usd law and politics

New York Times, Sunday, December 17,2011 "For Law Schools, a Price to Play the A.B.A.'s Way."

2011-12-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

David Segal wrote the article discussing how American Bar Association accreditation standards contribute to tuition costs at law schools. The first paragraph is actually the only part of the article discussing the standards for law libraries. You can find these standards on the A.B.A. website. (Standards of Rules and Procedures for Approval of Law Schools.)The standards for law libraries are in

Attorney, Employ Thyself! - Jennifer Kim Chau, Maritime Specialist

2011-12-15T10:06:00.000-08:00

Jessica Alexander,J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianThis will be the first in a series about young attorneys, who in the face of hard economic times have found success in solo practice. Jennifer Kim Chau,12335 Kingsride Ln, No. 388, Houston, Texas 77024, hails from the small coastal town of Palacios, Texas. She is a patron of our library. I am always curious about the backgrounds and aspirations

Reference Tidbit, Briefs Available Online 14th Court of Appeals

2011-12-15T08:41:00.000-08:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianThe 14th Court of Appeals, Houston, has just implemented online access to briefs. Dates of inclusion are not apparent from the website. In the meantime, this is an important addition to their existing search utilities. I have published a piece before on simultaneously searching Texas courts using Google scholar since the court system

Legal Education at a Crossroads

2011-11-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianNew York Times, "What They Don't Teach Law Students: Lawyering, is informative when the reader studies the whole content. However, its main thesis, that somehow law students are ill-served by the case (Socratic) method of legal study, is a subject for debate. It seems to assume that the only purpose for a legal education is a lucrative career

Reference Tidbit - Going to the Poll on November 8, 2011 - Non-disclosure and Expungement of Criminal Records in Texas

2011-11-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianI made it to my polling station last Tuesday, November 8, 2011, with three minutes to spare. I will admit that I did not know that I would have an opportunity to vote on a constitutional initiative that may ease the problems with so-called "deferred adjudications" in Texas.Proposition 9 on the ballot was worded: "The constitutional

Reference Tidbit - Using Google Scholar for Combined Search of Texas State Court Opinions

2011-10-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M. L. S., Reference LibrarianThe official web sites of the courts in the Texas Judicial system are not integrated when it comes to case and opinion searches. See Texas Courts Online. Thanks to the Google Scholar search this problem is solved to some degree.Obviously Google has a search algorithm that extracts Texas appellate opinions from the official websites.

Columbus Day Holiday Party to celebrate the New World

2011-10-10T11:45:00.001-07:00

Nostalgia in the United States is increasing, which means that holidays like Columbus Day are as relevant as ever for the Americans. The discovery of our great nation by Christopher Columbus along with the rest of the Americas is an occasion worth celebrating. Interestingly, we are not alone in our celebration of this day - several Latin American nations celebrate October 12 as the day of

Welcome

2011-10-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Alhamdulillah

The Fred Parks Law Library is pleased to announce our acquisition of four rare fifteenth century legal works.

2011-10-03T08:32:00.000-07:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianIn honor of our 10th anniversary, the Fred Parks Law Library has purchased four 15th century legal works. These books are important not just because of their rarity and subject matter, but because of their age and condition.Paul de Castro’s Super primo, Secundo et Tertio Libro Codis... is a Commentary on the Code of Justinian printed in Venice

Confluence Noted: New York Times Opinion Piece, "The Military and the Death Penalty" and Our Houston Mutiny and Riots Collection

2011-09-06T14:03:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianThe issue of race, military tribunals and the imposition of the death penalty is an issue that has been shaped by events that occured in August 1917 in Houston. African-American soldiers who were involved in the construction of Camp Logan, a World War I military encampment were the subjects. They rioted and murdered white citizens and

BNA’s United States Law Week is for all Comers.

2011-08-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianPrior to the ability to obtain up to date case law via databases such as Lexis and Westlaw, United States Law Week, a print publication of the Bureau of National Affairs, now known as BNA, was the traditional way to get weekly updates of federal case law. It is available in print, KF101.U5 (current volumes on reserve, non-current volumes on

Now that you purchased your dream expresso machine, learning how to actually make latte …?

2011-08-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianAs a Reference Librarian, I am excited by purchases of the latest and greatest databases. The library has subscribed to a number of BNA online databases for years. But our new BNA Premiere package is daunting in its coverage.With such expanded online coverage, I am burdened by the need to communicate best practices in conducting research in

So Cool! - SXSW Volunteer Shirt Worn by New Student, Abdul Pasha.

