The following is a guest post by Micaela DelMonte, a lawyer from the European Parliamentary Research Service who volunteered at the Law Library of Congress during May 2017. News about Brexit and the so-called Article 50 procedure have dominated the news about the European Union (EU) lately. If you are interested in researching these or …
This post is coauthored by Nathan Dorn, rare book curator, and Robert Brammer, senior legal information specialist. Our picture of the week is an image of Fort Caroline, Florida, which was founded by French Huguenots on June 22nd of 1564. This print has a complicated, but interesting history. It is part of a 1591 imprint of Theodor de …
To secure the basic needs of children, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on November 20, 1989, the 30th anniversary of its Declaration of the Rights of the Child. The Convention went into force on September 2, 1990 when enough nations ratified it. Currently, 196 nations have ratified the …
Last week I blogged about Israeli legislative and judicial efforts to assist Jewish women who cannot divorce their husbands (עגונות, agunot, literally “chained”; עגונה, agunah in singular). In accordance with Jewish law, which applies to matters of marriage and divorce of Jewish residents and citizens of Israel, a valid divorce requires the consensual delivery by the husband and receipt …
Every year on May 23, Germany celebrates the “Day of the Basic Law.” The Basic Law, Germany’s constitution, lays down fundamental rights, establishes the structure and administration of the Federal Republic of Germany, and sets out the legal framework of the three branches of government. Furthermore, it establishes the Federal Republic of Germany as a democratic, federal, …
This Saturday is Armed Forces Day in the United States, a day set aside to recognize the men and women who serve in the active and reserve components of the armed forces of the United States. The day has been observed since 1950. This blog post is devoted to a few of the men who …
Biking to work is a commuting option that can help you stay fit, reduce carbon emissions, and/or get ready for a race. Whatever your reasons, Bike to Work Day is a fun way to get started on the habit. Lots of riders out there will be new to the habit of cycling to work on Bike …
The following is a guest post by Seth Brostoff, a legal metadata intern, who has been working at the Law Library of Congress for several months describing and creating metadata for a collection of Hispanic Legal Documents that span from the 15th to 19th centuries. Now that the dust of the celebrations surrounding Cinco de …
Working and living in Washington, DC, lobbyists are no uncommon sight. K Street, where numerous lobbying firms are traditionally located, has become a metonym for the lobbying industry in general. A “lobbyist” is defined under federal law as any individual who is employed or retained by a client for financial or other compensation for services that include more …