Legal News

Legal News Resources

November 29, 2023 by Julie Tedjeske Crane

Did you know that Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law all provide access to legal news resources? Below are brief overviews explaining how to access legal news on each service.

In addition to these legal news resources, you also have access to a variety of general news resources, including complementary access to the digital versions of the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Jump to: Westlaw Today | Law360 on Lexis+ | Bloomberg Law News

Westlaw Today

Screenshot of Westlaw Today

Westlaw Today provides legal news stories from several sources, including Reuters, The Hill, CQ Roll Call, Practical Law, and JD Supra. It also includes news and in-depth attorney analysis pieces unique to the site.

You can find Westlaw Today by clicking on the arrow next to the Westlaw Precision logo. By default, Westlaw Today displays the day’s top news stories, but you can filter to show stories related to a specific practice area.

Westlaw Today lets you choose from different topic-oriented daily email news feeds. One nice feature is that you can group all the topics you subscribe to into one email (as opposed to receiving separate emails for each one). You can also get company-specific email alerts, breaking news alerts, and The Daily Docket. The Daily Docket not only provides information on law firms and general legal news but also highlights recent notable decisions.

How to Access Westlaw Today ▼

1. Select the down caret next to the Westlaw Precision logo at the top left side of the screen.

Select the down caret next to the Westlaw Precision logo at the top left side of the screen.

2. Next, select Westlaw Today.

Next, select Westlaw Today.

3. The main Westlaw Today page shows you the top news stories. To see the news related to a particular topic, tab over to Practice Areas and make your selection.

The main Westlaw Today page shows you the top news stories. To see the news related to a particular topic, tab over to Practice Areas and make your selection.

4. Here is the Appellate Practice Area page.

Here is the Appellate Practice Area Page

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How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. While you are in Westlaw Today, select Manage subscription to sign up for email newsletters.

While you are in Westlaw Today, select Manage subscription to sign up for email newsletters.

2. Enter your email address.

Enter your email address.

3. Make your selections and Save.

Remember that you can combine several topics into a single daily email. You can also follow a company. Finally, you can select Breaking News and The Daily Docket.

Make your selections and save.

List of Newsletters▼

Available email newsletters
Antitrust	Environment	White Collar Crime
Appellate	Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits	Civil Rights
Bankruptcy	Finance & Banking	COVID-19
Blockchain & Digital Assets	Health Law	Legal Industry
Cannabis	Immigration	Legal Innovation
Capital Markets	Insurance Law	On the Move
Class Actions & Multi-District Litigation	Intellectual Property	Public Policy
Corporate Counsel	Litigation
Corporate Governance	Mergers & Acquisitions
Data Privacy	Products Liability
Employment	Securities Enforcement & Litigation
Energy	Tax

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Law360 on Lexis+

Law360 provides legal news, analysis, and commentary on over 60 practice areas, industries, and topics. Jurisdiction-specific feeds are available, including a feed dedicated to Pennsylvania. Other special feeds cover tax, employment, insurance, and real estate.

You can access Law360 using the product selector cube in Lexis+. You can view the latest news on the main page or switch to a newsletter tailored to a particular topic.

How to Access Law360 ▼

1. Click on the Product Selector cube.

Click on the Product Selector cube.

2. Select Law360.

Select Law 360.

3. This is the main Law360 screen, which shows the top news stories. To see a subject-specific page, click on See All Sections.

This is the main Law360 screen, which shows the top news stories. To see a subject-specific page, click on See All Sections.

4. Here is the list of available newsletters.

Here is the list of available newsletters. Remember that you cannot access the full text of the stories via Law360 if you are off campus. However, you can look for the stories in the Legal News Hub in Lexis+. Most stories appear there within a day or two of being posted in Law360

How to Access the Lexis+ Legal News Hub ▼

1. From the main Lexis+ page, select Legal News Hub.

Click on newsStand

2. Here is the Legal News Hub. You can do a keyword search or select All Sections to see a list of subject-oriented news feeds.

Here is the Legal News Hub. You can do a keyword search or select All Sections to see a list of subject-oriented news feeds.

How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. Click on Newsletters in Law360.

Click on Newsletters in Law360.

2. Provide your email address and then make your selections. You will also need to save at the bottom of the screen by clicking Sign Up Now.

