This week we’re covering library resources for faculty, legal technology competencies, looking at bar exam resources, reviewing basic legal research skills for summer, celebrating Loving Day, and continuing our celebration of Pride Month.
Summer Faculty Workshop Session
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
12:15 – 1:15pm
Room 645 & Zoom
Interim Director Susan Boland
Law Library Resources & Services for Faculty
Legal Technology Competency Live Session
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
12:00 – 12:30pm
Room 107 or Zoom
What Is Technology Competency
Legal Technology & Research Instructional Services Librarian Shannon Kemen
You can learn more about each of these programs by visiting the following websites:
Legal Research Competency Guide
Legal Technology Competency Guide
Bar Exam Study Resources
Congratulations! You have made it through law school but now the bar exam looms. Don’t worry, the Law Library’s got your back. We have resources that can help. Check out our Bar Exam Research Guide.
The July 2023 bar examination will be administered at the Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington, Ohio July 25-26, 2023. Ohio Bar Exam FAQs
5 More Bar Exam Resources
The Bar Exam is not a sprint, it’s a marathon so pace yourself! Check out this week’s Bar Exam Resource highlights below.
Learning Tips and Retention: Discussions in Law School Success
This CALI podcast discusses tips to help you remember more information and to perform better on law school exams. Three learning strategies are explained: spaced repetition, the testing effect, and cognitive schema. Briefly defined, spaced repetition incorporates periodic studying throughout the semester. The testing effect can be more challenging and is exactly what it sounds like; it is testing yourself to see whether or not you know the material. Lastly, the podcast explains how to create a cognitive schema as an organizational structure that you can use to retain information. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian.
This lesson is designed to provide students with data about why their attention levels may dip during class or studying, including recent research regarding the effects of digital distractions on concentration. The lesson invites students to reflect upon the reasons they may lose focus and/or concentration while in class or while studying, and provides a robust set of strategies students can use to anticipate and control for that loss of focus, incorporating several free-writes. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian.
This lesson provides memorization tools and techniques for exam success. First, the lesson demonstrates the relationship between memorization and exam success. Next, the lesson explains memorization tools and techniques. After you complete this lesson you will be able to apply tools and techniques and effectively memorize important legal concepts to be successful on your exams. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian.
Secrets to Improved Memorization
This CALI Lesson provides insight on how to remember the vast information to apply on the bar exam. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian.
Reading Comprehension Strategies for Exams
In this lesson, we will provide some steps you can follow to improve your reading comprehension. If using CALI, you will need to create an account (if you have not already done so) using a Cincinnati Law authorization code. You can obtain this code from a reference librarian.
Summer Legal Research Tips
Previously, we looked at initial steps to take when you get a summer research project and researching secondary sources. This week we will begin taking a look at researching a statutory issue in an annotated code. Learn more about researching statutes in our Researching Statutes Guide or watch our videos on finding and searching within annotated codes.
Statutory Codes
A statutory code is a subject arrangement of the laws of a jurisdiction. There are official and unofficial codes. A code may be annotated (containing editorial enhancements to help with research or interpretation) or unannotated. The advantages of using a code for research include:
- the fact that codes collate original laws with later amendments,
- they bring all laws on the same subject together, and
- they eliminate repealed, superseded, or expired laws.
Why Use an Annotated Code?
An annotated code is a great research tool because it offers editorial enhancements to help with statutory interpretation. Among the most useful annotated code editorial enhancements are cross references to related statutes and regulations, more detailed historical notes, secondary source references, if it is a Thomson Reuters code you will get topic and key number references to help you find cases, and perhaps the most significant editorial enhancement are the case annotations. These are summaries of judicial opinions that interpret that particular statutory section. Usually, these opinions are chosen by the editors because they add something new to the interpretation of the statute or they are precedent setting opinions. All of these editorial choices are subjective, so your annotations and references are not going to be identical if you have codes for a jurisdiction by different publishers.
