“Where can I find the official version of this law that was just released?” “What is the legal status of this document titled ‘provisions’ or ‘measures’?” “Is this law or regulatory document currently effective?” These are a few common questions people may have when doing Chinese law research. For anyone who has had such questions …
On January 28, 2021, Foreign Law Specialist Nicolas Boring discussed the Napoleonic Code’s history, evolution, and legacy in an installment of the Law Library of Congress’ foreign and comparative law webinar series. The webinar discussed the prehistory of the French Civil Code, its drafting and adoption, its contents, and the history of its immense influence …
The following post is by Dante Figueroa, a senior legal information analyst at the Law Library of Congress. He has recently written for In Custodia Legis on the Italian Parliamentary Library; Spanish Legal Documents (15th to 19th Century); Recent Legislation Enacted by Italy to Tackle COVID-19; and Italy: A New Silk Road Between Italy and China – the Belt and Road …
This blog post is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series and describes the Norwegian bunad dress. Today, May 17, marks the Norwegian Constitution Day (Syttende mai), and the creation on this day of the Norwegian constitution of 1814. In a normal year, the Karl Johans Gate (“Karl Johan”) in Oslo, which is located between …
This blogpost is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series and describes the Swedish Sami Parliament election. This upcoming Sunday, May 16, 2021, the Sami Parliament (Sametinget) in Sweden holds its general election. The date also marks the 18th anniversary of the first Swedish Sami Parliament election in 1993. 1. What is the Sami Parliament …
Technology and digitalization are changing the way we pay. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated the trend away from cash to digital payments. Cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, are experiencing an all-time high. Central banks are taking note. On October 20, 2020, the Central Bank of The Bahamas launched the first worldwide retail central bank digital …
We recently published a report on the Recognition of Foreign Passports on our website. The report, produced by specialists and analysts of the Global Legal Research Directorate, surveys 20 jurisdictions around the world as well as international law, and focuses on the rules and approaches for recognizing foreign passports. In addition, the report covers the …
Today, April 30, marks Walpurgis or Valborgsmässoafton. A holiday celebrated in, among other places, Germany and Sweden. The name is derived from the Saint Walpurgis. In Sweden, the Swedish form of Walpurgis, Valborg, has her name day on May 1, making April 30 the Eve of Walpurgis. The holiday, marked by bonfires, singing, and a welcoming …
The following is a guest post by Barry Lerner, an editor in the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. This blog post is part of our Frequently Asked Legal Questions series. From time to time, there are news articles or reports of stoning being used as a punishment for certain crimes in Iran …