Provide your email address and then make your selections. You will also need to Save at the bottom of the screen by clicking Sign Up Now.

List of Newsletters ▼

Available email newsletters
Access to Justice	Aerospace & Defense	California
Appellate	Asset Management	Colorado
Bankruptcy	Banking	Connecticut
Benefits	Cannabis	Delaware
Capital Markets	Construction	Florida
Class Action	Energy	Georgia
Commercial Contracts	Fintech	Illinois
Competition	Food & Beverage	Massachusetts
Compliance	Health	Michigan
Consumer Protection	Hospitality	New Jersey
Corporate	Life Sciences	New York
Cybersecurity & Privacy	Media & Entertainment	North Carolina
Employment	Private Equity	Ohio
Environmental	Real Estate	Pennsylvania
Government Contracts	Retail & E-Commerce	Texas
Immigration	Sports & Betting	Washington
Insurance	Technology
Intellectual Property	Telecommunications
International Arbitration	Transportation
International Trade
Legal Ethics
Mergers & Acquisitions
Native American
Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice
Product Liability
Project Finance
Public Policy
Securities
Trials
White Collar

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Bloomberg Law News

There are more than 45 subject-based channels available on Bloomberg Law News. In-depth consideration of legal and regulatory developments and trends is provided by Bloomberg Law Analysis. Both news and analysis can be delivered via email newsletters.

In addition to the subject-based channels, Bloomberg Law provides access to U.S. Law Week, which is a popular general legal news resource which also provided in-depth information on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Bloomberg Law News can be found by selecting News & Analysis from the Browse menu on the left side of the screen. Sign up by clicking the Subscribe to Newsletter link at the top of the page in a subject-based feed.

How to Access Bloomberg Law News ▼

1. Click on Bloomberg Law News under Featured or News & Analysis at the top of the screen (and then select Bloomberg Law News).

Click on Bloomberg Law News under Featured or News & Analysis at the top of the screen.

2. To see a list of subject-specific news feeds, click on the caret.

To see a list of subject-specific news feeds, click on the caret.

3. Click on Crypto to see that specific news feed.

Click on Crypto to see that specific news feed.

4. This is an example of a subject-specific news page.

This is an example of a subject-specific news page.

How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. Select Subscribe to Newsletters from the home page.

Make sure that you are signed into your law school account. The home page that you see before you log in to your law-school specific access is different!

Select Subscribe to Newsletters from the home page. (Make sure that you are signed into your law school account. The home page that you see before you log in is different.)

2. On the Subscription Management page, you can toggle newsletters on and off.

On the Subscription Management page, you can toggle newsletters on and off.

3. In the alternative, if you are looking at a news page, you can select Subscribe to Newsletter.

In the alternative, if you are looking at a news page, you can select Subscribe to Newsletter.

List of Newsletters ▼

Available email newsletters
Antitrust	Daily Labor Report	Human Resources	Mergers & Acquisitions
Artificial Intelligence	Daily Tax Report	IP Law	Occupational Safety
Banking	Daily Tax Report: International	Immigration	Payroll News
Bankruptcy Law	Daily Tax Report: State	In-House Counsel	Pharma & Life Sciences
Benefits & Executive Comp	Energy	Insurance	Private Equity
Cannabis	Environment & Energy	International Trade	Product Liability & Toxics Law
Capital Markets	Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)	Legal Ethics	Securities Law
Class Action	Federal Contracting	Legal Ops & Tech	Social Justice and Diversity
Construction Labor	Financial Accounting News	Litigation	Transfer Pricing Report
Crypto	Health Law & Business	Litigation Finance	White Collar & Criminal Law

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New Supreme Court Term

September 26, 2023 by Julie Tedjeske Crane

Picture of the Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court opens its new term next week. The “First Monday in October” has been the Court’s official start date for over a century and is codified at 28 U.S.C. § 2 (2012). In conjunction with the start of the new term, please see the following resources that may interest you.

Featured Resources

10 Fascinating Facts About the Supreme Court From the National Constitution Center
SCOTUSblog, a well-known source of information about the Supreme Court, provides a free email daily digest (you can sign up in the footer).
The Congressional Research Service has pro duced a report summarizing the significant rulings from last year’s term.
The American Bar Association’s Preview of United States Supreme Court Cases on HeinOnline provides expert analysis of all cases before the Supreme Court before the arguments. Users may establish MyHein accounts to set up electronic table of contents (eTOC) alerts to be notified via email when new issues are available.

