New Legal Research Guide - Vehicle and Traffic Laws

The law library has a new legal research guide on Oregon vehicle and traffic laws.  So, if you have a traffic ticket, or just want to learn where to find out about those weird flashing green left turn arrows, check out the new guide on the Subject Guides page of our website.  If you're trying to find a document on our website but aren't sure where it is, check the Document Index, where we've uploaded every document that appears on our site.

Oregon Judicial Department Court Closures in 2011 and 2012

Chief Justice Order, No. 11-033: "Order directing certain closures of all courts and offices of the Oregon Judicial Department to Address Shortfalls in Funding" (Link to full Order.)

List of OJD Holiday and Furlough Days.

Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) homepage.

OJD Media Releases.

How Do I Get Copies of My Divorce Records?

We've been receiving numerous calls lately from people wanting copies of their divorce records.  The first step is knowing which county would have the records (where did the divorce occur?).  From there, you need to contact the applicable circuit court.  The Oregon Judicial Department (OJD) provides links to each circuit court (left-hand side of the page in a drop-down list under "Circuit Court Websites").  OJD also provides these instructions for finding copies of court records or information on court cases.  Note, your court records may be in the court's archives or another off-site location, affecting the amount of time the request will take.  Some courts handle record requests both in person and by mail.  See the Washington County Circuit Court Records Department webpage for information on obtaining Washington County court records (the page also provides information on the difference between copies, certified copies, and exemplified copies). You can find more information on divorce and family law matters in Washington County at the law library's divorce/family law page.  

If you are looking for information on finding copies of Oregon marriage licenses, see Laura's blog post from June 2009.  The law library's divorce/family law page also has information on filing and finding vital records.

Clocks Change NOVEMBER 6, 2011

It’s getting dark and rainy, which means people start asking about that dratted time change.

Do you know when your clocks turn back?

NOVEMBER 6, 2011

For more time change information:

NIST Time & Frequency Division: In 2011, November 6, 2011 (see Current Time Change Rules and some answers to the Why time change? questions). Here is a Time Change grid for those who plan ahead.

Planning a trip around the world? Check out the time.

And then there is the ever entertaining, every horrifying Population Clock.

Locating Mailing Addresses for Military Personnel

A fellow law librarian compiled this list of resources for finding military personnel and enlistees and I've adapted it for this blog post:

1) Servicemembers Civil Relief Act Centralized Verification Service (SCRACVS)

2) Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC or DMDC.osd)

3) Under some circumstances the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross may provide assistance in locating active service members when other options fail.

4) Other suggested services and sites are noted below.

a) Department of Defense Requests for Military Mailing Addresses

b) U.S. Archives, Military Service Records

c) US Dept of Defense

d) Search mill dot com

e) Military Search

f) Military Connections

g) Military dot com

5) If you prefer to write – and some requests will need to be in writing:

Subject to disclosure restrictions outlined under the SCRA (and perhaps elsewhere):

ARMY:

Army World Wide Locator Service

Enlisted Records and Evaluation Center

8899 East 56th Street

Indianapolis, IN 46249-5031

NAVY:

Bureau of Naval Personnel

PERS-312E

5720 Integrity Drive

Millington, TN 38055-3120

AIR FORCE:

Air Force Manpower and Personnel Center

ATTN: Air Force Locator/MSIMDL

550 C Street West, Suite 50

Randolph Air Force Base, TX 78150-4752

MARINE CORPS:

Commandant of The Marine Corps

Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps (MMSB10)

2008 Elliott Road, Suite 201

Quantico, VA 22134-5030

COAST GUARD:

Coast Guard Locator Service

CGPC-ADM-3

4200 Wilson Blvd Ste 1100

Arlington, VA 22203-1804

PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE:

Attn: Chief, Officer Support Branch

5600 Fishers La, Room 4-36

Rockville, MD 20857-0001

NOAA: Personnel Office:

1305 East West Highway

Silver Spring, MD 20901

Take it Back: Retraction Watch and Recalls

If you delight in being a doubter or a skeptic and haven’t yet found these … enjoy:

1) Retraction Watch

2) Recalls dot gov

3) How We Decide and this recent article in the NYT Magazine that gives us a great excuse for that late afternoon coffee break: "Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?" by John Tierney, August 17, 2011, NYT Magazine.

