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What’s behind the name? “Ex Libris Juris” is Latin for “from the books of law” and much of the information here will relate to the legal information collected and curated by the Law Library. Additionally, “Ex Libris” has long appeared on bookplates – labels appearing inside the front cover of books – and has acquired the connoted meaning “from the library of” to show ownership of the book. Using this connotation, the phrase becomes “from the library of law” and better describes the posts about digital resources, event announcements, and research tips that will regularly appear here.
The arrival of a new president brings with it much change. The White House issued 26 Executive Orders on the first day of the new term on a range of topics including immigration, the economy, crime, energy, the environment, and government operations. This rush of presidential actions in just the first week of the new term has many people asking questions: What exactly is an Executive Order, and how does it differ from other presidential actions? What legal authority grants the president powers to issue such orders? What legal weight do Executive Orders and other actions carry? Can they be challenged and how? With the glossary below and links to further reading, we attempt to answer these questions.
Today, January 28, is International LEGO Day, an annual celebration of the world’s most popular plastic building brick. From toddlers to teens, kids around the globe can’t get enough of Lego! Many adults (or AFOLs) also enjoy constructing and collecting this iconic toy. The name LEGO is an abbreviation of the two Danish words “leg godt,” meaning “play well,” but the Latin word lego has historically been used in wills to mean “I bequeath.” So, in honor of International Lego Day and its very tenuous connection to the law, we present you with the following will drafting resources. Build your legacy with the tools provided in this post!
Digital Discovery: Freedom for All: An Attorney’s Guide to Fighting Human Trafficking — Kelly Hyland, who co-authored the first edition of this title in 2016 with Kavitha Sreeharsha, partnered with the American Bar Association Book Publishing division to release a second edition in 2023. With this latest iteration, Hyland and the ABA seek to “encourage more attorneys to engage in anti-trafficking work.”
For information about the rights that are guaranteed to all people living in the U.S. regardless of immigration status, as well as a variety of Know Your Rights guides for people who are confronted by police or Immigration and Customs Enforcement in their homes, at work, while driving, or out in public spaces, please consult the list of resources within.
Celebrate Public Domain Day by learning about the opportunities the public domain provides for the free sharing and adapting of treasured works, and for replicating and preserving lesser-known works, with the resources in this post.
There have been reports circulating in the media that there is a shortage of ombudsmen in Texas, especially in long-term care facilities. It is said, too, that these ombudsmen play vital roles in the lives of the people living in and receiving care at these facilities. However, what is less known is who these ombudsmen are and what they do.