Library Databases

ProQuest Supreme Court Insight Supreme Court Insight is a complete online collection of full opinions from Supreme Court-argued cases, dockets, oral arguments, joint appendices, and amicus briefs. Content associated with each case is compiled and organized to facilitate understanding of the judicial process and is also retrievable on a document-by-document basis.
HeinOnline: U.S. Supreme Court Library Complete coverage of the official U.S. Reports bound volumes, preliminary prints, slip opinions, and books and periodicals related to the U.S. Supreme Court are included in this library.
HeinOnline: History of Supreme Court Nominations This library features the complete print series Supreme Court of the U.S. Hearings and Reports on Successful and Unsuccessful Nominations of Supreme Court Justices by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Browse by Justice option allows you to see relevant works related to that Justice, including links to articles, a bibliography of other works, and links to Scholarly Articles.

Free Resources

U.S. Supreme Court Center | Justia Provides links to opinions and related resources
Supreme Court Nominations | Library of Congress This Law Library of Congress website provides information on recent Supreme Court nominees.
Oyez | Chicago-Kent, Cornell LII, Justia Oyez is a multimedia archive providing access to the U.S. Supreme Court’s audio since the installation of a recording system in October 1955. Oyez also offers transcript-synchronized and searchable audio, plain-English case summaries, illustrated decision information, and opinions.
Landmark Cases | C-Span Produced in cooperation with the National Constitution Center, this series features landmark Supreme Court cases.

Free News Sources

Lyle Denniston Law News Covering the courts, particularly the Supreme Court
Howe on the Court “Covering the Supreme Court and the Judiciary in (mostly) Plain English.”
The Supreme Court | C-Span
The Supreme Court | NPR News

Podcasts

SCOTUSTalk “SCOTUStalk is a nonpartisan podcast about the Supreme Court for lawyers and non-lawyers alike, hosted by Amy Howe and other SCOTUSblog contributors.”
The Term From Law360
Supreme Court News Podcast From PBS Newshour

Legal News Resources

April 18, 2023 by Julie Tedjeske Crane

Did you know that Westlaw, Lexis, and Bloomberg Law all provide access to legal news resources? Below are brief overviews explaining how to access legal news on each service.

Jump to: Westlaw Today | Law360 on Lexis+ | Bloomberg Law News

Westlaw Today

Screenshot of Westlaw Today

How to Access Westlaw Today ▼

1. Select the down caret next to the Westlaw Precision logo at the top left side of the screen.

Select the down caret next to the Westlaw Precision logo at the top left side of the screen.

2. Next, select Westlaw Today.

Next, select Westlaw Today.

3. The main Westlaw Today page shows you the top news stories. To see the news related to a particular topic, tab over to Practice Areas and make your selection.

The main Westlaw Today page shows you the top news stories. To see the news related to a particular topic, tab over to Practice Areas and make your selection.

4. Here is the Appellate Practice Area page.

Here is the Appellate Practice Area Page

Created with Tango.us

How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. While you are in Westlaw Today, select Manage subscription to sign up for email newsletters.

While you are in Westlaw Today, select Manage subscription to sign up for email newsletters.

2. Enter your email address.

Enter your email address.

3. Make your selections and Save.

Remember that you can combine several topics into a single daily email. You can also follow a company. Finally, you can select Breaking News and The Daily Docket.

Make your selections and save.

List of Newsletters▼

Practice Areas

Antitrust
Appellate
Bankruptcy
Blockchain; Digital Assets
Cannabis
Capital Markets
Class Actions; Multi-District Litigation
Corporate Counsel
Corporate Governance
Data Privacy
Employment
Energy
Environment
Executive Compensation; Employee Benefits
Finance; Banking
Health Law
Immigration
Intellectual Property
Litigation
Mergers; Acquisitions
Products Liability
Securities Enforcement & Litigation
Tax
White Collar Crime

Special topics

Civil Rights
COVID-19
Legal Innovation
On the Move

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Law360 on Lexis+

You can access Law360 using the product selector cube in Lexis+. You can view the latest news on the main page or switch to a newsletter tailored to a particular topic.

