| No. 482 | September 2003 |
In This Issue
Coping with Law School: A Selected Bibliography
Librarian Action Figure
Laptop Protection Tips
The Other Blue Book
Recent Acquisitions
Prisoner Drops In On Judge
Lockmiller Hit the Mark with Several Predictions
Law School Serves Spam as Main Course
Texas Puts Gutenberg Bible on Internet
Legal Research on Video
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey, London
By Ed Craig,
Reference Librarian
elcraig@samford.edu
Needing guidance for coping with law school? Searching for credible advice with studying for finals? Here are some books in the Law Library collection that are worth checking out:
ACING YOUR FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL: THE TEN STEPS TO SUCCESS YOU WON’T LEARN IN CLASS by Shana Connell Noyes and Henry S. Noyes (1999). KF283/.N69/Reserve. Authors include chapters giving advice on reading and briefing cases, using the Bluebook, general legal research, legal writing, using study aids, outlines, exam preparation and writing exam answers.
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN COLLEGE AND LAW SCHOOL: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS by Ruta K. Stropus and Charlotte D. Taylor (2001). KF283/.S77/Reserve. Chapters include advice on reading and briefing cases, notetaking, synthesizing cases, outlining, flowcharting, exam preparation and time management.
THE COMPLETE LAW SCHOOL COMPANION: HOW TO EXCEL AT AMERICA’S MOST DEMANDING POST-GRADUATE CURRICULUM, 2nd ed., by Jeff Deaver (1992). KF283/.D4/1992/Reserve. While the first few chapters are for those who are contemplating attending law school, the bulk of this work provides advice to entering law students. Chapters include “Daily Survival in the Classroom,” “How to Brief Cases,” “The Course Outline,” “Preparing for Exams,” “Taking Exams,” “Sample Exams,” and “Writing a Course Paper.”
CONQUERING LEGAL EXAMS: THE ART OF PREPARING FOR AND WRITING OUTSTANDING LEGAL EXAMS by David R. Simon (1994). KF283/.S65/Reserve. Short book on preparing for and taking final exams. Latter third of book provides sample exam questions, an outline of applicable law and a model answer.
THE EIGHT SECRETS OF TOP EXAM PERFORMANCE IN LAW SCHOOL: AN EASY-TO-USE, STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAM FOR ACHIEVING GREAT GRADES! by Charles H. Whitebread (1995) KF283/.W48/1995/Reserve. A short, easily read book telling how to outline and organize exam answers, use your exam time and spot issues. The appendix provides sample questions and model answers for first year subjects.
FIRST YEAR LAW SCHOOL SURVIVAL KIT by Jeff Adachi (1996). KF283/.A32/Reserve. Author, after initially giving brief descriptions of first year class subjects, provides an easily read chapter on preparing for class. The largest section of the book is devoted to giving advice on how to write essay answers for specific first year subjects (i.e., “How to Answer a Torts Problem”). “The Problem Solving Approaches” found in the latter fourth of the book provide short outlines of concepts for the first year class subjects.
FROM HERE TO ATTORNEY: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO EXCELLING IN LAW SCHOOL AND LAUNCHING YOUR LEGAL CAREER by Robert Arnett II, Arthur Coon and Michael DiGeronimo (1994). KF272/.A76/Reserve. This book contains sections dealing with getting into law school and finding legal employment, but also has chapters discussing the use of study aids, taking final exams and the significance of being a member of a law review. Appendices include sample course outlines, a sample formal brief, a class flowchart and sample exams with answers.
GETTING TO MAYBE: HOW TO EXCEL ON LAW SCHOOL EXAMS by Richard Michael Fischl and Jeremy Paul (1999). KF283/.F47/Reserve. Authors try to “tackle the exam process by breaking it down into discrete analytical components.” Two-thirds of this book provides an in-depth discussion of how to analyze issues and think like a lawyer. Latter third of the book includes chapters on preparing for and writing law exam answers along with a good FAQ chapter and some sample first year subject exam questions and model answers.
HOW TO DO YOUR BEST ON LAW SCHOOL EXAMS by John Delaney (1988). KF283/.D44/1988/Reserve. While this book is certainly not an easy read, it does provide extensive analysis on how to outline for your classes, identify issues, and write exam answers. Also includes sample exam problems and good and bad answers to these problems.
HOW TO MAKE IT THROUGH LAW SCHOOL: A GUIDE FOR MINORITY AND DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS by J.P. Davis (1982). KF283/.D38/Reserve. Author writes brief chapters on issues such as dealing with first-year law school trauma, teaching methods, study groups, briefing cases, legal reasoning, and preparing for and taking exams.
