Picture Source: http://morguefile.com/archive/display/10223

The Academy Awards are less than a month away and I’ve started thinking about law & movies.  How many movies out there involve a criminal act, arrest or trial?  How many of those movies are nominated for an Academy Award and win?  Also, is the legal system depicted accurately in those movies? 

As many of you already know the library has a comprehensive collection of movies and TV shows that deal with legal matters.  However, did you know that you can also find several books about the legal system and movies?  By conducting a simple keyword search using the catalog I was able to locate at least three books that may answer some of the questions above.  What terms did I use?  Well that was easy “law and movies”.  I then opened one of the results and looked at subjects contained in the record.  By selecting these subjects I may be able to locate even more books dealing with my subject matter.  This technique can be used when conducting research for any subject.  Now it’s time to jot down the call number, grab the book and see if I can answer those questions.

Things are stirring up when it involves social media and the law...

Check out this article regarding private Facebook posts being mined by defense lawyers. This seems to be a new litigation tactic. Hat tip to Slashdot.  

From reading the article above I discovered Westlaw News & Insight Beta. Looks like a promising place for legal news. Some of the articles have links to Westlaw for ease to view the cases.

And... it appears to have happened yet again, jurors doing their own research. Only this time a librarian juror was a bit too interested in doing her own research for a case. We've discussed this before how jurors are more often doing their own research about a case because it has become so easy for them to do so with their cell phones and Internet capabilities at home. Here's another article I found on this topic.

What do you think should be done? Comment below!

Today President Obama will give the annual State of the Union Address. Here's some trivia about the address:

• Article 2, Section 3 of the United States Constitution describes the President's duty to give the State of the Union Address.
• Did you know that one member of the President's cabinet is absent for the address in case of emergency to maintain the line of succession?
  •   Check out this list of who stayed behind in previous years.
  • Hat tip to the American Association of Law Libraries Facebook page for this neat bit of trivia!
• This year the White House's website will be providing an "enhanced viewing experience" to those who choose to watch the address online.
  •   "Enhanced experience" means you will get to see charts and graphs as President Obama gives his speech.
  • Be sure to visit the State of the Union White House website.
  • Also on the website, check out the list of upcoming live events following the event. For example, on Thursday President Obama will answer your questions live via YouTube.
• Did you know the current White House Director of Speechwriting is Jon Favreau? Not the same as the actor and director of Elf and Iron Man, Jon Favreau...

Watch this awesome video all about the making of the State of the Union Address:

Will you be watching the State of the Union address? It will be on tonight at 7pm here in Arizona.

This article from FindLaw is the sort of technology and law mash-up I enjoy for some reason. The theme that technology is changing law is fascinating to me. See: Virtual Visitation.

Mark House, Adjunct Professor of Law at Phoenix School of Law and a principal in Becker & House, PLLC in Scottsdale, has won a case in the Arizona Supreme Court: Estate of McGathy/Waldow et al. v. LaPorta, CV-10-0102-PR (Dec. 2, 2010). Professor House teaches Trusts and Estates most semesters. This case demonstrates why civil procedure is important even for probate attorneys!