While for years immigration has been a much-debated political topic, several issues have caused a recent increase in press attention, including: (1) numerous attempts to pass the DREAM Act in Congress; (2) the recent success of Question 4 in Maryland; and (3) the June 15, 2012 memorandum by Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security …
If you’ve been wondering whether your polygamous marriage to three Tarascan women was still valid after you converted to the religion of the conquistadors, look no further. A title recently acquired for the Rare Book Collection of Law Library of Congress answers this and other burning questions on the topics of marriage, canon law …
This week’s interview is with Monica Greene, a Library Technician in the Law Library of Congress Reading Room. Describe your background. I consider Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home, although I moved around a bit growing up and spent four years in Kyoto, Japan. After coming back to the U.S. I always wanted to return to Japan, so …
Continuing with our unusual laws series, we turn to Tudor Vermin Acts. These acts allowed officials to hinder the growth of vermin by placing a bounty on nuisance animals, creating an incentive for private citizens to take it upon themselves to eradicate what were believed to be agricultural pests. Since the United States inherited its common …
The Law Library of Congress houses approximately 60,000 rare items, 25,000 of which are contained in a climate controlled vault. To be classified as rare, an item generally must have been published prior to 1801. One of our interesting rare items is a petition for a writ of process handwritten by a young lawyer named …
This is a guest post by David Mao, Law Librarian of Congress. Recently, I had the chance to drive fast—Autobahn fast—and it was legal. Most drivers (typically male) dream of driving with no limit to speed; however, unless one is on a race track or private road (as I was), that generally is not possible …
This is an interview with Andrew Walz, currently an intern at the Law Library of Congress Information Technology Office providing Geographic Information System support. Describe your background I grew up in a small town in southwestern Virginia called Lexington. Growing up where I did has had a huge impact on who I am today. Growing …
It seems that nearly every person who works with the law will, at some point in their career, come across a memorable case that stays with them. The circumstances could be inspiring, outrageous, or in my case, humorous. I have already written about my favorite case, Nickerson v. Hodges, 146 La. 735, 84 So. 37 (La. …
This is a guest post by Pamela Barnes Craig, Instruction/Reference Librarian at the Law Library of Congress. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Pub. L. 92-318, 86 Stat. 235, 373 turned 40 years old on June 23, 2012. Its birthday passed much like it became law—quietly and unassumingly. Its impact, however, has been …
Although they are not specifically mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, Executive Orders have been considered one of the President’s powers since George Washington’s administration. Executive Orders are exactly what they sound like—orders produced by the President, as head of the executive branch, that are “generally directed to, and govern actions by, Government officials and agencies.”[1] …