HOW TO STUDY LAW AND TAKE LAW EXAMS IN A NUTSHELL by Ann M. Burkhart and Robert A. Stein (1996). KF283/.B87/Reserve. Some of the more valuable chapters describe types of materials found in the Law Library, methods for preparing for class, outlining, study aids, how to prepare for and take the exam. The final third of the book provides exam questions for first year subjects and model answers.
HOW TO SUCCEED IN LAW SCHOOL, 3rd ed. by Gary A. Munneke (2001). KF283/.M86/2001/Reserve. Author provides an invaluable perspective in chapters 3 and 7 entitled “Understanding the Law School Experience” and “Avoiding the Pitfalls of Law School,” respectively. Other chapters well worth the reader’s time are “Studying the Law” and “Taking Exams.”
INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF LAW IN A NUTSHELL, 3rd ed. by Kenney Hegland (1995). KF273/.H4/2000/Reserve. The more valuable chapters in this book for freshmen include “Reading Cases,” “Briefing Cases,” “General Study Tips,” “More Stuff on Taking Exams,” “Fear and Loathing in the First Year,” “Mechanics of the Oral Argument,” “Legal Research,” “Legal Writing,”and several chapters providing an introduction to the litigation process.
LAW SCHOOL BASICS: A PREVIEW OF LAW SCHOOL AND LEGAL REASONING by David Hricik (2000). KF283/.H75/2000/Reserve. This author writes several easily-read chapters on basic concepts of learning the law. Chapters include discussions on “The Common Law Reasoning Process,” legal research, the American legal system, “Bluebooking,” “How Lawyers Write About Cases,” as well as examples of outlines for several courses.
LAW SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE LAW SCHOOL EXPERIENCE: BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS by Robert H. Miller (2000). KF283/.M55/Reserve. This is probably one of the better books giving advice on how to handle law school life. This is not a book discussing the technical aspects of writing or preparing for exams; rather, it is more like a best friend’s discussion on how to get through law school and also find clerking jobs.
LEARNING LAW: THE MASTERY OF LEGAL LOGIC by Sheldon Margulies and Kenneth Lasson (1993). KF273/.M37/Reserve. Author’s purpose is to explain basic legal principles to entering freshmen law students, with most examples centering on the subject of torts.
LEARNING THE LAW: SUCCESS IN LAW SCHOOL AND BEYOND by Steven J. Frank (1992). KF283/.F73/Reserve. Chapter 1 provides a good introduction to the structure of U.S. legal institutions. Chapters 2 through 5 introduce the reader to different aspects of legal reasoning; pretty in-depth reading, however. Chapter 7 provides some specific, though dated, recommendations on commercial study aids for the law student.
MAXIMIZING THE LAW SCHOOL EXPERIENCE II (2000). KF273/.M3/2000/Reserve. This special issue of Stetson Law Review is an update of the 1983 Stetson publication designed to “provide entering law students with the knowledge and confidence to grasp the many opportunities that a legal education yields.” Sections include “Insights on Legal Education,” “Developing Analytical Abilities,” “Gaining Lawyering Skills,” “Building Relationships,” and “Life After Law School.”
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WRITING LAW SCHOOL ESSAY EXAMS by John C. Dernbach (2001). KF283/.D47/Reserve. This is a short book designed to “keep you focused on the most important things you need to know” to be successful in writing an exam, according to the author. Chapters include “Knowing Your Reader,” “Preparing to Write,” “Writing Your Essay,” and “Explaining Your Analysis.” The author also provides a few sample questions with answers.
SLAYING THE LAW SCHOOL DRAGON: HOW TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN FIRST YEAR LAW SCHOOL, 2nd ed. by George Roth (1991). KF283/.R68/1991/Reserve. Chapters include “How to Prepare for the Semester,” “How to Study for Class,” “How to Read a Case,” “How to Study for Exams,” “How to Answer Exam Questions,” and “How to Write a Brief.” The book also gives a quick review on the first year class subjects.
STARTING OFF RIGHT IN LAW SCHOOL by Carolyn J. Nygren (1997). KF273/.N97/Reserve. Author states that his purpose in writing the book was twofold: to provide a very basic understanding of the legal system and to describe techniques of studying and exam preparation which can prove successful. The book is fairly short and is easily read.
SUCCESS IN LAW SCHOOL: EXAM TAKING TECHNIQUES by Charles H. Whitebread (1989). KF285/.Z9/W3/Reserve. Author includes chapters on dealing with intimidation, allocating time during the exam, reading the question, organizing an answer, analyzing legal issues and writing the exam. Appendix includes sample exam questions with steps involved in answering the question.
