Book of the Week: Washington Legal Researcher's
Deskbook, 3d
Washington Legal Researcher's Deskbook 3d, by Penny Hazelton et
al. (Marian Gould Gallagher Law Library, 2002). KFW75 .W37 2002 at Course
Reserve & Reference Office
The newest edition of a trusted legal research guide for Washington State
has just been published. The third edition of Washington Legal
Researcher's Deskbook was written by eight librarians at Gallagher Law
Library including Director Penny Hazelton and it includes new chapters on
these topics:
- Local Government Law (guidance on locating those unique documents of
local government such as charters, city and county codes, ordinances,
resolutions and orders, and administrative rules and decisions)
- Historical and Archival Sources (descriptions of the legal documents
created during the territorial and early statehood years of Washington
such as constitutions, territorial session laws and codes, early state
courts, agency documents and information about the Washington State
Archives)
- Indian Law Research in Washington (an overview of the law relating
to Indians in Washington and the ways in which federal, state, and
tribal law relate)
and updated chapters on:
- Process of Legal Research (remember the Rombauer Framework from BLS?)
- Fundamentals of Legal Research in Washington (covers secondary
sources, statutes, codes, administrative regulations, cases, and
citators)
- Practice Materials (describes encyclopedic sources such as
Washington Practice, litigation aids, ethics opinions, directories,
and current awareness tools)
- Administrative Decisions (guidance on researching and locating
decisions, opinions, and orders issued by administrative agencies in our
state)
- Legislative History, Initiatives, and Bill Tracking (instruction on
the tasks of researching legislative history, initiatives and referenda,
as well as tracking current bills)
- Nonlegal Resources (a collection of resources for finding people,
organizations, agencies, corporations and just plain facts when you need
them)
- Managing Your Library (tips on hiring a librarian, selecting
materials for a law library, locating legal publishers, and finding the
closest document delivery service)
- How to Use a Law Library (tips on using library catalogs, indexes,
legal research guides and effective online searching skills and a list
of law libraries in our state)
We have several copies in the Library, but if you need a gift idea for
graduation these books are for sale! The information is available on the
Law Library website.
For additional descriptions of selected books see the
Book of the Week Archive.
National Center for State Courts
by Julie Turner, Reference Intern
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) is an independent nonprofit
organization that was founded in 1971 by U.S. Chief Justice Warren E.
Burger. Through its many programs and divisions, the Center is committed to
improving the administration of justice in the United States and abroad.
This mission is accomplished through research, education, consulting, and
information services.
The NCSC gives particular priority to:
- Restoration of public trust and confidence in the courts by
addressing problems such as the slow pace of justice, the high cost of
access, a seemingly often unfair and inconsistent judicial process, and
lack of public understanding of the courts.
- Examination of best practices in civil case management through a
major civil justice reform initiative.
- Promotion of more effective use of technology through direct
consulting services, automation standards development, and technology
demonstration projects.
The Center’s website,
http://www.ncsconline.org, provides access to a vast amount of cutting
edge information. Some of the most outstanding functions and services
highlighted on the NCSC website include:
- Education: The Institute for Court Management (ICM)
This NCSC program provides education and training services with the
overall aim of improving the management of the nation’s courts. Programs
are directed towards every level and type of court (trial or appellate,
local or state). The ICM Court Executive Development Program develops
national courses in such diverse areas as civil mediation, trial court
performance standards, court financial resources and technology trends
in the courts. In 2000 ICM began a distance learning center program,
which offers users online courses and threaded discussions.
- Projects and Initiatives: Implementing the National Action Plan to
Improve Public Trust and Confidence,
http://www.ncsc.dni.us/ptc.htm
The NCSC has set up the Forum for Public Trust and Confidence in the
Justice System, which offers information and assistance to help improve
trust and public confidence in our justice system. The website includes
descriptions of programs and activities underway across the country to
improve public trust. Future versions of the website will also include a
searchable database. Also offered on the present site is a list of
national organizations interested in working with state and local
jurisdictions on public trust issues, relevant publications, events, and
resources related to public trust and confidence.
- Library Information,
http://www.ncsconline.org/Information/index.html, provides the
following resources:
- Access Services: Information Resource Center that facilitates
the sharing and dissemination of information about the courts and
the administration of justice. It is supported by assessments from
the 50 states, grants from the State Justice Institute and other
sources, and by individual contributions. Analysts gather and send
out information on such topics as judicial selection, judicial
compensation, alternative dispute resolution, court structure and
unification, family violence, and court technology.
- The Court Web Sites link,
http://www.ncsconline.org/Information/info_court_web_sites.html,
is divided into three parts (state court websites, federal court
websites, and international court websites) providing links to these
court websites.
Gallagher Law Library Connection
Gallagher Reference Librarian, Cheryl Nyberg, has been associated with
the NCSC since 1999, when she presented a program on “Best Practices in
Delivering Court Information to the Public” at the NCSC’s 6th Court
Technology Conference in Los Angeles. Cheryl also offered impromptu court
website evaluations several times throughout the conference, where she was
greeted by an enthusiastic group lining up for each session.
Prior to her presentation, Cheryl had the opportunity to attend a 2.5 day
“faculty development workshop” put on by the NCSC for speakers. The
participants received a tour of the facility followed by instruction and
training on effective public speaking, reaching the audience, and designing
PowerPoint presentations. In Cheryl’s opinion, this is the best training
experience she has ever had.
Since 1999, Cheryl has gone on to present at the 7th Court Technology
Conference, in Baltimore (2001) – “What’s Wow! in the World of Court
Websites.” (That PowerPoint presentation and others prepared for related
presentations can be viewed at:
http://www.aallnet.org/committee/aelic/news.html).
In her latest presentation for the NCSC, Cheryl was invited to speak at a
2.5 day Public Access Workshop for the judiciary of Puerto Rico, which was
held in San Juan in November 2001.
The NCSC shows every sign of being a group effort that is succeeding
extremely well in the pursuit of its overall mission and underlying goals.
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