Articles Posted in General Legal Research Resources

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How Did We Answer That?

We had a patron whose mother died in Kentucky. This was during the pandemic so travel from Oregon to Kentucky was not very practical. His sister still lived in the area, so he contacted us asking for ideas on how to help his sister with the estate. He wanted to do some research on finding a lawyer, being an executor of the will, and if there was anything he could do to help remotely.

Even though he was interested in Kentucky procedures, there were still some things we could point him to here in our library that he could read and let his sister know about. There are many NOLO books (which both law libraries and public libraries usually carry) dealing with wills and estate planning. Since NOLO books are not state specific these were a good primer for the patron and his sister. In Oregon we have access to NOLO books online thanks to the State of Oregon Law Library. A public library may have information about a similar problem in another state.

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How did we answer that? #NeighborLaw #FenceReplacement

We had a patron come in asking if a neighbor could compel the other neighbor to pay for half a fence. According to our patron, there was an old fence on the property line but it wasn’t in bad condition and didn’t need replacing. However, the neighbor replaced the fence without talking to our patron and now wants our patron to pay for half of the cost. Our patron was wondering what their rights were and if they would have to pay.

So, how did we help? Most of the situation our patron was describing was around the subject of neighbor law. We started our patron on the Nolo book called Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise. Nolo Press titles are excellent resources because they present legal information with easy to read and understand language. While they are not Oregon specific, they provide a good foundation for further research if needed. They also explain legal language and terms so that when using more technical resources, it makes those more understandable. Nolo titles are available in many law libraries and public libraries as well as through the State of Oregon Law Library as ebooks.

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We were recently asked about finding previous versions of the Oregon Administrative Rules and the Oregon Bulletin.

The Oregon Administrative Rules Compilation is an annual online publication containing complete text of Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) effective January 1 of the compilation year. The Secretary of State ceased print publication after 2017.

The Oregon Bulletin is a monthly online supplement containing rule text adopted or amended as well as Notices of Proposed Rule­making and Rulemaking Hearing. The Bulletin also includes certain non-OAR items when they are submitted, such as Executive Orders of the Governor and Opinions of the Attorney General (Oregon Bulletin, 2017).

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Our Oregon Historical Society, and its Oregon Encyclopedia, commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the President’s Executive Order 9066 (2/19/1942).

Visit the OHS Oregon Encyclopedia for this and other documents on the incarceration of Japanese people during World War 2. (Use the Explore tab for an A to Z index.)

Primary Source documents: Overview: Japanese American Wartime Incarceration in Oregon

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Librarians advocate reading widely, especially outside one’s usual fields of interest or even research. (This is the opposite of what most “social media” (aka anti-social media) forces on their customers.)

I came across the phrase “blinded by guilt” in a lighthearted mystery novel and when I did a random search for the phrase, I came across the following article in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. (The “Butt-dialing the devil” article was just a bonus, listed in the “recommended articles” sidebar. Remember this rule: Always Read the Whole Screen.”

Litigators, civil and criminal, and litigants might find some value in the research, if only to store away for future reference.

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The Washington County Law Library now offers eBook access to a variety of legal titles, including some key Oregon legal research materials. The pilot project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.

County residents can sign up for access to the eBooks via the Law Library’s website and can contact the Law Library’s “Virtual Information Desk” with any questions. After the initial sign up, the Law Library’s eBooks may be accessed online or by using the LexisNexis Digital Library app from the app store.

Located in downtown Hillsboro, the Washington County Law Library strives to enhance equal access to justice by making sure legal information, resources and tools are available and accessible to everyone. As stated by Law Librarian Lee Van Duzer, “We’re really pleased to be able to make these materials more available to the public. Now people have another way to find the resources they need to be successful in whatever legal challenges they’re facing.”

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Tort Law:

The American Museum of Tort Law has opened up a virtual tour option. The tour will make you a little dizzy and it’s not as user-friendly as one might want, but it’s not bad. I recommend starting with an exploration of the Tort Museum’s website, then clicking on the Online Tour link, and then trying out the Virtual Tour.

Among other tort law history exhibits at the museum, you can read about the “Hot Coffee” case, its persistent myth, and the documentary “Hot Coffee,” which I blogged about in 2011.

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Ken Svengalis, former Rhode Island State Law Librarian, is celebrating the publication of the 25th edition of his unique and invaluable buying guide:

“Legal Information Buyer’s Guide and Reference Manual” (2021 edition)

Purchasing and other information is at the New England Law Press website.

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“The Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale Law School is hosting this Virtual Symposium on Citation and the Law – April 22 and 23, 2021.

This FREE symposium will highlight the scholarship of law librarians and faculty interested in issues ranging from the US News and World Reports rankings for scholarly productivity, to link rot, to empirical research in the use of citations, and more. Keynote speaker Fred Shapiro will set the stage with his paper “The Most-Cited Legal Scholars Revisited” to be published in the University of Chicago Law Review. All the papers will be published in a book by the Hein Company….”

Link to the schedule and registration page from Symposium on Citation and the Law.

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Ring in 2021 with Law Library of Congress U.S. Law Webinars

Orientation to Legal Research: U.S. Case Law: Date: Thursday, January 14, 2021, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST

Orientation to Law Library Collections: Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

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