2011-08-15T13:52:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, JD., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianA new student, Abdul Pasha, a UT Government grad volunteered for the SXSW Film festival. Since I am a big fan of the SXSW Interactive Festival, I was impressed by his volunteer t-shirt. His shirt, pictured on Abdul, at left, depicts a "deer in the headlights." In the library, we try to spot our new students and help them not to feel like a

2011-07-15T11:32:00.000-07:00

Baron: Lawmakers Also Act On Other Education Legislation [TOPEd, 7/15/11]: And they’re off! Bills flew through the senate and assembly chambers as lawmakers wrapped up as much business as possible before leaving for summer recess on Thursday afternoon. When they return on August 15th, the docket will still be full, but the fate of some key education bills is coming into sharper focus. Here’s

Laws In Space featuring South Texas Faculty and 2010 Alum

2011-07-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

Two of our librarians, Jessica Alexander and Adreinne Cobb, had a great time at Houston Bar Association's annual production of Night Court, "a parody of pop culture, current events, politics, and the legal profession." This year's theme was Laws in Space, and it featured our very own Dean Helen Jenkins (aka Padme Amidala), and 2010 South Texas graduate, Darryl Scott (aka Darth Vader).

Casey Anthony Documents Online

2011-07-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianTwenty-five thousand pages related to the Casey Anthony murder case are online at http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/march/219927/.

2011-06-05T15:26:00.000-07:00

California school funding analysis finds disparity [San Francisco Chronicle, 6/5/11]: State lawmakers have struggled for decades to bring equality to how school districts are funded, yet some districts receive thousands more per student than others, a California Watch analysis has found. And the data show spending more provides no assurance of academic success. Read the California Watch study.

Happy 10th Anniversary to us!

2011-05-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianThe Fred Parks Law Library opened in 2001, and in the past 10 years a lot of things have changed. We’ve increased our print collection, gotten a multitude of fantastic databases, added digital collections, and built up our Special Collections. Our Special Collections consist of the library’s rare book collection, manuscript collections, and the

2011-05-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Revised California budget softens blow for schools [Sacramento Bee, 5/18/11]: Largely because of rosier revenue projections for the coming year, budget experts at the Capitol say schools gained a cushion against cuts – even if Brown fails in his effort to extend 2009 increases to income taxes.Teacher: ‘My employer has become my enemy’ [Washington Post, 5/18/11]: A library media educator in Los

2011-05-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

School free speech fight [Stockton Record, 5/5/11]: A Bear Creek High teacher is fighting for her students' freedom of speech after the school's principal requested to preview the monthly Bruin Voice newspaper prior to publication.California weighs shorter school year as budgets wane [Sacramento Bee, 5/4/11]: Children in frigid areas have "snow day" school closures. Could students across sunny

Book Review

2011-05-03T11:16:00.000-07:00

Before Brown: Heman Marion Sweatt, Thurgood Marshall, and the Long Road to JusticeBy Gary M. LavergneUniversity of Texas Press, 354 pagesReviewed by Stuart Stern South Texas College of Law Office of Development & Alumni RelationsThe Postman Cometh: The Integration of UT School of LawSouth Texas students are undoubtedly familiar with Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (

2011-04-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Agency fails to crack down on teacher misconduct, California audit says [Sacramento Bee, 4/22/11]: California lawmakers are demanding change after a state audit of the commission charged with cracking down on teacher misconduct found numerous flaws that could pose risks to children.Over the Line Even in Berkeley, Family Says [California Watch / Courthouse News Service, 4/20/11]: A high school

Legal Social Media

2011-04-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

Social media sites have become a ubiquitous part of the today's society, and the legal world is no exception. Both the federal and state governments have engaged heavily in social media forums.The complete list of the Texas state government's social media sites can be found here. Kind of surprising that the Department of Agriculture does a podcast, isn't it?The federal government also uses

2011-04-14T08:04:00.000-07:00

Fensterwald: NCLB’s escape hatch for schools [Educated Guess, 4/14/11]: An escape hatch – the “Safe Harbor” provision under the federal law – could spare a majority of schools from the law’s penalties and the failure label. Colorado committee to unveil complex definition of "effective educator" [Denver Post, 4/13/11]: After 13 months of meetings, a council tasked with narrowing the definition of