SURVIVING THE FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL by Ralph Canada, Charles Cheatham and Tony Licata (1978). KF283/.C36/ Reserve. Very readable, this book provides advice on buying study aids, briefing cases, answering when called upon in class, taking notes in class, moot court, and preparing for and taking exams.
WRITE THE “A” LAW EXAM ANSWER by Betty Brody (1988). KF283/.B76/Reserve. 54 page book gives advice on reading, analyzing and answering exam questions. Provides sample questions and their answers for first year subjects.
[This bibliography is an update of one that appeared in the October 2002 issue of Check It Out http://lawlib.samford.edu/cio.]
Have you heard about Archie McPhee and Company's new Librarian Action Figure depicting a librarian who moves her index finger to her lips and makes a shushing sound? A more likely question: Can she take food and drinks out of a study carrel?
By Grace Simms,
Computer Services Librarian
glsimms@samford.edu
It seems every day there is a new virus or a new Microsoft patch. Last year, Microsoft released over 70 critical updates. It is extremely important to keep computers updated. Students with Windows 98, 2000, ME, or XP laptops or desktop computers should all have the latest Microsoft critical update as well as virus protection such as Norton or McAfee.
Law students have free access to McAfee while enrolled in law school. The McAfee program as well as new virus definitions may be accessed while using a laptop on campus. The web site is blocked from use off campus. Before installing McAfee, please be sure no other virus protection is installed. Installing McAfee while another virus protection program is on the computer will cause many conflicts.
The web site to download McAfee is: http://www.samford.edu/busafair/cts/support/windowsvirus.htm.
WIN98/ME/2000 users should all choose to download McAfee 4.5.1. WINXP users should choose McAfee 7.
If you are afraid you have a virus, go this site: http://www.samford.edu/busafair/cts/support/Blaster_Worm%20Virus%20Fix.htm.
There are some helpful removal tools there.
It is also very important to keep Windows updated as well. The computer should display a message when updates are available. If not, it may be done manually.
It is necessary to use the Internet Explorer browser for these updates.
The link for Microsoft updates is: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp.
Click on Scan For Updates.
Microsoft will then look for critical updates for the computer.
A list of critical updates will appear.
Click on Review and install updates.
Then click the Install Now button and follow the directions.
You may be asked to restart your computer.
Repeat this procedure as some updates will not run with other updates.
If help is needed with any of the above, contact Grace Simms, Computer Services Librarian at 726-2687 or glsimms@samford.edu.
By Ed Craig,
Reference Librarian
elcraig@samford.edu
From almost day one of law school, students hear about THE BLUE BOOK: A UNIFORM SYSTEM OF CITATION. However, there is another “Blue Book,” the NATIONAL REPORTER BLUE BOOK (First Floor, shelf 165), that can be quite useful to legal researchers. When do you need it? On occasion, you will have access to regional reporter volumes and a sole state reporter citation, lacking the parallel citation to a regional reporter. (Keep in mind, however, that the Regional Reporter System did not commence until the 1880's, so most Nineteenth Century decisions will not have a regional reporter citation. Also, decisions with no state or regional reporter citation may be officially “unpublished,” though they may appear online through WESTLAW or LEXIS.) While there are various ways of finding the parallel regional cites (including SHEPARD’S and the “Table of Cases” volumes of the jurisdictionally-appropriate digest), the NATIONAL REPORTER BLUEBOOK is the most direct way of doing so in print format. This publication provides tables, arranged alphabetically by state and reporter name, which allow you to look up a state reporter’s volume number and first page of a case to determine the regional reporter citation. Hard-bound supplements are published every ten years (2000 latest edition) with annual paperback updates.
If you have any questions concerning this set, contact a reference librarian.
Barron, Jerome A. CONSTITUTIONAL LAW IN A NUTSHELL. 5th ed. KF4550/.Z9/B35/2003
Burke, Karen C. FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION OF CORPORATIONS AND STOCKHOLDERS IN A NUTSHELL. 5th ed. KF6465/.S58/2003.
Chow, Daniel C.K. THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA IN A NUTSHELL. KNQ68/.C46.
Covington, Robert N. EMPLOYMENT LAW IN A NUTSHELL. 2nd ed. KF3455/.Z9/C69/2002.
Israel, Jerold H. CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS IN A NUTSHELL. 6th ed. KF9619.3/.I8/2001.
Lowe, John S. OIL AND GAS LAW IN A NUTSHELL. 4th ed. KF1850/.L68/2003.
Oesterle, Dale A. MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS IN A NUTSHELL. KF1477/.Z9/O34.
