Success in Law School

First year students, take note! If it hasn't already, the fog will soon begin to lift and you will realize that you are on this journey called law school. Even though the first few weeks may make you wonder whether you have been plucked from earth and deposited on some alien planet, remember that at Hamline there are many people who are here to help you succeed, especially your professors and the law library staff!

From the Law School Academic Support Blog comes an article by Professor Rogelio Lasso on The Process of Law School Success. Read the article here.

More Advice for 1L Students

CALI's Pre-Law Blog is an interesting compilation of advice written by law professors and students. The advice ranges from study techniques to how to manage the stress of law school.

Another place to get information about the 1L experience right here at Hamline is on the Law Library's home page. Look for the link Library Orientation for First-Year Law Students on the right hand side of the page. The library staff has compiled a list of law school terminology, a guide to using the law library, and lists of books that take you beyond the case books and give you survival strategies for law school.

And don't forget about the CALI podcasts--a great way to listen to law lectures during drive time!

How to Read a Judicial Opinion

An essay by Orin Kerr of George Washington University Law School is being recommended highly by a number of people. The essay, How to Read a Judicial Opinion: A Guide for New Law Students, explains the structure of judicial opinions, gives tips about what to look for in opinions, and also talks about the case method and why law schools use it.

Thanks to Law Dawg Blawg for this tip.

FREE CALI CDs Available to Students

The 2006-2007 CALI CD has over 625 interactive lessons and tutorials on many of your favorite law school subjects! Over the years countless law school students have used CALI lessons to help them do better in law school.

In addition to the CALI CD, CALI lessons are available online at www.cali.org. Contact Barb Kallusky at bkallusky01@hamline.edu or ask one of the reference librarians for the access code to use the online lessons.

Hamline law students can pick up their FREE CALI CD at the Library circulation desk.

Laurence Tribe Weighs in on Presidential Signing Statement Debate

Laurence Tribe has posted his views on the presidential signing statement debate on the Balkinization blog. Read it here.

Source: Law Librarian Blog

Net Neutrality. What is it and why should you care?

The Internet has long been a level playing field in terms of transferring the information it carries. Everyone has equal access to the Internet superhighway. Some (large telecommunications companies for the most part) are now trying to get the Internet regulated so that some information will pass through it unhindered or slowed by all the other information on the Internet superhighway. Think of it as a passing lane for those who can afford to drive on it. A couple of weeks ago, the Law Librarian Blog posted an explanation (made on The Daily Show) of how the Internet might work if the bill passed by the House in May and the one being considered by the Senate becomes law.

Net neutrality has become a major issue as the U.S. Congress considers new telecommunications laws. In May, the U.S. House passed its telecommunications bill, H.R. 5252 without net neutrality protections. The Senate is now considering the issue. On June 28, the Senate Commerce Committee passed its version of the telecom bill, S. 2686. An amendment to the bill that would have protected net neutrality failed on an 11-11 tie vote. This means that the Senate is now gearing up for a major fight about net neutrality.

If you want to learn more about this issue, see where your Senators stand on it, or participate in a grassroots effort to combat what some are calling a challenge to the First Amendment rights of all Americans who use the Internet, see savetheinternet.com.

Presidential Use of Signing Statements-Debate Continues

The BarclayBlog has alerted us to a post on the Georgetown Law Faculty Blog about presidential signing statements. Eight legal scholars, all of whom have served in the Office of Legal Counsel, have co-written a post about the use of presidental signing statements by the Bush Administration. Anyone who is following this debate, and particularly those who have read the ABA recommendation on this subject that was posted about on July 24 in this blog, will be interested in reading the Georgetown Law Faculty post.

Supreme Court Term Overview

Georgetown University Law Center has published its overview of the Supreme Court's October 2005 Term. This interesting overview contains information about the term, the justices, how the justices' votes aligned, a digest of decisions, summaries of high profile cases, and a list of cases to watch in 2006. You can read the overview here.

Source: V.U. Lawcity

Moussaoui Trial Exihibits Now Online

Almost all of the exhibits used in the trial of U.S. v. Moussaoui have been posted online. Some exhibits include images or sound recording that may be disturbing for some people, and come with the warning "Viewer discretion is advised" or "Listener discretion is advised." View the exhibits here.

Source: Law Librarian Blog