2011-04-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

Audit finds years-long backlog of investigations into accused teachers [Los Angeles Times, 4/8/11]: The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing took years to begin investigations into a teacher accused of showing pornography to children and another one who allegedly kissed a student, according to a new audit.Teacher who evades March 15 notice loses appeal [4/7/11]: Michael Sullivan, a

BAM! POW! Comic Books and the Law

2011-03-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

Calling all comic book fans and those looking for a fun study break -- Two attorneys, James Daily and Ryan Davidson, who are both recent law school graduates, maintain a great blog called Law and the Multiverse where they explore the legal implications of various comic book scenarios and the behavior of comic book heroes and villains. Have you ever wondered: Are mutants a protected class? Who

2011-03-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Not Exactly a Cut But Delayed School Payments Have a Cost [Capitol Notes, 3/18/11]: Among the budget-related bills approved by the Legislature March 16 was one that postpones $5.2 billion in state payments to public schools.Baron: Hidden costs of deferrals [Thoughts on Public Education, 3/18/11]: I’m still in the hole to my teenage son for a little over $100. I promised him $25 for every A on his

2011-03-16T07:20:00.000-07:00

Appeals court reinstates case by Muslim over scarf [The Recorder / School Law Blog, 3/16/11]: A federal appeals court unanimously reinstated a lawsuit Tuesday filed by a Muslim woman who accused Southern California jailers of violating her religious freedom when they ordered her to take off her head scarf in a courthouse holding cell. The School Law Blog also posted on this case.Calif. Court of

2011-03-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

Court: Cross-Unit Bumping is Negotiable; No Pre-Layoff Hearing Required for Economic Layoffs [Alameda County Management Employees Association v. Superior Court (Case No. A128697 (Issued 3/7/11) [PERB Blog, 3/11/11]: In response to a budget deficit for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Superior Court of Alameda County (Court) laid off 28 members in the bargaining unit represented by the Alameda

2011-03-12T12:16:00.000-08:00

Kerchner: Why the politics we’ve got won’t produce the schools we need [Thoughts on Public Education, 3/11/11]: Why, one might ask, should California, the headwaters of the digital revolution, be stuck in the eddies of an early 20th Century school design? The answer lies partly in culture and partly in politics. Almost all the politics of education concerns rearranging adult power and privilege.

SXSW March 12

2011-03-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianI am attending a presentation called "Why Government Data Makes Taxpayers Happy. The Data analysis experts from the Texas Comptrollers Office are discussing "open data." There is a website called TexasTransparency.org. One purpose of the project is to provide data on how federal stimulus money is being spent by the state. American Recovery

Announcing the South Texas College of Law Digital Collection

2011-03-11T08:28:00.000-08:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianThe Fred Parks Law Library would like to announce our first four collections, now available online. Our inaugural collections celebrate the history of South Texas College of Law and the success of our nationally ranked Advocacy Program. We are also proud to feature a collection that brings to light a forgotten race riot and the largest murder

Annotations Archive is now online

2011-03-10T06:37:00.000-08:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianWhat was going on at South Texas in April 1976? When did the campus first get Westlaw access? When did Justice Clarence Thomas visit the campus? We used to have a football team? You can now learn the answers to all these questions and more by browsing the Annotations Archive online. The library has partnered with the Portal to Texas History in

FREE scanning in the library!

2011-03-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

New FREE scanning options are now available in the library! You may have already used our desktop scanner, located next to the Patron Services desk, which allows you to save your scanned images to a USB drive or send them to your email account, but you might not be aware that our new photocopiers on floors 2, 4, and 5 also have scanning capabilities.Which scanner should I use?Features of the

2011-03-06T13:49:00.000-08:00

Sen. Huff wants legislature to tackle teacher evaluation [San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 3/6/11]: A bill by San Gabriel Valley state Sen. Bob Huff would do away with the first-in, first-out layoff policies at California school districts, a change long sought by education reform groups. Senate Bill 355 calls for districts to evaluate teachers and to use the data to lay off the worst teachers. Right

2011-02-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

Weingarten proposes plan to overhaul teacher-dismissal process [New York Times, 2/25/11]: American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten announced a proposal to revamp methods for evaluating and dismissing teachers. The new plan would give tenured teachers with unsatisfactory ratings one year to improve or be fired within 100 days. However, some were critical of the proposal, saying

2011-02-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Ravitch: Why teachers across the country are enraged [CNN, 2/21/11]: Attacks on the teaching profession have escalated over the past two years, says author and education historian Diane Ravitch. She writes that the protests in Wisconsin are the result "of a simmering rage among the nation's teachers," brought on by attempts to tie teacher evaluations to test scores, threats to collective