Unfortunately, Law360 stories are not accessible to students off campus via the Law360 website. However, Law360 news stories are generally available in Lexis+’s Legal News Hub within a couple of days after being published on Law360, and access via the Legal News Hub is available offsite.

How to Access Law360 ▼

1. Click on the Product Selector cube.

Click on the Product Selector cube.

2. Select Law360.

Select Law 360.

3. This is the main Law360 screen, which shows the top news stories. To see a subject-specific page, click on See All Sections.

This is the main Law360 screen, which shows the top news stories. To see a subject-specific page, click on See All Sections.

4. Here is the list of available newsletters.

Remember that you cannot access the full text of the stories via Law360 if you are off campus. However, you can look for the stories in the Legal News Hub in Lexis+. Most stories appear there within a day or two of being posted in Law360.

How to Access the Lexis+ Legal News Hub ▼

1. From the main Lexis+ page, select Legal News Hub.

Click on newsStand

2. Here is the Legal News Hub. You can do a keyword search or select All Sections to see a list of subject-oriented news feeds.

Here is the Legal News Hub. You can do a keyword search or select All Sections to see a list of subject-oriented news feeds.

How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. Click on Newsletters in Law360.

Click on Newsletters in Law360.

2. Provide your email address and then make your selections. You will also need to save at the bottom of the screen by clicking Sign Up Now.

Remember that you cannot access the full-text of Law360 articles off campus via the Law360 website. As an alternative, try looking for the article within the Lexis+ Legal News Hub. Most Law360 articles appear there after a few days.

Provide your email address and then make your selections. You will also need to Save at the bottom of the screen by clicking Sign Up Now.

List of Newsletters ▼

Practice of Law

Access to Justice
Aerospace & Defense
Appellate
Asset Management
Banking
Bankruptcy
Benefits
Cannabis
Capital Markets
Class Action
Commercial Contracts
Competition
Compliance
Construction
Consumer Protection
Corporate
Cybersecurity & Privacy
Employment
Energy
Environmental
Fintech
Food & Beverage
Government Contracts
Health
Hospitality
Immigration
Insurance
Intellectual Property
International Arbitration
International Trade
Legal Ethics
Legal Industry
Life Sciences
Media & Entertainment
Mergers & Acquisitions
Native American
Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice
Private Equity
Product Liability
Project Finance
Public Policy
Real Estate
Retail & E-Commerce
Securities
Sports & Betting
Tax
Technology
Telecommunications
Transportation
Trials
White Collar

State Specific Coverage

California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington

Law360 Pulse | Business of Law

California Pulse
Connecticut Pulse
Courts
DC Pulse
Daily Litigation
Delaware Pulse
Florida Pulse
Georgia Pulse
In-House

Insights

Legal Tech
Mid-Law
Modern Lawyer
New Jersey Pulse
New York Pulse
Pennsylvania Pulse
Small Law
Texas Pulse

Law360 Authority | Deep News & Analysis

Tax Authority
Tax Authority Federal
Tax Authority International
Tax Authority State & Local
Employment Authority
Employment Authority Discrimination
Employment Authority Labor
Employment Authority Wage & Hour
Insurance Authority
Insurance Authority General Liability
Insurance Authority Property
Insurance Authority Specialty Lines
Real Estate Authority
Real Estate Authority Commercial
Real Estate Authority Other
Real Estate Authority Residential

International

UK
Canada

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Bloomberg Law News

How to Access Bloomberg Law News ▼

1. Click on Bloomberg Law News under Featured or News & Analysis at the top of the screen (and then select Bloomberg Law News).

Click on Bloomberg Law News under Featured or News & Analysis at the top of the screen.

2. To see a list of subject-specific news feeds, click on the caret.

To see a list of subject-specific news feeds, click on the caret.

3. Click on Crypto to see that specific news feed.

Click on Crypto to see that specific news feed.

4. This is an example of a subject-specific news page.

This is an example of a subject-specific news page.

How to Sign Up for Email Newsletters ▼

1. Select Subscribe to Newsletters from the home page.

Make sure that you are signed into your law school account. The home page that you see before you log in to your law-school specific access is different!

Select Subscribe to Newsletters from the home page. (Make sure that you are signed into your law school account. The home page that you see before you log in is different.)

2. On the Subscription Management page, you can toggle newsletters on and off.

On the Subscription Management page, you can toggle newsletters on and off.

3. In the alternative, if you are looking at a news page, you can select Subscribe to Newsletter.

In the alternative, if you are looking at a news page, you can select Subscribe to Newsletter.

List of Newsletters ▼

Antitrust
Banking
Bankruptcy Law
Benefits & Executive Comp
The Brief: Today’s Top News From Bloomberg Law
Business & Practice
Cannabis
Capital Markets
Class Action
Construction Labor
Crypto
Daily Labor Report
Daily Tax Report
Daily Tax Report: International
Daily Tax Report: State
E-Discovery & Legal Tech
Energy
Environment & Energy
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
Federal Contracting
Financial Accounting News
Health Law & Business
Human Resources
IP Law
Immigration
In-House Counsel
Insurance
International Trade
Legal Ethics
Litigation
Mergers & Acquisitions
Occupational Safety
Payroll News
Pharma & Life Sciences
Privacy & Data Security News
Private Equity
Product Liability & Toxics Law
Securities Law
Tax Insights & Commentary
Tech & Telecom Law
Transfer Pricing Report
US Law Week
Weekly Tax Report
White Collar & Criminal Law

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Constitution Day and Reproductive Rights

September 12, 2022 by Julie Tedjeske Crane

The law school co-hosted a series of events in honor of Constitution Day. The theme was championing reproductive rights in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.Below are some resources relating to abortion and reproductive rights.

Bloomberg Law’s In Focus Guide on Abortion

Bloomberg Law’s In Focus Guides are designed to help you “find the latest news, commentary, litigation filings, regulatory developments, and practice tools on emerging issues and other topics of note to legal practitioners.” (Website) You will need to log in to Bloomberg Law to use this resource.

HeinOnline’s Women and the Law Database

“Women and the Law (Peggy) is a database containing a unique collection of materials bringing together more than 3,300 books, biographies, and periodicals dedicated to women’s roles in society and the law over the past 200 years. Also included are more than 70 titles from Emory University Law School’s Feminism and Legal Theory Project which provide a platform to view the effect of law and culture on the female gender.” This database includes a subcollection on abortion. If you are off-campus, you may need to login with your Penn State credentials.

CQ Researcher Reports on Abortion, Contraception and Reproductive Issues

C.Q. Researcher provides in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the economy. Reports are published 44 times a year by CQ Press, an imprint of SAGE Publications. You will need to use your Penn State credentials to log into this website.

Reproductive Rights Prof Blog

“A member of the Law Professor Blogs Network.” (Website)

New York Times Articles on Abortion

Law students can sign up for digital access to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

SCOTUSBlog Coverage of Dobbs

SCOTUSblog is a widely-read resource “devoted to covering the U.S. Supreme Court comprehensively, without bias and according to the highest journalistic and legal ethical standards.” (Website) You can sign up for a daily email digest of new stories about the Supreme Court by scrolling down to the footer of the website.

Selected Congressional Research Service Reports on Dobbs and Abortion

The Congressional Research Service can be thought of as a sort of nonpartisan think tank that supports Congress’ work. These reports are intended to inform Congress; however, they often provide others with a timely and objective source of research on legal issues.

Think Tank Search

The Think Tank Search is a custom Google search of more than 1200 think tank and research center websites developed by Harvard University. You can run searches for “abortion,” “reproductive health,” and similar topics.

The United States Supreme Court

October 1, 2019 by Laura Ax-Fultz

Pumpkin spice everything and falling leaves, but perhaps not the unseasonably warm temperatures, usher in October and the start of the United States Supreme Court’s October 2019 Term. The court calendar shows that the Supreme Court is in private conference today, October 1st, to discuss cases and vote on petitions for review.

Next Monday, October 7^th will be the first day of oral arguments for the term. On the first day, arguments will be heard in the following cases: Kahler v. Kansas, a case challenging the lack of insanity defense; Ramos v. Louisiana, a case considering whether the Sixth Amendment requires a unanimous jury verdict; and Peter v. NantKwest, a case considering the procedures for challenging the denial of a Patent by the Patent and Trademark Office. On October 8^th, the court will hear a trio of cases that SCOTUSBlog asserts “could prove to be some of the biggest of the term.” The issues concern whether federal employment discrimination laws, which bar discrimination “because of sex” protect gay, lesbian, and transgender employees. (Embedded links direct to SCOTUSblog posts which contain embedded links to case proceedings.)

Information about the oral arguments, including the availability of transcripts and audio of the arguments, can be found on the court’s website. Slip opinions, the first version of the Court’s opinions, are posted within minutes of the issuance of the opinion, remain on the website for the entire Term, and are published in the United States Reports. Electronic copies of the opinions from US Reports can be found either on the Supreme Court’s website (1991-2012) or on the website for the Law Library of Congress (1791-2004).

Print Resources:

United States Supreme Court Slip Opinions, 2nd Floor – Reporters

Official Reports of the Supreme Court (Preliminary Print), 2nd Floor – Reporters

United States Reports, 2nd Floor – Reporters

Databases:

ProQuest Supreme Court Insight
Supreme Court Insight is a complete online collection of full opinions from Supreme Court argued cases, including per decision, dockets, oral arguments, joint appendices and amicus briefs. Content associated with each case is compiled and organized to facilitate understanding of the judicial process and is also retrievable on a document by document basis.

CQ Supreme Court Collection
CQ Supreme Court Collection contains summaries and analysis of more than four thousand major decisions, historical and contemporary, including all cases in which the Burger and Rehnquist Courts (October 1969 to the present) issued a written opinion. Includes links to the full text of the cases. The collection can be searched by topic, justice, and case name. Includes tools to research justices’ voting records and opinion alignments.

HeinOnline: U.S. Supreme Court Library
Complete coverage of the official U.S. Reports bound volumes as well as preliminary prints, slip opinions, and books and periodicals related to the U.S. Supreme Court are included in this library.

HeinOnline: History of Supreme Court Nominations
This library features the complete print series Supreme Court of the U.S. Hearings and Reports on Successful and Unsuccessful Nominations of Supreme Court Justices by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Browse by Justice option allows you to see relevant works related to that Justice, including links to articles, a bibliography of other works, and links to Scholarly Articles. (Current through 2018, Kavanaugh, Brett M.)

Making Sense of Presidential Documents

March 1, 2017 by Laura Ax-Fultz

The President may take many types of action that result in different categories of documents. Since taking office, we have seen President Trump issue Executive Orders, Presidential Memoranda, and Proclamations. But, how are they different?

There is an argument that all actions taken by the President are of equal importance and should all be simply Executive Orders. The intended audience of the action and the type of action are often the defining characteristics of a given category of Presidential action. Executive Orders are directed internally to Federal agencies and order specific action with regard to existing laws. A Presidential Memorandum is also directed internally to federal agencies to provide guidance on agency policies. Some would argue that a Presidential Memorandum is simply an Executive Order by another name (See “By Order of the President” – citation below.)

Proclamations are externally focused announcements by the President, such as the announcement of a day of national recognition such as February as American Heart Month. Many Proclamations of this nature are made by sitting Presidents, but a Proclamation can be much more serious. President Harry Truman’s first Proclamation was to announce the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

The above categories do not represent the full spectrum of actions available to the President. National Security Directives, made to ensure the safety of the country, may not be public due to security concerns and thus are very difficult to discover. Executive Agreements allow the President to make a treaty-like agreement, outside of the normal Congressional avenue. Presidential Signing Statements are written comments made by the President at the time a bill is signed into law. Signing Statements are becoming increasingly important because they are now being used to provide specific interpretations of the new law and direct how it should be applied.

Presidential documents are available on the White House website. [Note: this is not an official publication and recent Executive Orders posted on this website did not contain the correct text.] The official source of Presidential actions, the Compilation of Presidential Documents, can be found on the Government Printing Office’s website.

For more information on Executive Orders, see:

Phillip J. Cooper, By Order of the President: The Use & Abuse of Executive Direct Action (2d ed. 2014).
William G. Howell, Power Without Persuasion : The Politics of Direct Presidential Action (2003).
Kenneth R. Mayer, With the Stroke of a Pen: Executive Orders and Presidential Power (2001).

Immigration Law & Policy in the U.S.

