LLRX.com - Legal Research

Negotiating Justice: The New Constitutional Spectrum of Plea Bargaining

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:45:51 -0700

Ken Strutin focuses on the impact of the Supreme Court's decisions in Missouri v. Frye and Lafler v. Cooper, and the upcoming appeal in Burt v. Titlow in regard to placing plea bargaining front and center on the national stage. As a result, they have divided practitioners and scholars into two camps: (1) those who consider the rulings to be a new statement in the law of plea bargaining and right to effective assistance of counsel; and (2) those who believe they are only a restatement of established principles. These cases have generated interest in the centrality and regulation of plea bargaining, the ethics and effectiveness of defense counsel as negotiator, the oversight of prosecutors regarding charging decisions, sentence recommendations and pre-trial discovery, and the scope of federal habeas corpus review and remedies. Ken's article is a comprehensive annotated guide to high court opinions, scholarship and commentary regarding the themes addressed by the Supreme Court in Lafler and Frye as well as their implications for the administration of criminal justice.

What is Open Source?

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:32:00 -0700

In the past few years, the term open source has been bandied about not just in library-land, but in every industry. When a term is talked about this much, some would say to the point of overuse, people start to think it's a fad. In this and upcoming articles, Nicole C. Engard is here on LLRX to tell you that open source is no fad, and why.

For the New Law Firm Librarian: A Conversation Between Two Veterans

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:10:33 -0700

Elaine Billingslea Dockens and Karen Krupka, each of whom has over 20 years of law librarian experience, discuss the field of law librarianship, and key issues and factors that new law librarians are likely to encounter as they enter this unique, and still vital profession.

FIT for Purpose – The New FLARE Index to Treaties

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:20:58 -0700

Dr. Peter Clinch and Steven Whittle describe the background development, various ways in which the service can be used, and technical issues of this fully searchable database. Launched in March 2009, it indexes and lists over 1,500 of the most significant multilateral treaties concluded from 1856 onwards. It was conceived to fill a gap in the range of information finding tools available on the internet for the international lawyer.

E-Discovery Update: Pushing Back Against Hardcopy ESI Productions

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:59:17 -0700

Conrad J. Jacoby addresses how critical technology issues related to document authenticity and document-associated metadata have left fewer lawyers willing to accept e-mail messages and other electronic documents in print format. He argues that litigants choosing to produce electronically stored information in hardcopy format should be prepared to provide more complete electronic copies of their production, even when it isn’t initially requested by opposing counsel.

FOIA Facts: Expanding the FOIA

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:49:02 -0700

Scott A. Hodes highlights the recent introduction of legislation that would eliminate the FOIA shield for the Smithsonian Institute, and the continued lack of transparency when dealing with other federal agencies.

The Personal Information Trainer

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 01:00:00 -0700

Stuart Basefsky documents how the Personal Information Trainer can become a unique employee benefit written into the employment contract of key individuals deemed to be essential to the success of a firm or institution. This concept is useful to human resource managers, libraries, and the institutions they serve. This article provides the fundamental concepts and constructs necessary to implement such a program with an emphasis on why and how this should be done.

Cultural Challenges in Cross Border Mediation

Tue, 30 Oct 2007 23:34:46 -0700

Vikrant Singh Negi discusses how the role of cultural differences are crucial in cross border mediation. Although an individual's nationality does not necessarily determine the attitudes and behavior brought to the table, it can provide valuable guidelines as to which negotiation strategies are likely to work and which are likely to end in failure.

Criminal Justice Resources: Sex Offender Laws

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:00:00 -0700

Ken Strutin's guide, which highlights key publications and resources, focuses on recent developments in the administration and implementation of federal laws. In addition, selected research on sex offenses, risk assessment, treatment and punishment are noted, along with a section on the new Adam Walsh Act.

The Government Domain: Tracking Federal Dollars

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:45:31 -0700

Peggy Garvin reviews the strengths, weaknesses and range of source material offered by several free online federal contracts and awards information databases.

Reference from Coast to Coast: Stalking and Finding the Full-Text Article

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:55:33 -0700

Jan Bissett and Margi Heinen discuss a successful strategy for locating hard to find articles using a range of sources, including directories, online catalogs, specialized databases, commercial websites, and academic document delivery services.

FOIA Facts: Are Ombudsman The Answer?

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:20:28 -0700

Scott A. Hodes maintains that there are pros and cons to setting up an ombudsman’s office, and the overall scheme may not be the answer in resolving the number of disputes that arise in the disclosure of public records.

CongressLine by GalleryWatch.com: The Capitol of Newspapers

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:59:14 -0700

Paul Jenks provides background, perspective and insight into the audience, content and role of a trio of newspapers of record for what he calls the "most inherently partisan institution in the country." These papers, available in print and online versions, are significant resources for anyone tracking the Hill and Congress.

The Goverment Domain: GovTrack and OpenCongress Go Beyond THOMAS

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:55:41 -0700

Peggy Garvin explores the evolution in the features and services provided by GovTrack, the free, public, independent web service with information on federal legislation, congressional documents, legislators, and votes. She also profiles a site with complementary content on lobbying activity and campaign contributions.

Commentary: Labor Protections and the Role of Card-Check Agreements

Sun, 18 Mar 2007 17:39:57 -0700

Beth Wellington reviews the background and legislation associated with card check-off campaigns to establish union representation, as well as the current political and corporate positions.