2011-02-18T12:21:00.000-08:00

Court Rejects Reimbursement Over Unfunded School Mandates [School Law Blog, 2/18/11]: Times are tough, a California appellate court says, and the judiciary cannot compel state lawmakers to come up with nearly $1 billion to reimburse unfunded education mandates imposed on school districts. But in a partial victory for school districts, a panel of the California Court of Appeal said they could seek

2010 Census Figures and Legislative Redistricting

2011-02-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianThe Houston Chronicle annotates the release of the 2010 Federal census in its February 18, 2010 print edition, with its headline article,"Trends show Texas increasingly urban and Latino," by Jeannie Kever. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7432703.html. The Houston Chronicle also provides an interactive map of the Texas

Current Awareness

2011-02-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S.,Reference LibrarianThe library's "Current Awareness" service is directed to our faculty. However, an article entitled "The Natural Law Lecture, 2010, Torture, Suicide and Determinatio" by Jeremy Waldron in the "American Journal of Jurisprudence, Volume 55, 2010, page 1, is worth pointing out to law students at any level of study. The article contains

2011-02-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

Schools craft budgets in the dark -- and prepare for deep cuts [San Jose Mercury News, 2/13/11]: In what has become a fantasy-like world of school finance, school districts are scurrying to build their 2011-12 budgets, preparing for bad and worst casesLAUSD announces potential layoff plans [Los Angeles Times, 2/12/11]: Los Angeles school officials unveiled a plan Friday to send preliminary layoff

2011-02-07T09:29:00.000-08:00

Reference TidbitsJessica Alexander, J.D., M.L.S. Reference LibrarianSexy Title, Pedestrian Concerns - Texas Transportation Code "Rules of the Road."The Texas "Rules of the Road" are located in Tex. Transp. Code Ann. Sections 541-600 (West 1999 & Supp. 2010). Not only do these rules cover the operation of motor vehicles but also rules for the safety of pedestrians. They give certain rights of

2011-02-06T12:11:00.000-08:00

Calif. parents sue school district over charter effort [AP / First Amendment Center, 2/4/11]: Six parents and their children sued the Compton Unified School District yesterday, alleging officials are trying to thwart their push to convert a failing elementary school to a charter school. The parents immediately won a temporary injunction from Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien, who blocked the

South Texas College of Law Closing due to Weather

2011-02-03T08:36:00.000-08:00

The South Texas College of Law, including the Fred Parks Law Library will be closed from noon Thursday February 3 until Saturday February 5, when we will resume normal business hours. During this time no library services will be available.

2011-02-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

G.O.P. Governors Take Aim at Teacher Tenure [New York Times, 2/2/11]: Seizing on a national anxiety over poor student performance, many governors are taking aim at a bedrock tradition of public schools: teacher tenure. Governors in Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada and New Jersey have called for the elimination or dismantling of tenure. As state legislatures convene this winter, anti-tenure bills

2011-01-28T07:25:00.000-08:00

Court of Appeal Upholds District Classification of Coach as Temp Employee [California Court of Appeal, 2nd District, 1/27/11]: A certificated teacher was hired as a baseball coach at Mira Costa High School. When relieved of his teaching job, he retained his baseball coach status. A few years later he was relieved of his coach status. He claims that he should be considered a “probationary employee

2011-01-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

Reference TidbitsJessica Alexander, J.D., M.L.S. Reference LibrarianFinding Federal Legislative History Reports.Many reports can be found in full-text in our Congressional Universe database. Access the database from Stanley, or from a public portal in the library. Click the "search by number" option and enter the congressional year number and report number in the pull down box. If the item is

2011-01-23T15:02:00.000-08:00

Judge OKs settlement that limits use of seniority in L.A. teacher layoffs [Los Angeles Times, 1/22/11]: Lawyers representing students' interests hail the ruling; the teachers union says it probably will appeal. See Fensterwald: Judge resolves L.A. layoff suit [Thoughts on Public Education, 1/22/11].The Emergency in our Schools: Questions for Tom Torlakson [San Diego Union-Tribune, 1/22/11]: In

2011-01-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

With voters in charge, high anxiety about teacher layoffs [California Watch, 1/18/11]: School districts are grappling with an excruciating dilemma: whether to plan for the coming school year based on the assumption that taxpayers will approve tax increases in a special election in June, or on an equally uncertain assumption that they will reject it.In Florida, Virtual Classrooms With No Teachers