Structure and Organization of Statutory Codes
The structure and organization of statutory codes will vary by jurisdiction. The United States Code, the subject arrangement of federal statutes, is arranged by subject into 54 subject titles (title 53 is in reserve and does not yet have a subject assigned to it), with chapter and section subdivisions. In Ohio, the statutes are broadly organized by titles (there are 33) and then further broken down by articles, chapters, and sections. For more information on Ohio codes, see the Ohio Legal Research Guide. Some states, such as California, Maryland, New York, and Texas, use subject words for their broader organization. If you look in Table 1 of the Bluebook or Appendix 1 of ALWD under one of those jurisdictions, they will give you the subject break downs. You include those subjects in your citation.
Where to Find U.S., Ohio, and Kentucky Codes
Federal
United States Code (U.S.C.) – the official unannotated code for federal statutes
Many libraries also have the United States Code in print.
Annotated Codes
United States Code Service – annotated code on Lexis
United States Code Annotated – annotated code on Westlaw
Ohio
Ohio Revised Code – the official unannotated code on the state website
Ohio Revised Code on Bloomberg Law
Page’s Ohio Revised Code Annotated – annotated code on Lexis
Baldwin’s Ohio Revised Code Annotated – annotated code on Westlaw
Kentucky
Kentucky Revised Statutes – unofficial, unannotated code on the state website
Michie’s Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated – annotated code on Lexis
Baldwin’s Kentucky Revised Statutes Annotated – annotated code on Westlaw
June 12 Is Loving Day
Loving Day is the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, 388 U.S. 1 (1967), the case where the United States Supreme Court struck down state laws banning marriage between individuals of different races. Learn more about the case through the resources below:
Thomas Richardson, The Fight for the Right to Marry: The Loving v. Virginia Case, National Archives
Dr. Christina Violeta Jones, Virginia is for the Lovings, National Archives
Library of Virginia, Loving v Virginia Collection
Oyez, Oyez, Loving v. Virginia Oral Argument
June Is Pride Month!
About Pride Month
Pride Month is commemorated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City. The Stonewall Inn was a popular gay bar that police raided on Jun 28, 1969. The raid resulted in days of protest and the uprising is often cited as a catalyst for LGBTQ+ activism. Read President Biden’s 2023 Proclamation on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Pride Month
Learn more about Pride Month and LGBTQ+ issues by checking out the resources below!
University of Cincinnati Pride Month Events & Resources
University of Cincinnati Alumni, Pride Month
UCBA Library Pride Month Display
2023 University of Cincinnati Alumni Pride Mixer
Thursday, June 15, 2023
6 – 8 p.m.
OTR StillHouse
2017 Branch St
Cincinnati, OH
Celebrate Pride Month with LGBTQ Bearcats and allies at OTR StillHouse! On June 15, faculty, staff and alumni from area universities will come together for an evening of networking and celebration as we commemorate the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month. All are welcome. Register by June 13.
Join the Bearcat community as we show off our pride at this year’s Cincinnati Pride Parade on June 24th at 11:00am. “Cincinnati Pride” provides an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community and allies to come together to promote inclusion and acceptance. Alumni, students, faculty/staff and friends are invited to march together representing the University of Cincinnati. Register by June 22.
5 More Pride Month Resources
American Archive of Public Broadcasting, LGBT+ Collection
The LGBT+ Collection includes over 500 public radio and televisions programs and original materials contributed to the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB) by 35 stations and organizations from across the United States. The recordings date from the late 1950s to 2018. The collection documents the representation of the LGBT+ community in public media, including conversations, social and political reactions, and cultural movements associated with LGBT+ history. These topics are presented through interviews, newscasts, lectures, and more.
Films On Demand Pride Month Collection (UC students, staff and faculty only)
Films On Demand is a web-based digital video delivery platform that allows viewing of streaming videos from Films Media Group.
A collection of documentaries and programs that highlight LGBTQIA voices and experiences.
Pride Collection on Kanopy (UC students, staff and faculty only)
University of Cincinnati Libraries subscribes to Kanopy Streaming video titles. All currently licensed films are available for immediate viewing.
Library of Congress, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month Audio & Video
This guide page offers links to audio and video productions related to LGBTQIA+ books, poetry, literature, history, and more.