4) Your Medical Mind

Libraries and the Internet Quotation: Another View of the Cathedral(s)

Every once in a while we run into a memorable Library-Internet quotation:

From: "At Your Service," by Robert Leo Heilman, OLAQ, Vol. 17, no. 3, p. 9 (2011), (author of "Overstory: Zero: Real Life in Timber Country")

".... Both the internet and the library are sources of information. The difference is that the virtual help offered by the worldwide web is impersonal, while libraries have librarians.  When you walk in the door of your local public library, there is someone there who is ready to help you.  Librarians aren’t there to run a scam on you, nor to try to turn a profit, nor to deceive you—all common enough occurrences in this, the so-called “information age.”  A librarian is more than just a specialist but rather a sort of friend to one and all, someone with nothing more than your own good at heart ...." OLAQ, Vol. 17, no. 3, p. 9 (2011).

Oregon History Buff, Writer, or Researcher? Open House at the State Archives (in Salem)

If you’ve never visited the Oregon State Archives, here’s your chance to go behind the scenes.  Most of these documents are not online and may never be online (at least in our lifetimes).

You can also take the State Archives web tour!

Combine your visit to the Archives with some other Salem treasures, such as the Hallie Ford Museum of Art.

"The Oregon State Archives will hold an open house Saturday, October 8th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm as part of the celebration of Oregon Archives month.

Tours of the building will be offered on the hour and will provide visitors with a chance to go “behind the scenes,” see the records storage area, learn more about the Archives and its holdings, while being guided by an Archives staff member.  Tours will last about thirty minutes and include the opportunity to see some of Oregon’s most significant historical documents, including the original Oregon Constitution. In addition, visitors will also have an opportunity to conduct research as additional staff will also be available to assist them and make records available to them to use.

The lobby gallery will be open and is currently showing a collection of scenic photographs from around the state. We will also be showing a video in the lobby celebrating 100 years of the Oregon Blue Book. The Blue Book is published by the Archives Division and we will have both the 2011-2012 edition and a facsimile edition of the 1911 Blue Book available for purchase at the event.

Light refreshments will be served.

So, please join us in celebrating National Archives Month and take advantage of this special Saturday opening.

The State Archives is located as 800 Summer Street NE in Salem.  Normal operating hours are 8:00 am to 4:45 pm Monday through Friday."

Where are the 2011 Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS)?

Short answer: There will not be a 2011 ORS before January 2012.

For the long answer, read previous Oregon Legal Research blog posts on the subject.

Oregon Voter Registration Deadline for November 2011 Election: October 18th

DEADLINE for registering in Oregon for the November 2011, is October 18^th, 2011 (registration deadline is 21 days before an election).

But ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS verify registration and voting deadlines with your local election office.  Local elections are on their own schedules!  Visit your county elections office.

E.g. In Washington County, October 18^th, 2011, is the registration deadline for the Nov. 8^th election, but notice other election deadlines. (You can see other Washington County election deadlines by clicking on their Calendar of Events.) And, they even have a Voter Bill of Rights!

The best information on elections is going to be at your county elections office.

Statewide information is at the Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division, but it’s not the website where you find out when the next local election is or what the last date is to register. Use your county elections offices, for that.

Are you a nonprofit organization? Visit Nonprofit Vote for information on how your organization can get out the vote.

Directory of Oregon Non-governmental “Policy” Organizations

Oregon Policy Directory, from the University of Oregon Libraries’ Public Policy Research website.

This Directory includes non-government organizations and has a link to the Oregon Blue Book’s list of government organizations.

This could be a good starting place for research that crosses organizational lines and could save you time compiling your list of sources.