2011-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:00

Court Backs District in Disclosure of Teacher's Medical Condition [School Law Blog, 1/12/11]: The New York City school district did not violate the privacy rights of a teacher when it publicly disclosed her medical condition, a federal appeals court has ruled. Read the decision in Matson v. Board of Education of the City School district of New York. Fensterwald: California Now 43rd in per-student

2011-01-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

The California state education bureaucracy is in a state of flux with the arrival of the new governor. Brown moves to redefine education bureaucracy [Sacramento Bee, 1/8/11]: In his first week in office, Gov. Jerry Brown's approach to education has emerged as one reminiscent of an earlier era – when the governor didn't have an education secretary and the State Board of Education was the chief

Pretty Old Law Books

2011-01-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianBooks are great, aren’t they? Ok, that may seem like a silly thing for a librarian to say, but have you ever really looked at a book, at how it is put together? Most people don’t pay much attention to books except to note if it is a soft-cover or a hard-back. Really, unless it’s falling apart you don’t notice its binding at all. The art of

2010-12-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Fensterwald: Carrot for changing teacher evaluations [Educated Guess, 12/17/10]: Last month, State Board of Education President Ted Mitchell couldn’t get any votes for his plan to encourage districts to change the way they evaluate teachers and administrators. Education groups didn’t like the proposal any better. Fensterwald: AG asked to pursue ‘trigger’ complaints [Educated Guess, 12/17/10]:

Change in Library Hours This Week.

2010-12-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

With finals ending, the Fred Parks Law Library will be closing at 9pm this week, starting on Wednesday. The library will also be closed on Sunday.

Library Closed to public December 23

2010-12-13T08:07:00.000-08:00

The Fred Parks Law Library will be closed to the public to allow the library staff to work on special projects. Students, staff, and faculty may still request services and the use of the library if necessary. The front doors will be locked, however if members of the South Texas College of Law community would like to use the library or request a service they may call the Patron Services Desk at

2010-12-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

State agrees to go “fee free” at public schools [Los Angeles Times / Thoughts on Public Education [TOPEd], 12/10/10]: California will crack down on myriad illegal school fees charged to students taking part in such programs as art, athletics, band, cheer and gym if a landmark lawsuit settlement announced Thursday is approved. Read the ACLU press release.Breast Cancer Bracelet Fight Is Latest

2010-12-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Blum: Positives, negatives, problems and some suggestions for tenure [Thoughts on Public Education12/3/10]: The term tenure describes the employment status of a permanent teacher in most public school systems. Tenure provides permanent teachers a “property right” to employment and provides significant guarantees of due process for a teacher facing dismissal charges.5th Circuit: Elementary

2010-11-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

Some interesting first amendment issues have arisen lately. Two middle schoolers have filed a free-speech lawsuit against a Pennsylvania school district that suspended them for wearing the popular "I (heart) boobies!" bracelets. One, Girls sue Pa. school over 'boobies'-bracelet ban [AP / First Amendment Center, 11/17/10] has prompted this response from David L. Hudson of the First Amendment

2010-11-17T11:35:00.000-08:00

Cal. Court of Appeal: Boys Can’t Sue District [Santa Clarita Valley Signal, 11/15/10]: A student who said he was sexually molested in 2007 by a former Golden Valley High School guidance counselor is not able to sue the William S. Hart Union High School District for negligence, a California appeals court ruled earlier this month. The Second District Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the boy could

2010-11-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Fensterwald: State Board enters fray on teacher evaluations [Educated Guess, 11/15/10]:Against claims that it is exceeding its authority, the State Board of Education boldly waded last week into two controversial policy areas: teacher layoffs and teacher and principal evaluations. Benicia cell phone crackdown upsets students, parents [San Francisco Chronicle, 11/15/10]: Gary Jensen, principal at

TeacherLaw News updates

2010-11-13T14:57:00.000-08:00

Christian group to sponsor 'Day of Dialogue' about homosexuality [Associated Press / First Amendment Center, 11/13/10]: A conservative Christian group has announced that it will sponsor a school-outreach program to talk about sexual orientation. Focus on the Family of Colorado Springs says it will take over sponsorship of the former "Day of Truth," which has been co-sponsored since 2005 by Exodus

The New York Times Graphics Depicting the 2010-2011 United States Supreme Court Session - Tips for Studying Law

2010-10-07T08:05:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianStudents frequently mention their frustration with understanding legal concepts in their assigned cases. I always suggest that they try graphically depicting the facts and legal concepts in their cases. I was gratified Sunday to read the New York Times article, Supreme Court Term Offers Hot Issues and Future Hints, depicting the 2010-

September 26 to October 2 is Banned Books Week!

