This week in the Law Library we’re teaching online search techniques and technology in law practice. We’re also preparing to vote, studying for final exams, looking at oral arguments, and celebrating American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.
This Week’s Research Sessions
Monday, November 1, 2021
Lawyering I, sec. 2
Ron Jones, Electronic Resources Instructional Services Librarian
10:40am – 12:05pm
Room 104
Basic Terms & Connectors Searching
Lawyering I, sec. 1
Ron Jones, Electronic Resources Instructional Services Librarian
1:30pm – 2:55pm
Room 100A
Basic Terms & Connectors Searching
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Technology in Law Practice
Shannon Kemen, Legal Technology & Research Instructional Services Librarian
11:10am – 12:05pm
Room 208
Thursday, November 4, 2021
Technology in Law Practice
Shannon Kemen, Legal Technology & Research Instructional Services Librarian
11:10am – 12:05pm
Room 208
Lawyering I, sec. 4
Ron Jones, Electronic Resources Instructional Services Librarian
Room 100A
2:00pm – 3:25pm
Basic Terms & Connectors Searching
Lawyering I, sec. 6
Michael Whiteman, Associate Dean of Library Services
Room 100A
4:00pm – 5:25pm
Basic Terms & Connectors Searching
Vote!
November 2nd is election day! Have you voted yet? If not, please vote tomorrow! Elections matter, even non-presidential ones, and so does your vote. Need voter information? You can find links to resources in our Election Law Guide or check out the resources below:
State of Kentucky Voting Website
State of Indiana Voting Website
Featured Study Aids
Election Law in a Nutshell
Available via the West Academic study aid subscription, this Nutshell provides a succinct and thorough description of the law governing elections, the right to vote, and the political process in the United States. The topics addressed include “one person, one vote,” gerrymandering, minority voting rights, ballot access, voter identification, recounts, direct democracy, and campaign finance. The Nutshell covers U.S. constitutional law in these areas, as well as the Voting Rights Act, Federal Election Campaign Act, and other essential statutes. It includes Evenwel v. Abbott, McDonnell v. United States, and other cases from the 2015-16 Supreme Court Term. Election law is a dynamic and rapidly expanding field that generates enormous public interest. It is also of great practical importance to lawyers and law students, with increasing litigation and many controversial Supreme Court decisions such as Bush v. Gore, Citizens United v. FEC, and Shelby County v. Holder.
Understanding Election Law and Voting Rights
Available via the Lexis OverDrive study aid subscription, this study aid takes readers through the electoral process, beginning with the right to vote and continuing through the election itself. Along the way, the authors provide thorough explanations of manifold topics, including Congress’s power to protect voting rights, the use of race in districting, political gerrymandering, political parties’ rights, the place of third parties, free speech and the First Amendment rights to participate in campaigns and run for office, campaign-finance regulation, vote-counting, and the role of courts in adjudicating disputes about political power and challenges to election “irregularities.” Did you know that Prof. Michael Solimine is one of the authors?
Examples & Explanations: Legislation, Statutory Interpretation, and Election Law
Available via the Wolters Kluwer study aid subscription, this study aid tackles the complex subjects in this field, including statutory interpretation, lobbying, bribery, redistricting, campaign finance law, and voting rights.
Featured Guide
Election Law Guide
This guide is intended as a starting point for research in the law of elections.
Featured Video
Election Law Program Videos for Judges & Journalists
Created in 2005 as a joint venture of the National Center for State Courts and the William & Mary Law School, the Election Law Program seeks to provide practical assistance to state court judges called upon to resolve difficult election law disputes.These videos are a series of web-based lectures designed to educate judges and journalists about the fundamentals of election law.
Featured Database
CQ Press Voting and Elections Collection
This database provides reference narratives and documents on elections, parties, voter behavior, and campaigns. It allows users to extract election results by characteristics such as: candidate, office, locality, and race type over time. Access U.S. election results across states with great historical depth and accuracy.
Featured Treatise
America Votes! A Guide to Modern Election Law & Voting
Available to law students & faculty only via Westlaw, this treatise provides a snapshot of key election and voting rights issues from practitioners highly experienced in a wide variety of areas. Part 1 details the election administration processes, challenges, and opportunities at the local and national level. Included are chapters on the FEC, enforcing federal election law, using census data to prove citizenship, and administrative challenges for recounts, contests; and postelection audits. Part 2 details the Voting Rights Act and discusses rights of language-minority voters, voter suppression tactics including voter ID laws, immigration voting rights, and redistricting issues to watch during the current redistricting cycle. Part 3 details the challenges of redistricting and includes state legislative reapportionment, Section 2 vote-dilution litigation, and corporate districting and the Voting Rights Act.
Final Exams Are Coming And We Can Help!
The Law Library has many resources to help you prepare for final exams. Be sure and see our Exam Study Guide for more information!
Past Blog Postings on General Final Exam Preparation:
Study Tips & Law Library Resources for Outlining
Study Aids to Help You with Different Exam Formats & Study Aids for Exam Review
Study Aid Collections:
West Academic
To create an account, click the Create an Account link at the top right corner of the Study Aids Subscription page. Use your UC email as the email address. Once you have filled in the required information to set up an account, you will need to verify your email address (they will send you a confirmation email that you will need answer to verify the email address — be sure and check your junk mail). Once you have created an account and logged in, you can use the links below to access individual study aids or you can access all study aids through https://subscription.westacademic.com. To access study aids even when offline, use the app. Accessing West Academic Study Aids Offline.
Lexis OverDrive
If accessing study aids from Lexis OverDrive, you will need to login using your UC credentials.
Wolters Kluwer
If accessing study aids from the Wolters Kluwer subscription, you will need to login using your UC credentials.
CALI
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.
American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month
This month is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month! In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994. Celebrate with us as we explore the contributions and history of the Native people in the United States of America.
A Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month, 2021
Fast Facts
“The American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone and in combination, increased from 5.2 million in 2010 to 9.7 million in 2020, a 86.5 percent increase. This makes the American Indian and Alaska Native people represent 2.9 percent of the U.S. population.” 2020 Census: Native population increased by 86.5 percent, Indian Country Today (Aug. 13, 2021).
There are 324 distinct, federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2020, including federal reservations and off-reservation trust land. There are 574 federally recognized Indian tribes in 2020. Census Bureau, Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2021 (Oct. 4, 2021). Native Americans as Percent of Ohio State Population: 0.3%.
November Arguments at the United States Supreme Court
From SCOTUS Blog:
Monday, November 1, 2021
Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson — whether a state can insulate from federal-court review a law that prohibits the exercise of a constitutional right by delegating to the general public the authority to enforce that prohibition through civil actions.
U.S. v. Texas — whether the United States may bring suit in federal court and obtain injunctive or declaratory relief against the state, state court judges, state court clerks, other state officials, or all private parties to prohibit Texas Senate Bill 8 from being enforced.
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Houston Community College System v. Wilson — whether the First Amendment restricts the authority of an elected body to issue a censure resolution in response to a member’s speech.
Badgerow v. Walters — whether federal courts have subject-matter jurisdiction to confirm or vacate an arbitration award under Sections 9 and 10 of the Federal Arbitration Act when the only basis for jurisdiction is that the underlying dispute involved a federal question.
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
New York State Rifle & Pistol Association Inc. v. Bruen — whether the state of New York’s denial of petitioners’ applications for concealed-carry licenses for self-defense violated the Second Amendment.