Updated Definition of an Oregon Public Record

The Oregon Legislature passed 2011 HB 2244, re definition of a public record, and it was signed by the Governor on August 2, 2011:

Effective Date:  August 2, 2011.  Chapter: 645 (2011 Laws).

“Relating to public records; creating new provisions; amending ORS 192.005 and 192.502; and declaring an emergency….”  (HTML and the PDF version of the enrolled bill.)

Includes an expanded definition of public record and new public records policy requirements.

Link to the Oregon Legislature’s website for more information.

You can also find the Oregon Public Records Manual at the Department of Justice website.

Law Librarians, Lawyers, Legal Publishers, and the AALL Consumer Advocacy Caucus

If you are new to the Law Librarian Consumer Advocacy Caucus discussion (and Petition) and want some history and to enter the conversation:

1) For law librarians and law library managers: there is a Petition being circulated by the Consumer Advocacy Caucus (including Comments)

2) There are several websites/blogs where you can find of information on the Caucus and the Petition - see below for a list.

3) You can also post your questions to the SCCLL or other Communities' listserves or to law-lib and members of the Caucus and other interested parties can answer your questions and continue the discussion.

LINKS:

A detailed post with links to the Petition and background can be found at this 9/12/11, Law Librarian Blog post (or at http://tinyurl.com/3pkuto8)

There is further discussion of the Petition at the 9/13/11, 3 Geeks blog post

The following blogs post regularly about the Consumer Advocacy Caucus:

1) Library Consumer Advocacy Caucus blog

2) Law Librarian Blog

3) 3 Geeks and a Law blog

4) Out of the Jungle blog

5) On Firmer Ground

If you're wondering if all the above has anything to do with you, it might or might not be ....

For any law librarian who has ever wondered:

“I can’t be the only one spending way too much time trying to solve book-order mix-ups, invoice errors, and database contract problems,” or

“Why does every other legal publisher transaction need professional law librarian or manager intervention to decipher mailing labels, packing slips, and invoices – these should be routine processing tasks” or

“I hate begging for more money from bosses who don’t understand why the shipping cost is higher than the price of the book, or why a 20 page pocket part costs $$$$, or why we now have to pay for a new volume even though we just bought the set last month, or why I had to take 30 minutes on the phone with customer service to get them to cancel a vendor charge instead of doing  work I’m supposed to be doing to run the law library.”

“I once asked for advice from another librarian who said, ‘I don’t have a problem with that vendor – it might be your fault.  Maybe you need to be more assertive.’  I don’t think it’s just me – or is it?”

“Can AALL help us out as a community with some of these problems rather than us just sharing our own individual stories on a listserve?  There has to be a better way.”

Or maybe you work with law professors or legal writers who need research assistance to help protect their copyrights, their reputations, or to keep that publisher contract a true meeting of the minds.

Or, maybe you are a legal publisher, and want to continue being one, and want a level playing field where the interests of buyers and sellers (and content creators) intersect and everyone wins.

Statutory Interpretation: It’s Not Your Gramma’s Grammar (but maybe it should be)

The next time someone says, “It’s not your grandma’s world, anymore,” you might want to respond, “what a pity, my grandma was a smart cookie.”

The 9/8/11, blog post at Legal Research Plus, "How to Use Legislative History to Teach Grammar," cites and links to Prof. Susan J. Hankin’s “Statutory Interpretation in the Age of Grammatical Permissiveness:  An Object Lesson for Teaching Why Grammar Matters"

You can find more information on statutory interpretation in books and online.

In Oregon, you can also read the Oregon State Bar’s book, Interpreting Oregon Law (edited by Hon. Jack Landau), in print and online at a law library near you.

Oregon County Law Library Conference Rooms: Update

The Douglas County Law Library can now be added to the list of Oregon county law libraries with conference rooms for lawyers.

“The Douglas County Law Library is pleased to be able to offer space for out of town attorneys to conduct depositions & settlement conferences. There is a charge for the use of the room.”