2010-09-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianIn honor of this important event, an exhibit of banned and challenged books, along with the stated reasons for deeming them objectionable, is on display in The Fred Parks Law Library lobby (Taming Poseidon is on hiatus for the week). Every year hundreds of requests are made to remove books from library shelves because the content is considered

Touro in 2012!

2010-09-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

After considering an excellent set of proposals, the RALS Executive Committee has selected Touro Law School in Central Islip, New York to host the 2012 Conference. It will be the first RALS conference to be held at a Jewish-affiliated school. The conference will be coordinated by Professor Samuel J. Levine, who serves as Professor of Law and Director of the Jewish Law Institute. Details about

Texas Code Revision - The Venerable Probate Code Gets a Name Change

2010-09-17T08:14:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D.,M.L.S., Reference Librarian.Effective January 2014, the Texas Probate Code will be replaced by the Estates Code. The Probate Code revision project involves a non-substantive revision of the code. Follow the foregoing link for a full explanation of the project. West has issued an interim pamphlet (2009) Pamphlet Vernon's Texas Codes Annotated Estates Code) (KFT1230.5 V4

Library Gets New Color Scanner!

2010-09-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

Students and other patrons of the Fred Parks Law Library will be happy to know that the library now officially has a scanner for public use. The new scanner is located near the front entrance of the library by the Patron Services desk. Some features of the new scanner:Scans in color or black and whiteDocument feeder to scan multiple pages at onceScans can be saved to a USB drive or emailedScans

New Student Tim Clark

2010-08-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, Reference Librarian, J.D., M.L.S. Sometimes I can look at a student and am compelled to ask, "What did you do in your other life?" Tim Clark, a recent graduate of the University of Houston (May, 2010) came to the Reference Desk. I asked him the question and he made my day. Tim never gave up on his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, despite the detours on his journey.

New Student - Adriana Lopez

2010-08-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S., Reference LibrarianThe big perk of my job is the chance to meet our students. Their varied backgrounds and accomplishments speak to the appeal of law study for individuals from many walks of life.I just met a new student named Adriana Lopez (Brown, 2004, Anthropology) from the Rio Grand valley whose love is acting and dance. She and her companion, Danny Ortiz,

Taming Poseidon: The Law of the Sea goes on display in the library lobby.

2010-08-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianIt is difficult to overemphasize the importance of the sea in the development of civilization. If there is an oldest profession, it may well be that of sailor. There were sailors before there were farmers and boats before there were cities. While written evidence is scarce, artifacts found at archaeological sites tell the story of maritime trade

New Library Policies on Food

2010-08-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you returning to the Fred Parks Law Library this fall you will probably notice a large sign near the 2nd floor elevators alerting you to a new and, probably, long awaited policy regarding food in the library. Patrons visiting the library are now allowed to bring food in and eat while they study. There are of course some guidelines, which are prominently displayed on the new sign:

World Cup Court in South Africa

2010-06-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

Heather Waltman, Interlibrary Loan & Reference LibrarianOn Day 20 of the World Cup, a bit of news about the World Cup Court...To combat crime in the nine cities hosting World Cup games, South African officials installed 56 special World Cup courts. Just yesterday, an overzealous fan and London resident went before the court where he was ordered to pay a fine of 75 South African rand (about $98)

Looking for Potential Officers

2010-06-25T12:21:00.000-07:00

We are currently looking for officers to fill all positions other than President. If you are a current student or an incoming student and would like to be part of the Federalist Society, please send and email to fedsoc@lclark.edu letting us know that you are interested. We are especially looking for someone who would be willing to find debate partners for speakers that are coming in. Being an

Texas Legal Research Reference Tidbits: Historical Texas Statutory Bulk Revisions

2010-06-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

A "bulk revision" of a set of laws is a re-publication of statutes in existence by legislative authority. Texas has had a series of bulk revisions in its existence as a state and now the revisions are available at the website of the Texas State Law Library: Revised Statutes of Texas, 1879available in paper in our library at KFT1230 1879.T4 in the Main stacks and Special CollectionsRevised

2010-06-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

As one Supreme Court Justice retires and another faces confirmation hearings to fill the vacancy on the bench, you may want to check out these sites:----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thanks to the folks at Secrecy News and the Federation of American Scientists, a series of Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports on the Jurisprudence of

