By the title of this post, I’m implying that my thoughts on FOIA will be a series. You know me. The next post in the series might not happen for a month or eleven. They are on my to-do list, though, so that’s a step towards it actually happening. In the meantime, the DC Council…
Shown here, my heaven. On the left, the 1901 District of Columbia Code, through 1924. Next to that, the 1901 Code amended through 1929, followed by five annual supplement volumes. The two dark blue volumes? The 1940 D.C. Code. With so much legal material available online–and as an attorney who learned how to research cases…
This post is a bit of a “what would YOU do?” request for input. Let me begin with the background: I am, on behalf of my office, working on a project to digitize (*cough*scan*cough*) all of the D.C. Laws from Council periods 1 through 7. These are unofficial copies, and are online in concert with…
It’s been quite some time since I last posted about legislative language. I hope you’ve found other sources for your daily humor fill. Today I want to talk about corporate personhood. You know, like in Citizens United. When something that isn’t a living being with a single set of DNA is included in a legislative…
I read the incredibly cheesy portmanteau “Blogust” on Twitter and since it makes much more sense than NaNoBloPo (let’s leave that month to the novel writers, please) and I have a lot to say, I figured I’d take part. We’ll see if this determination lasts past today. Yesterday was my intern’s last day. Pout. She…
After yesterday’s high-tension SCOTUS ruling in Hobby Lobby, some lighthearted yet with serious consequence opinion from the District Court for the District of Columbia, 1989. Clarke v. United States addresses the question of whether a legislator’s vote is protected speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution. Believe it or not, the defendants, with a…
Three things in the last 24 hours have me thinking about privilege. First, Fobazi’s great post at Hack Library School about diversity and intersectionality. Read it, read the comments (seriously). Then there was the guilty plea of Florida Rep. Trey Radel on drug charges. He said he’d get treatment so he was sentenced to probation.…
Home inspection day! Waiting for the typed up report, but just minor things that a quick visit from an electrician should take care of, I think. Tomorrow I must deal with insurance. No progress on the spring semester schedule debacle. Last night I emailed a professor I’ve had before and who has taught the core class…