Second Annual Oregon Archives Crawl, October 15, 2011

"Everyone is invited to the 2^nd Annual Oregon Archives Crawl on Saturday, October 15^th. Start at any of the four host locations (Portland Archives and Records Center, the Portland State University Millar Library, Multnomah County Central Library or the Oregon Historical Society) and get ready to dive head first into history. Each host site will share space with other local archives and heritage organizations, many returning and a few new ones.

Some of this year’s participating organizations include Oregon Health and Sciences University, the Genealogical Forum of Oregon Library, Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, the Multnomah County Records Program and the Dill Pickle Club. With over 30 organizations as part of the Archives Crawl, there is something for everyone!

Crawlers can tour some of the facilities and get a glimpse of where all these treasures are stored, see how Portland has changed over the years through photos and maps, and touch artifacts ranging from police dockets dating back to the late 1800s to medical artifacts from OHSU (maybe even a skull). Join in on fun family activities that connect you to our rich history and learn how and where to do your own research.  Remember: you don’t have to be a history scholar to be interested in history, or to do research!  All of the participating archives are open to anyone with an interest in history.

As you crawl from site to site, make sure you get your free “passport” stamped at each location. A fully stamped passport gets you into a drawing for items donated by participating archives.  The drawing takes place at the After Party at McMenamins’ Mission Theater. The After Party is just that, a party where we can all kick back, listen to music, reflect on the day’s events and chat with the archivists and other people who like history. The After Party is free to everyone, but be sure to bring your money if you want to partake of McMenamins’ food and beer. Soft drinks will be available for free until they run out.

Second Annual Oregon Archives Crawl
Saturday, October 15
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Free and Open to the PublicStarting at any of the following locations: Portland Archives & Records Center, Portland State University Millar Library, Multnomah County Central Library or the Oregon Historical Society."

Burning Legal Questions

People ask the darnedest questions, but sometimes other people create the darnedest problems. This post maybe should be classified under “legal humor,” and it will be, but it’s also based on fact.

Legal Blog Watch

See, especially, their regular Burning legal questions and Things you can't do on a plane posts.

Project Gutenberg Founder, Michael Hart, Has Passed Away

Project Gutenberg Founder, Michael Hart, Has Passed Away," posted on INFOdocket, September 7, 2011, by Gary D. Price, and a link to the Project Gutenberg website for a full obituary.

Project Gutenberg homepage.

Oregon History Night: How Southern Oregon Got Its Ornery Streak

Oregon Encyclopedia History Nights has this program, among others coming up:

Southern Oregon Got Its Ornery Streak: The Politics of Dissonance and Resentment”

Presented by Dr. Jeff LaLande

Monday, September 26, 2011, 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:00 pm

McMenamins Mission, 1624 NW Glisan, Portland

Free and open to the public

Legal Aid funding cuts hit Oregon’s Marion and Polk Counties

"Legal Aid funding cuts hit Marion and Polk Counties," at the Law for Real People blog, posted 09/06/2011

Excerpt: “…We need to recognize legal aid as a kind of community public health resource, like a free vaccination clinic -- because when we ignore the legal needs of the poor, they don't just magically disappear, they get worse and become far more difficult and expensive to deal with.  When society doesn't fund vaccines for the poor, it's not just the poor who suffer.  Same with civil law.  Sure we can shave a few bucks off the legal aid budget every year after year after year -- but then we wonder why we, to take just one example, have to spend so much more to try to educate kids who change schools five and six times in two years (because the parent's inability to defend themselves against an abusive debt collector caused wage garnishment and loss of housing, leading to a vicious downward spiral of unemployment and underemployment, which causes housing and food insecurity, which raises the likelihood of student failure, dropping out, and other social maladaptations)....“ (Link to full post.)

October 1, 2011 OJD Circuit Court Filing Fees

I’ve been informed that OJD hopes to have the Oct 1, 2011, court fee announcements ready to go shortly after September 16th.  I'm not sure when the Oregon Circuit Courts will post the filing fees with their own adjustments, but we do expect those fee-notice postings by September 30^th, 2011.