PACER gets a facelift

2010-05-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

The new and improved PACER website -- the digital case tracking service for federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts -- is now up and running. In short, the interface has been completely overhauled. The changes are largely cosmetic, but the site is definitely less cumbersome, more user-friendly and easier on the eyes. As always, PACER provides access to l l Federal court dockets (

Houston's Legal History

2010-05-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianThe city of Houston was founded in 1836 and was so named in an attempt to convince the Texas Congress to designate it the capital of the Republic. As of January 1, 1837, the town boasted a population of 12. By the time the first legislature of the newly formed Republic of Texas met in the capital ‘city’ of Houston on May 1, 1837, there were over

Celebrate Law Day, May 1st

2010-04-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Law Day is a national day of celebration, created to recognize the role of law in American society and its contributions to our democratic way of life. The Joint Resolution that established Law Day (Pub. L. 87-20, 75 Stat. 43) was passed on April 7, 1961, and codified at 36 U.S.C. § 113. The full text of the law can be read here.President Obama's proclamation in recognition of Law Day 2010 was

Extended Hours for Library During Finals

2010-04-28T13:16:00.000-07:00

Fred Parks Law Library will extend hours April 29-May 14 2010. We will be open until 2:00am during this period (no library services from midnight until 2:00am).The Fred Parks Law Library provides a variety of spaces for study and meetings by currently enrolled South Texas students. Room capacity varies from 2-8 persons. Rooms are available on a first come, first serve basis. Rooms left unattended

Empathy, Nostalgia, and "Playa Hating"

2010-04-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, J.D., M.L.S. Reference LibrarianAcademic law librarians are an underpaid lot. However, there is a huge "happiness return" in mingling and providing service to law students. I admit to being nostalgic about my age, weight and naive outlook on life as a law student in the mid-seventies. I also admit to being a "Playa Hater." During law school I could not imagine having

Blog posts now viewable on Facebook

2010-03-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

If you are not already a fan of the library's official Facebook page,South Texas College of Law | The Fred Parks Law Library, this is a good time to sign up. With the help of a tool called TwitterFeed, all entries posted to our blog will now be sent directly to our Facebook page. In fact, you may be reading this on Facebook now! You can easily keep up with our library blog simply by visiting the

C-SPAN Video Archives Now Available Online

2010-03-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

From the Government Documents Department...For some people, C-SPAN is a cure for insomnia, but this cable network provides a wonderful service by recording the public proceedings of our government for all posterity. Now, you can access all every C-SPAN program aired since 1987, totalling over 160,000 hours of video on the newly created C-SPAN Video Library. The site is comprehensive and easily

The Government Tweets?

2010-03-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Would you be surprised to find out your government officials were tweeting? Would you approve? Well let the surprise end here, your government officials are in fact tweeting. After a presidential campaign in which social networking stole the show, there should be no wonder that over 2500 agencies and individuals in the public sector currently have a Twitter account.What is Twitter? According to

Informational Professional (Librarian) and Proud of It

2010-03-14T14:04:00.000-07:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, Reference LibrarianI am attending the South by Southwest Interactive Conference. I am fascinated with the breadth of knowlege of the panel presenters. I am in a presentation about the semantics called Beyond Algorithms: Search and the Semantic Web. This is heady talk. These guys and the one woman panelist are the best thinkers on search engine algorithms. But I keep

Google Scholar

2010-03-08T14:26:00.000-08:00

By Jessica R. Alexander, Reference LibrarianI am just beginning to use Google Scholar to perform legal research. My first impression is: wow! I was using the search engine to locate the source of the famous quote by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes using the word "penumbra." Using 'Oliver Wendell Holmes and penumbra as terms, I found an article in a law journal. When I clicked on the article the

Recent Acquisitions

2010-03-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

Defiant Dads: Father's Rights Activists in America, Jocelyn Elise Crowley , (Cornell University, 2008) and Courting Change: Queer Parents, Judges and the Transformation of American Family Law, Kimberly D. Richman, (New York University Press, 2009).By Jessica R. Alexander, Reference LibrarianWhen I saw the book cover for Defiant Dads, I thought of a quiet library patron with hurt in his eyes who

Library Hours

2010-02-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

The hours of the Fred Parks Law Library have returned to normal operating hours. The staff wishes all our graduates good luck on the bar exam!

A little Facebook decorum, please!

