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Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
The Law Library recently received a book that republishes an important Soviet legal text on criminal procedure. It was written by Andrei Vyshinsky, a prosecutor during the "Great Purge" of Soviet leadership and elite.
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, Guest Post
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
Fifty years ago, on January 31, 1968, Nauru became an independent nation. It is the smallest island republic in the world with a land area of just 8.1 square miles (“about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC“) and a population of around 10,000 people. Prior to independence, from 1947 onward, the island was subject to a …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
The following is a guest post by Elin Hofverberg, a foreign law research consultant who covers Scandinavian countries. Elin has previously written for In Custodia Legis on diverse topics, including Alfred Nobel’s Will: A Legal Document that Might Have Changed the World and a Man’s Legacy, Researching Norwegian Law Online and in the Library, the Swedish Detention Order Regarding Julian …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, Guest Post
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
I decided to observe International Women’s Day (today, March 8) by highlighting several Australian women, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who had key roles in bringing about a constitutional referendum held in Australia on May 27, 1967, and in campaigning for the “yes” vote. The referendum contained questions related to two provisions in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
Today, January 26, is Australia Day, a national public holiday in Australia that commemorates the arrival of the “First Fleet” of convict ships that resulted in the establishment of the first British penal colony on the continent. It is considered Australia’s national day. On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip raised the British flag at Sydney Cove, a …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, In the News
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
During a recent vacation in Scotland I took several treks along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh’s Old Town. On one such walk, in the darkness of the late afternoon, I snapped a picture of Advocate’s Close and the plaque that provides brief information about it. All along the Royal Mile there are narrow alleyways called “closes,” …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, Pic of the Week
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
While growing up in New Zealand, then attending university there and working as a policy adviser in both environmental and constitutional law, I saw news items and had discussions about Māori rights, activism, and related legal or policy developments fairly regularly. I have therefore followed with interest media articles and social media discussions about the …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, In the News
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
The following is a tale of World War I legal history with a literary twist. (Working at the world’s largest library, with books on every subject, I could hardly leave the literary aspect out, could I?) I have previously written about New Zealand’s involvement in World War I, particularly in the Gallipoli campaign, and related …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law, World War I
Posted by: Kelly Buchanan
The history of the British penal colonies in Australia is fascinating, and something that I have become increasingly interested in while researching my own family history. As a New Zealander, I have long been aware that many Australians are now quite proud of having convict ancestry. There are a number of resources available online and …
Posted in: Collections, Global Law