Want to win a prize?! Are you ready to test your knowledge of legal research?

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, February 1^st 2011 the Law Library will post a new puzzle feature called Library Loot to the Footnotes¹ blog each Tuesday. The puzzles will rotate each week in the following order: a scavenger hunt, a research question, and a crossword or word search. To win the Library Loot, the student must follow the instructions based on the puzzle of the week:

·         Scavenger Hunt: A question will be posted on the blog and will involve physically searching the print or microfiche collection in the library. A golden ticket will be placed where the answer is found. The student will take the golden ticket and their answer to Circulation desk, where they may retrieve one item of loot (candy) from the treasure chest if their answer is correct.

·         Research question: A question will be posted on the blog. These questions will be more in depth, and may have many steps involved. The first student to answer the question correctly in the comments section of the blog will be the winner. The student must provide their PSL email address for the librarian to contact them. The loot for this game is one Passing the Bar board game or Bar flashcard set.

·         Crossword or Word Search: A crossword or word search consisting of legal research, law related questions, or vocabulary will be posted on the blog. The first person to bring their correct answer to the Circulation desk will win the loot, which is a $10 gift card.

THE FINE PRINT: Library Loot Puzzle Rules

1.       Puzzles may be completed by current Phoenix School of Law students only.

2.       All library staff members are exempt from participating.

3.       One prize will be given to the first person to complete the puzzle with the correct answer. Even if more than one person worked towards getting the correct answer, only one prize will be given for the puzzle completed correctly.

4. Contest rules are subject to change at anytime.

HAVE FUN!! Good luck!

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!

The shortage of Judges has become an emergency delaying criminal proceedings up to six months: Article

From one of my favorite bloggers, an analysis of the machine used to hurl bales of recreational vegetation across the border from Mexico, at http://customslaw.blogspot.com/2011/01/thats-trebuchet.html.

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.