State Archives Legislative Oral History Project.
“The Legislative Oral History Project documents the memories of former state legislators about their time in office. This online collection only features excerpts of these oral histories. Full versions are available for public viewing at the Arizona State Archives, located at the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History building, 1901 W. Madison, Phoenix, Arizona.”
Hungry for more history? See our previous blog entry on legislative history resources, and be sure to check out the Law Library’s fabulous research guides on:

• Arizona Legislative History
• … Continue Reading
  

Have an iPad?  If so, this guide to maximizing the functionality of your tablet may be of interest to you.

iPad in One Hour for Lawyers
By Tom Mighell
Law Treatises KF320.A9 M48 2011

If you use an iPad with any frequency, either as a law student or as a practicing lawyer, iPad in One Hour for Lawyers will likely contain very useful information for you.  The first few lessons in the book address the basic setup and overall management of your iPad, including how to add files and sync them (which is actually harder than you would think, due to the … Continue Reading

How do you serve process on someone when you do not know where they are?  As a recent ABA Journal article explains, this was a problem for Jessica Mpafe in her divorce case, as she did not have any physical address to serve her husband with papers.  Acknowledging this difficulty, Judge Kevin Burke authorized Jessica to serve notice of process to her husband by e-mail, “Facebook, Myspace, or any other social networking site.”  Judge Burke observed that traditional means to get service by publication had become “antiquated” and “prohibitively expensive.”

Judge Burke’s action was somewhat radical, as many state and … Continue Reading

October is Adopt A Shelter Dog month!

Last October I adopted George (see adorable photo) from a local rescue.

For me, the decision to adopt was driven partially by grief; I had recently lost  a dog to cancer, and life felt empty without a canine companion.

But adopting a dog is a big decision,and a big responsibility. You have to think about leash laws, bite laws, what will happen if you get divorced or die…

Luckily there’s lots of animal law resources out there (hat-tip to our Acquisitions/Serials Librarian Kerry Skinner for putting together most … Continue Reading

This week’s installment of the new book series features a guide for conducting a successful job search, and may be particularly useful for 3Ls and recent graduates looking to land a great legal job.

Job Quest for Lawyers: The Essential Guide to Finding and Landing the Job You Want
By Sheila Nielsen
Law Study Skills Collection KF297 .N54 2011

When asked how they landed their job, many people say that they “got lucky.”  In Job Quest for Lawyers, Sheila Nielsen explains that while luck and chance do play a role in job searches, “lucky” job seekers actually create career opportunities for themselves, … Continue Reading

The Ross-Blakley Law Library has a number of legal-themed films in its Law Media collection.  In the mood for something light?  How about Chicago, Legally Blond, Liar Liar, or My Cousin Vinny?  Dramatic selections at the Law Library include 12 Angry Men, The Client, Erin Brockovich,  A Few Good Men, The Firm, The Rainmaker, Michael Clayton, North Country, The Paper Chase, The Pelican Brief, and The People vs. Larry Flynt.  Check a DVD out for a movie night over Fall Break!

In other legal-themed movie news, … Continue Reading