2010-02-26T14:37:00.000-08:00

I should preface this post by assuring you that in the context in which the following FB comment appeared, it was most certainly written in seriousness.

2010-02-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

Houston Area Law Librarians (HALL) is presenting a full-day seminar, "Legal Research Around the Globe," on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, here at South Texas College of Law. Students can attend at the member rate full day or half day. The State Bar of Texas has approved the program fro 5.50 hours of MLCE credit.The program will cover subjects such as international law practice, international tax law

Library acquires rare sixteenth-century treatise on Arbitration

2010-02-18T09:55:00.000-08:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianThe Special Collections Department is proud to announce the recent acquisition of a first edition Tractatus de compromissis, in quo omnia ad arbitrorum, by Camillo Borrello. Published in 1597, it is a treatise on arbitration and award in canon and Neapolitan feudal law. South Texas College of Law is one of four institutions in the United State

With Facebook friends like these...

2010-01-29T13:12:00.000-08:00

Gosh, Daisy sure seems like a nice girl. Do you---do you think she really likes me?The best part about this is that when I first received the request from this porn spam / identity theft bot, "she" had three friends. When I returned three minutes later to memorialize her for this blog post, she had 11. Of those 11, I'd bet six of these guys knew she was fake but figured "fuck it, at least now I

FDsys Search Strategies

2010-01-29T08:49:00.000-08:00

The Government Printing Office, the agency that publishes our nation's official documents, has almost completed its migration to FDsys, the new Federal Digital System that will ultimately replace the current GPO database of government publications, GPOAccess. The migration to FDsys was slated for completion at the end of 2009, but the date has been pushed back to April 2010. More content will

Who says the exodus to online journalism is dumbing down newspaper readership?

2010-01-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

I do. And apparently so does the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Faculty, staff and students can now access personal library accounts

2010-01-21T09:25:00.000-08:00

Access your library account from campus and home! You can now see everything you have checked out, renew your books, and save searches of your research interests online.· Access your account through Stella, the online catalog, from Stanley or the library's public home page.· Select login and enter your last name and your G number (with the G included).You will now be logged into your personal

Enjoy the thrilling adventure of escaping slavery--from the comfort of your own living room!

2010-01-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Monopoly? Not in this economy. Chutes & Ladders? Pfffft. Behold--Amazon.com has really hit a home run with this one!Kudos on the artwork too. The black silhouettes (complete with hobo stick) tip-toeing for their lives. Also note the celebratory dance of freedom (or perhaps she's just been shot). And what a raw deal for all those slaves who missed out on what appears to have been the "Caribbean

RALS 2010 at BYU

2010-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

Here is the info, with even more at this link.2010 Conference of Religiously Affilliated Law SchoolsJ. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young UniversityRoom 472Thursday, March 18, 20109:00-9:15 am IntroductionAssociate Dean Kif Augustine-Adams, BYU 9:15-10:15 am Plenary SessionH. Reese Hansen, President, Association of American Law Schools and Howard W. Hunter Professor Law, BYU 10:15-10:30 am

Senate Executive Documents & Reports

2010-01-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

A student approached the reference desk recently, trying to locate a Senate Executive Report. These reports contain committee recommendations regarding the ratification of proposed treaties, or recommendations on proposed nominations. Beginning in 1979 these reports were published in the Serial Set, but the document we needed was issued in the 90th Congress, 1968. To locate this older report,

Street sledding

2010-01-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

Proof that you don't have to be smart to be a lawyer (in case there was ever any doubt):

Civility and the Practice of Law

2010-01-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

by Heather Kushnerick, Special Collections LibrarianIn honor of the 20th anniversary of the Texas Lawyer’s Creed, materials from the Special Collections Department of The Fred Parks Law Library on legal ethics and professional responsibility will be on display in the library lobby until the end of April, 2010. Items on display include works by Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant, and Frederick Pollock

I'm BAAAAAAACK (for better or for worse)

2010-01-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

Although it is against my better professional judgment to once again take up the reigns of this rambling mess, I feel empty inside without it. Plus, the 120-character Twitter allotment isn't nearly enough room for the daily rants I have in my head.It's been quite a journey since I began this blog in January 2007 in an effort to distract myself from the idea of suicide while I waited my first

Thomas Jefferson and the Danbury Letter

2009-11-20T07:53:00.000-08:00

From the Government Documents department...In the first Thanksgiving proclamation, George Washington established November 26, 1798 as a day dedicated "to service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be." Read the full text of the proclamation here. Every president since has issued a similar proclamation -- expect for