Farewell and Welcome

As we say farewell to Summer Hours in the Library we look forward to welcoming new students and welcoming back returning students.

As of Monday, we will resume regular Library hours.  Please note our regular Reference desk hours will  be someone different this semester.

Regular Library hours are:
Mon-Thurs - 8am - 9pm
Fri.  8am - 6pm
Sat, Sun - 10am - 6pm

Good luck all with the coming semester.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Analogies From The Wild In Judicial Opinions

Analogies to wild animals’ behavior surface from time to time in judicial opinions. See, for instance, a recent example that evokes a certain large flightless bird.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Words of Wisdom for New Law Students

Did you know that even Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. didn't understand a word he heard on his first day of law school?  The Law School Academic Support blog recently posted a compilation of "Thoughts on Learning, Lawyering, and Life" from the successful and famous who learned that success at something challenging, like studying law, doesn't happen overnight or without the right attitude and approach. The Academic Support blog is one of over 40 legal blogs in the Law Professor Blogs network, all edited by law school faculty and lawyers dedicated to providing legal news and commentary in their subject fields, which range from Contracts and Immigration Law to Legal Technology. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Combating Book Theft in Medieval Times

You keep your eye on your iPhone nor do you leave your car running when you dash into a Starbuck's to order coffee.  In medieval times the value of a book was nearer that of your car than your smart phone.  There were three main ways to protect a book:  chain, chest or curse.

Chain, chest, curse:  Combating Book Theft in Medieval Times is an amusing overview of these three methods. 

We still lock valuables in a safe and chain our bikes, but curses are no longer deemed an effective safeguard. 
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

ABA Journal-Why Hollywood Loves Lawyers

The ABA recently released an article entitled " Why Hollywood Loves Lawyers" for their annual pop culture issue.  The article explores legal and cultural history of the past century and features the best legal movies released in the decades since 1915.  Top picks include Blackmail, Young Mr. Lincoln, Anatomy of a Murder and more.  Click here to read full article.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

American Presidency Project

The American Presidency Project, was established in 1999 as a collaboration between John T. Woolley & Gerhard Peters at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The Project's archives contain 110,487 documents related to the study of the Presidency, including Inaugural Addresses, Data Index, and Debates.

No Habeas Corpus Writ for NY Chimps

Being a virtual feline, I try to follow the progress of my other animal friends in their quest for greater rights within the law.  Last week, a judge of the New York Supreme Court for New York County denied the request of the Nonhuman Rights Project for a writ of habeas corpus to free Hercules and Leo, two chimpanzees in the custody of the State University of New York at Stony Brook who are research subjects in studies of chimp locomotion.  In a serious, thorough, 33-page decision that representatives of both sides described as "thoughtful," Judge Barbara Jaffe found that as a matter of law, she was bound by a 2014 Appellate Division case holding that according chimpanzees the status of legal personhood is inappropriate because they are not able to bear any legal responsibilities and social duties. Therefore, despite the impressive abilities of chimps and similarities to humans, and even though the law has changed over the years to make rights more inclusive of groups of humans that were previously denied them, she was currently bound to deny the request. More about this case can be found in a New York Times article about the decision and in my previous posts about this litigation here and here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

The Supreme Court Database

The Supreme Court Database is the definitive source for researchers, students, journalists, and citizens interested in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Database contains over two hundred pieces of information about each case decided by the Court between the 1946 and 2013 terms. Examples include the identity of the court whose decision the Supreme Court reviewed, the parties to the suit, the legal provisions considered in the case, and the votes of the Justices.

The site includes documentation to help you start your analysis.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Will Pluto Remain A Dwarf Planet?

Further to our previous posts here and here, we report the following speculations as to whether recent discoveries regarding Pluto might lead to its reclassification. A more technical (in parts) but comprehensive overview of the issue awaits you here.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Trafficking in Persons Report 2015

Yesterday the U.S. State Department released this year's Trafficking in Persons Report, which reflects the Department's assessment of the human trafficking situation worldwide and provides a narrative for each country, summarizing and evaluating their government's progress in preventing trafficking, prosecuting suspects, and protecting victims.  The report also offers an excellent overview of the global causes of human trafficking within supply chains and in its various forms, including sex trafficking, forced labor, bonded labor or debt bondage, involuntary domestic servitude, and the recruitment and use of child soldiers.  It includes statistics and provides links to related reports by the United Nations and other organizations.  This is a great resource for law students or anyone interested in research, practice, or advocacy related to human trafficking. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat