Latest and Greatest – Locating U.S. Government Information Handbook

By Edward Herman and Theodora Belniak

Published by William S. Hein, Co., Inc. (2015)

ZA 5055 .U6 H47 2015

Let’s face it. There is a lot of government information found in print and online, but actually finding it can be quite difficult, not to mention confusing. Here comes Edward Herman’s Locating U.S. Government Information Handbook to the rescue. Designed for the novice researcher, this handbook takes you through a brief introduction about the structure of the United States government and basic online research skills and strategies then on to more specific research sources, such as the indexes published by the Government Publishing Office, U.S. Government maps, historical government documents, and technical reports. There is also some helpful information about how to contact governmental agencies and members of Congress as well as a discussion of the Freedom of Information Act and how to submit requests under the Act.

If you feel overwhelmed by the volume of government information and are not sure how to find answers you are seeking, try Locating U.S. Government Information Handbook. It’s available at the reference desk. Just ask a librarian for assistance.

Legal Writing Resources Month

April is Legal Writing Resource Month at the Harris County Law Library. Whether you are an attorney drafting a motion or a self-represented litigant navigating the court system, writing is a necessary component of your legal work. Visit the Law Library all month long to find resources on display that you can use to improve and enhance your legal writing skills. Resources include:

 

Latest and Greatest - – Legal Research in a Nutshell

By Morris L. Cohen & Kent C. Olson

Published by LEG d/b/a West Academic Publishing (12th Edition 2016)

KF 240 .C54 2016

Intimidated by the thought of having to research a legal issue? Not sure how or even where to begin?

Well, you’re not alone. Legal research is a lot more than simply entering some keywords into the search box of a Web browser. It requires an understanding of the research process itself as well as the types of resources commonly used to locate legal information. Legal Research in a Nutshell explains the legal research process and the forms and sources of legal information. You will become familiar with and learn how to locate case law, statutes and constitutions, legislative information, administrative law, and court rules and practice. There is also discussion of specialized and nonlegal resources, such as looseleaf services, legal newspapers, blogs, statistics, and legal directories. If your research is taking you global, don’t fret because the authors also address international law and the laws of other countries.

You can access some of the great features offered by this book on its companion Website through the library’s catalog. Simply click on the “earth” icon at the end of the catalog record under the Media heading and enjoy entering the world of legal research.

Latest and Greatest – Predicates Manual 2.0

Predicates Manual 2.0

Texas Family Law Foundation (2012)

KFT 1294 .T49 2012

Assume that you are involved in a family law case and want to admit alcohol and drug treatment records into evidence. Where do you begin? What do you need to show or prove when offering these specific pieces of evidence? One of the first places to look (other than the Texas Rules of Evidence, of course) is Predicates Manual 2.0 published by the Texas Family Law Foundation in conjunction with the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. With this valuable resource, you have, at your fingertips, all of the information needed, including statutory and case authority, to properly present your evidence to the court. In this guide, you can find predicates for accounting records, artist’s sketches, audio recordings, blood samples, criminal records, domestic public documents, marital agreements, payroll records, telephone call logs, and video tapes, just to name a few.

As a supplement to Predicates Manual 2.0, the Texas Family Law Foundation has also published Electronic Evidence Predicates presented in a “direct and cross in question format.” In this supplement, you will find predicates for emails, texts, Facebook and other social media posts, chat rooms, instant messaging, and websites.

Interested in finding out the answer to the question that I posed at the beginning of my post? I’m afraid I can’t reveal it to you, so you’ll just have to visit the Harris County Law Library and have a look at Predicates Manual 2.0 to find it. (Hint: The answer can be found on page 15).