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Posted by: Robert Brammer
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Specialists. When discussing the use of witnesses at trial, attention often focuses on the use of witnesses in criminal actions, such as how eyewitness identifications are made or whether improper behavior, like witness tampering, has affected the outcome of a trial. However, witnesses …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Robert Brammer
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Specialists. At sometime you may find yourself in a dispute that does not seem worth pursuing because the amount in controversy is small. After all, you do not want to spend five thousand dollars on an attorney for a claim that, assuming you are …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Specialists. Although we are likely more frequently asked about federal laws here at the Law Library of Congress, we do receive quite a number of reference requests concerning state and local law. Of these non-federal requests, some of the more challenging questions deal …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Librarians. Social Security disability benefits have taken on an ever-increasing role in the press in recent months, and as such, it is no surprise that the Law Library of Congress has received many questions regarding the law in this area. In this post, …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer. One of the most frequent requests we receive from patrons at the reference desk at the Law Library Reading Room is for help in tracking down statutes passed by the United States Congress. While at first glance, finding a statute may seem straightforward, there are …
Posted in: Education, Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Nathan Dorn
Magna Carta, the Charter of Liberties sealed by King John of England in 1215 AD, is routinely cited as one of the most important documents of our constitutional tradition. It ranks with the English Bill of Rights (1689), The Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution in symbolic power. And while the details of …
Posted in: Education, In the News, Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer One of our most frequent requests at the Law Library of Congress is to help patrons with their legislative history research. Often, researchers will want information about the votes and debates made on the floor of Congress in order to track the history of the …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Robert Brammer
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Librarians. Legal drafting is a very structured method of writing that can prove intimidating to the uninitiated. In this Beginner’s Guide, we will recommend some sources that will help you excel in the legal drafting process. Legal Dictionaries The first step in drafting …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide
Posted by: Barbara Bavis
This post was co-authored by Barbara Bavis and Robert Brammer, Legal Reference Librarians. Despite the federal government’s recent reduction in spending—according to Bloomberg, federal “government spending on contracts fell 3.1 percent last year, the biggest one-year decline since 1997”—government contracting is still a big business nationwide. The multitude of laws and regulations that control a …
Posted in: Law Library, Research Guide