February 6, 2017 by Susan Zullinger

In light of recent events in the United States and globally that have pushed immigration and refugee issues into the spotlight, the Law Library is pleased to announce that it has acquired access to the Immigration Law & Policy in the U.S. library via HeinOnline. This library is a compilation of the most important historical documents and legislation related to immigration in the United States. The database also contains current hearings, debates and recent developments in immigration law, as well as comprehensive coverage of Board of Immigration Appeals Precedent Decisions, compiled federal legislative histories on major immigration laws, titles related to extradition, and more. In total, the database contains nearly half a million pages and more than 1,100 titles.

Major titles include:

Administrative Decisions Under Immigration and Nationality Laws
Interim Decision Service to Administrative Decisions under Immigration and Nationality Laws
Annual Report of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
Reports of the Immigration Commission
Annual Report of the Commissioner General of Immigration to the Secretary of Labor
Extradition Laws and Treaties: United States
World Refugee Survey

For more information and access to the database, see Law Databases A-Z.

All Hallow’s Eve October 31st

October 31, 2016 by Jeri Fitzsimons

Costumes, masks, witches, ghost stories, and seasonal treats are all part of the image that is advertised, chatted, and tweeted constantly this time of year. Americans spend an estimated $8 billion dollars on Halloween. Some of the lore, like dressing up and eating sweets, related to Halloween has ancient roots.

In ancient times, Celtic families’ ancestors were honored and welcomed home during the ancient observance of the Samhain (Samain) festival. “Samhain” originates from the ancient Celts marking the end of the lighter (summer) part of the year and preparing for the darker time (winter) of the year. Among the All Hallow’s Eve customs of the time, was a tradition where people wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves to ward off harmful spirits. Huge bonfires and food played a large part in the festivities.

Traditionally, in the U.S., this is the time of year when people dress in costumes but not to ward off harmful spirits. There are parties and children go from neighbor to neighbor asking for treats.

In some states, there are laws to restrict what can be worn on Halloween or to limit specific activities. In Hollywood, California there is a ban on using silly string on October 31^st until noon on November 1^st. In Alabama, if you dress as a Nun or Priest, you may face jail time. A few other states have similar laws that are hard to believe.

A popular costume for all ages is to dress as a witch. This brings to mind the period in American history when the witch trials happened in Salem, MA (1692-1693). This fear may have been due to hard times and the persistent belief that Satan was responsible for any misfortunes, diseases, catastrophes, and unexplained circumstances that befell citizens. There are many resources available in the CAT to explore related topics such as Salem Witch Trials: a chapter of New England History.

Halloween is associated with interesting folklore and history in addition to dressing up in costumes and eating sweets.

What Is Law360?

October 26, 2016 by Judy L Swarthout

In the legal profession, information is the key to success. You have to know what’s happening with clients, competitors, practice areas, and industries. Law360 provides the intelligent information needed by attorneys, business leaders, government officials and legal researchers.

Law360 is a subscription-based, legal news service operated by Portfolio Media, which is a subsidiary of LexisNexis. Founded in October of 2003 by Marius Meland, Portfolio Media began publishing a daily intellectual property law online newsletter in 2004 and changed its name to Law360. In 2012 Law360 was acquired by LexisNexis. It has expanded to 11 news bureaus across the U.S. and receives over 900,000 law firm and industry newsletters each day. Law360 claims to cover 85% of events within 48 hours with real-time alerts and daily newsletters.

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Domestic Violence Awareness

October 20, 2016 by Laura Ax-Fultz

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and October 20^th is #PurpleThursday – both designed to raise awareness of domestic violence. The National Network to End Domestic Violence defines domestic violence as “…a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that can include physical abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, sexual abuse or financial abuse (using money and financial tools to exert control).” One in four women will be the victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime. 85% of victims are women and 15% are men.

Legal professionals can develop a deeper understanding of domestic violence in order to better counsel their clients. One of the most persistent and damaging questions people ask is, “why don’t they just leave?” As with many things, there is rarely a simple answer. Law professor Sarah Buel explains some reasons why victim’s stay in abusive relationships in her article Fifty Obstacles to Leaving, a.k.a, Why Abuse Victims Stay. In fact, victims do leave, but it often takes several attempts to permanently end the relationship.

To end domestic violence, everyone needs to learn the signs and learn how to speak out against it. Some resources include:

National Network to End Domestic Violence

Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence

U.S. National Organizations & Projects

WomensLaw.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline

LGBTQ Relationship Violence

Men Can Be Victims of Abuse, Too

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