Reynolds, William L. JUDICIAL PROCESS IN A NUTSHELL. 3rd ed. KF8700/.Z9/R4/2003.
Streib, Victor L. DEATH PENALTY IN A NUTSHELL. KF9227/.C2/S78.
An inmate found himself before a judge sooner than he expected when he fell through the courthouse ceiling into the judge's chambers while trying to escape, police said.
Ben N. Rogozensky, 31, was one of about a dozen inmates awaiting hearings Monday when he was taken to the empty jury room to speak with his attorney.
The inmate asked to go into the adjacent restroom and from there climbed into the ceiling crawl space, DeKalb County sheriff's spokeswoman Mikki Jones said.
State Court Judge J. Antonio DelCampo was in the courtroom when the barefoot Rogozensky fell through the ceiling and landed near the judge's desk in his chambers.
A technician who was fixing the judge's computer called for security officers, who grabbed Rogozensky in the hallway.
Prisoner Drops In On Judge at http://www.cbsnews.com (Sept. 9, 2003).
[David Lockmiller was a 1929 graduate of Cumberland. The article listed below appeared in The Tennessean, September 11, 2002.]
Hermitage resident David Lockmiller, who recently celebrated his 96th birthday, has published his seventh book, This, That, and the Other, a collection of articles, book reviews and addresses he wrote throughout his career.
Lockmiller, an attorney, was the president of the University of Chattanooga, now University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, from 1942 to 1959. As a representative of the United States, he was designated in1953 by the State Department to visit colleges and universities in the Far East, and he has received numerous honors in the field of education.
Although at the time he had no intention of publishing a book, Lockmiller saved copies of his various writings.
As his 96th birthday was approaching, Lockmiller said, "I realized I had a short time to live.
"I had to dispose of some of my things, throw them away or give them away."
So he published them, instead.
Lockmiller said he chose to change from a law career to a career in education because of the Great Depression.
"People didn't have any money. How could you collect when people didn't have anything?"
Although several of his articles and speeches concentrate on significant moments and figures in political, legal and military history, the majority deal with issues within the educational system.
A recurring theme in his writings on the educational system is how the university plays a role in teaching social responsibility and "strength of character." He also emphasized the importance of thinking independently.
In his 1944 article Living After the War, Lockmiller was on target with several of his predictions of what would happen in the post-World War II era. Such examples include how a "racial friction" that would follow the war would ease; technological and scientific advances would result in "television; radar ... ; plastics; light metals; pre-fabricated houses, synthetic foods, drinks, (and) clothing"; and changes would "emanate from Washington under the police power, the taxing power, and the power to regulate interstate and foreign commerce."
He talked about how "the effects of the 'managerial revolution,' chain store merchandising, and a 'people's capitalism' will force a revision of our thinking in terms of classes." And he predicted much of America would become "money minded - each possessing wants oftentimes beyond its means."
He also anticipated "a 'cultural lag' resulting from the war, psychological dislocations, adult and juvenile delinquency ... and the increasing tempos of modern life."
In his predictions, Lockmiller said he simply "described conditions as I saw them at that time."
Lockmiller's life could, perhaps, be summed up in a phrase he enjoyed sharing with others.
"Education is not preparation for life - it is life," he wrote.
The John Marshall Law School in Chicago plans what colleagues agree may be the first law school course of its kind--one devoted entirely to spam.
Law students at Chicago's John Marshall Law School are getting a new dose of spam--on their course schedule.
The spam serving comes courtesy of John Marshall associate professor David Sorkin, who's offering what he and his peers say may be the first law school course devoted to the subject of unsolicited commercial e-mail. "This seminar will investigate legal and policy issues raised by e-mail marketing and spam," Sorkin wrote in describing the summer seminar, titled "Current Topics in Information Technology Law: Regulation of Spam and E-mail Marketing." "Topics to be addressed include litigation and legislation involving spam and e-mail marketing; the application of tort law and other traditional doctrines to spam; concerns related to constitutionality, jurisdiction, extraterritoriality, privacy, content and public policy; regulatory perspectives; issues faced by Internet service providers and legitimate e-mail marketers; legal aspects of blacklisting and other antispam measures; and other relevant issues."
Law School Serves Spam as Main Course, at http://www.cnetnews.com (June 2, 2003).
The University of Texas has put its entire two-volume Gutenberg Bible on the Internet, making it easier for scholars and the public to browse one of the world's most valuable books.
"Just as Johann Gutenberg made knowledge more accessible with the invention of the printing process, this digitization project continues that legacy," said Richard Oram, head librarian at the university's Harry Ransom Center, one of the world's top cultural archives.
