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500 Year Anniversary of the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516 (“Reinheitsgebot”)

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

On April 23, 2016, breweries all over Germany and particularly in the Free State of Bavaria will celebrate the 500 year anniversary of the enactment of the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law); a regulation that mandates which ingredients are allowed for the brewing of beer. The Reinheitsgebot is one of the oldest food regulations in …

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World Health Day

Posted by: Margaret Wood

This is a guest post by Constance Johnson, a senior legal research analyst at the Law Library of Congress.  Constance has previously written on Water Rights on Star Island, Law Relating to Refugee Rights – Global Legal Collection Highlights, and most recently on her summer vacation on Star Island. April 7, 2016, is World Health …

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FALQs: New Zealand’s Flag Referendums

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

This blog post is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series. Between March 3 and March 24, 2016, New Zealanders were able to vote in the country’s second referendum related to whether or not to change the official flag.  Previously, in November-December 2015, voting in the first referendum narrowed the list of possible alternative flag designs …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Legal Challenges for Uber in the European Union and in Germany

Posted by: Jenny Gesley

To “Uber” is now a verb. This development reflects the rapid expansion of the mobile ride-hailing company Uber in the United States and the rest of the world. However, in many European jurisdictions, and particularly in Germany, Uber has run into regulatory roadblocks. Uber offers “a technology platform that enables users of Uber’s mobile applications …

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When is a Book Not a Book?

Posted by: Kelly Buchanan

The following is a guest post by Sayuri Umeda, a foreign law specialist covering Japan and several other Asian jurisdictions at the Law Library of Congress. Sayuri has previously written blog posts about testing of older drivers in Japan, sentencing of parents who kill children, English translations of post-World War II South Korean laws, laws …

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State Primary Election Laws

Posted by: Margaret Wood

It is election primary season here in the United States.  Iowa and New Hampshire have voted, and the South Carolina Republican primary took place this past Saturday, February 20th.  The South Carolina Democratic primary will take place this coming Saturday, February 27th.  As is often the case in the United States, each state has different …

Ornate red and ivory wall decoration, with plaque and symbols

Tribute to Justice Antonin Scalia — Pic of the Week

Posted by: Liah Caravalho

In tribute to Justice Antonin Scalia’s life and commitment to the rule of law, this pic of the week features Justice Scalia at the Library’s Magna Carta evening gala. Justice Scalia was a monumental legal thinker, who was known for his deep reverence of the United States Constitution, exuberant personality, and interest in opera. Therefore, it probably does …

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Associate Justice Antonin Scalia

Posted by: Margaret Wood

The following is a guest post by James Martin, senior legal information analyst at the Law Library of Congress.  James has previously written on The District of Columbia 1862 Emancipation Law and The Articles of Confederation: The First Constitution of the United States. Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Antonin Scalia died in Texas …

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Murder as Statecraft

Posted by: Ruth Levush

The following is a guest post by Peter Roudik, director of legal research at the Law Library of Congress. Peter specializes in Russia and the former Soviet Union. He has written a number of posts on topics related to countries in that region, including posts on Christmas, Soviet Style; Soviet investigation of Nazi war crimes, lustration in Ukraine, …