Oregon Lawyers Celebrate Punctuation Day (with a side of interrogatories)

The Oregon State Bar (OSB) August/September 2011 Bulletin has a lot of interesting news.  We’ll start with the Fun (to librarians, lawyers, and writers, at least):

Thank you to Suzanne Rowe, the University of Oregon Law School Director of Legal Research and Writing and author of the book(s), “Oregon Legal Research,” now in its 2^nd edition, we find out from her “The Legal Writer” column, “Let the Festivities Begin!” column that September 24^th is:

National Punctuation Day!

(Not to be confused with the Annual IPRC Text Ball, where punctuation, fonts, letters, and word games collide in fancy dress!)

Professor Rowe includes a Punctuation Day meatloaf recipe (no veggie or vegan version – sorry, but if you are inclined to meat-like non-meat food, you probably already have a recipe), which might be a first for the OSB Bulletin (though we hope not the last – Oregon lawyers and librarians like to cook).

If you’re in Portland on Punctuation Day, don’t forget to visit the Punctuation Public Art at the Jeld-Wen MAX station (westbound, near the soccer stadium at SW 18^th and Yamhill).

Whew.  That doesn’t leave me much energy for the rest of the OSB Bulletin August/September 2011 issue, but there is lots more so read it at its website and:

1) Lawyers, please see the changes to the OSB Information and Referral Service funding model.

2) Read an interesting postscript in the OSB Bulletin, Parting Thoughts column, “An Argument for Interrogatories,” by Timothy MB Farrell, an attorney for All (or many) States.

Oregon Wordstock Festival 2011

The Wordstock Festival will be October 6-9^th, 2011, in Portland, Oregon.

Oregon County Law Library Conference Rooms

A few Oregon county law libraries have conference rooms for use by lawyers and clients (and self-represented litigants) who need gathering space for depositions, teleconferences, or meetings to discuss their active court cases filed with the court, e.g. Clackamas, Deschutes, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.

Call the Law Library directly for information about hours, size of the room, and conference room rules and policies

Oregon Uniform Trial Court Rules (OTCR)

Don’t forget that the Uniform Trial Court Rules were revised and effective August 1, 2011.  These are annual revisions, with periodic out of cycle amendments.

Look for them at the OJD website (under Court Rules)

Oregon Base Fines and Illegal U-Turns

I was looking at the 2011 OJD Base Fines Instructions and Charts and the 8 x 10 color glossies with circles and arrows and the word U-TURNS caught my eye.

Does anyone follow this law – anyone who hasn’t been dinged by it?

2009 ORS 811.365 (check for current ORS and any interim session laws if necessary):

“811.365 Illegal U-turn; penalty.

(1) A person commits the offense of making an illegal U-turn if the person is operating a vehicle and the person turns the vehicle so as to proceed in the opposite direction in any of the following places:

(a) Within an intersection where traffic is controlled by an electrical signal. This paragraph does not apply where posted otherwise.

(b) Upon a highway within the limits of an incorporated city between intersections.

(c) At any place upon a highway where the vehicle cannot be seen by another driver approaching from either direction within a distance of:

(A) 500 feet within the incorporated limits of a city; or

(B) 1,000 feet outside a city.

(2) The offense described in this section, illegal U-turn, is a Class C traffic violation unless commission of the offense contributes to an accident. If commission of the offense contributes to an accident, the offense is a Class B traffic violation. [1983 c.338 §629; 1995 c.383 §63]”

How to Find Oregon Appellate Court Cases

You will not find a link (as of today) to Oregon appellate court cases at the OJD Self-Help website.

You will find a link from the OJD homepage, their Appellate Case Info page, or their Publications page.

This is not a horrible thing. Really!

First, if you’re searching for a particular case, you can easily find it using one of our handy-dandy How to Find a Case Online blog posts. (Google Scholar is the fastest for this kind of search, but you might need one of the other free databases if the case is not on Google Scholar.)

Second: If you’re looking for cases on a subject, you wouldn’t use a chronological list of cases.  You need a case law database that allows you to search by keyword.  You will need to try out one of these or subscribe to a legal database yourself or visit a law library and use their print or online research tools.