The Ransom Center edition is not the first to go digital. Gutenberg Bibles in England and Japan already have been posted on the Internet and the Library of Congress has one available on CD-ROM, Oram said.
However, Ransom Center officials think their copy is the best of the lot, calling it the most-used version still in existence.
Gutenberg's Bible revolutionized printing in Western civilization. Printed in Mainz, Germany, in the 1450s, the books were the first major Western book printed from movable type.
According to the Ransom Center, only about 200 were produced and only 48 copies exist today, each one of them unique since local artisans were hired to illuminate the letters opening each book.
The Ransom Center acquired its two-volume copy, which includes some illuminations in gold leaf, in 1978. Oram estimated the copy, which is 1,268 pages in two volumes, is worth up to $20 million.
The Texas Gutenberg was used in monasteries in southern Germany as late as the 1760s. It was marked up by monks who scratched out some passages and corrected others. Other markings indicate which sections were to be read aloud or reserved for church services.
"Our copy is the most interesting in the world," Oram said.
One top scholar agreed.
"This is probably the most extensively annotated and corrected copy surviving," said Paul Needham of Princeton University's Scheide Library. "This is a very great treasure."
Needham said the online access, and the soon-to-be-developed high resolution CD-ROM, will be a boon to scholars who want to look at the Bible without traveling to Austin where it is enclosed in temperature- controlled glass and under the watch of 24-hour security.
Ransom Center staff began digitally scanning the Bible's linen pages in June 2002. The finished project gives web viewers 7,000 images and special software was used to allow for full visibility of the text and illuminations.
The Harry Ransom Center and its Bible are online at hrc.utexas.edu.
Texas Puts Gutenberg Bible on Internet, at http://www.usatoday.com (July 23, 2003).
Legal Research on Video
By Brenda Jones,
Reference Librarian
bljones@samford.edu
To hone research skills, consider the video series Legal Research for the 21st Century by Robert C. Berring, an expert in the field. Professor Berring is presently Interim Dean at the University of California Law School, and author of many books including How to Find the Law. Each tape runs roughly one hour. Throughout the series, Professor Berring advises students to think functionally. In other words, try to understand the nature of the research tool whether the format is print or electronic. As described below, the series has five programs on fundamental research skills, and four on specialized topics.
VT-178. Basics. This overview is ideal for law students, paralegals, foreign attorneys, or others encountering American legal resources for the first time. Professor Berring discusses casebooks, hornbooks, nutshells, and other study aids. He explains the state and federal legal system, and the impact of common law and legislation. The program closes with a thorough discussion of the nature and components of reported decisions.
VT-179. Case Finding and the Future of Case Publication. In this tape, learn how to harness the power of the digest system in print and online. Students also gain insight into basic principles of Boolean and natural language searching. In closing, Professor Berring predicts future trends in legal publishing.
VT-180. Citators and Secondary Source Research. Professor Berring explains the importance of citators and how to use them. He also explores the role of secondary resources in conducting efficient legal research.
VT-181. Statutes, Legislative History and Administrative Materials. This tape provides a clear overview of statutory and administrative primary law. Moreover, Professor Berring demystifies the often daunting task of researching legislative history.
VT-182. Legal Research on the Internet and Research Strategies. After identifying selected web sites, Professor Berring emphasizes the importance of evaluating the quality, timeliness, and reliability of Internet resources. Today, individual researchers bear greater responsibility to figure out what information is reliable. Whether using print or electronic resources, all researchers can benefit from Professor Berring’s expert tips for efficient legal research. For advanced research techniques, try these tapes on special topics. Marci Hoffman, International & Foreign Law Librarian at Berkeley, joins Professor Berring on the foreign and international law programs.
VT-197. International Law.
VT-198. Foreign Law.
VT-199. Intellectual Property Law.
VT-200. Environmental Law. Ask for videos at the Circulation Desk by VT number. Patrons may view videos in the library’s multimedia room any time a librarian is on duty. Groups of two to six law students may borrow a TV and VCR for use in a conference room. Typically, law students may check videos out of the library for 24 hours.
For fascinating accounts of trials in early English criminal courts, visit the Old Bailey Proceedings Online Project. Presently, the web site contains about 45,000 trials from 1714 to 1799, with more to come. Search the proceedings by keyword, name, type of crime, and other criteria. This cooperative project includes a wealth of historical and legal background. The proceedings cover a wide range of cases, even one for disturbing the peace over improper service of tea!
One more issue of CHECK IT OUT will be published this semester. If you have any ideas or suggestions as to ways we can improve, contact Becky Hutto at rmhutto@samford.edu. We welcome new ideas!