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February 2009 Newsletter |
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February Holiday CLOSURES
All branches of the Law Library will be CLOSED for the following holidays:
Lincoln's Birthday
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Normal hours of operation will resume on Friday, February 13th
President's Day
Monday, February 16, 2009
Normal hours of operation will resume on Tuesday, February 17th
Abraham Lincoln's birthday has never been formally designated a Federal holiday, even though some states observe it, including California. Washington's birthday has been a legal holiday since 1885.
"In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved the official observance of Washington's birthday from Feb. 22 to the third Monday in February. Some reformers had wanted to change the name of the holiday as well, to Presidents' Day, in honor of both Lincoln and Washington, but that proposal was rejected by Congress, and the holiday remained officially Washington's Birthday."
For more information, visit America.gov or Infoplease.com
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Upcoming Classes for February & March
Pre-registration is required for all classes, as seating is limited. Please sign up by calling the appropriate Branch number.
Participants may bring lunch.
For a complete description of the classes and the most up-to-date information, visit SDCPLL's Calendar of Events.
FEBRUARY
East County Courthouse, Dept. 6 (619) 441-4451
This class is open only to Attorneys and Paralegals.
The class is free for Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
Main Branch (619) 531-3900
These classes are free to Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
MARCH
Main Branch (619) 531-3900
These classes are free to Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
*MCLE Participatory Credit hour(s) available for these classes.
The San Diego County Public Law Library is a
State Bar approved MCLE provider.
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Federal and California Tax Forms
Now Available at the Law Library
By Benita G.
"I owe the government $3,400 in taxes. So I sent them two hammers and a toilet seat." -- Michael McShane
The most commonly used Federal and California Tax Forms, Instructions and Publications for 2008 are now available at Main, North County and South Bay branches of the Law Library.
Available for distribution are California Tax Forms 540 2EZ, 540 and 540A and Federal Tax Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ, and the instruction booklets to each form. The Law Library also has the most commonly used schedules for businesses and self-employed individuals, as well as tax deduction forms.
A complete selection of Federal and California tax forms may be found on the government websites.
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Featured New Resource &
New Materials Added to the Collection
By Isabel E.
Our featured resource
this month is:
California Motions In Limine
The Rutter Group Civil Litigation Series Deskbook
This deskbook covers California in limine motions and can be used by plaintiff or defense attorneys in either civil or criminal matters. The deskbook has 12 chapters of case law and ready-to-cite statutory excerpts for making motions to exclude a number of specific types of evidence. The deskbook also comes with a CD-ROM providing template forms and sample text.
The twelve chapters cover the following topics: Overview of Motions in Limine, Excluding Prejudicial Evidence, Excluding Irrelevant Evidence, Excluding Writings & Physical Evidence, Excluding Tests & Scientific Evidence, Discovery Abuse and Discovery Evidence, Excluding Character Evidence, Excluding Witness Evidence, Trial Presentation, Personal Injury Motions, Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death Motions, and Insurance Litigation Motions.
This deskbook can be found at our downtown, East County, and North County locations.
New Materials Added to the Collection
The Law Library regularly adds new materials to its collection. To see new books added to the collection in the last month, CLICK HERE.
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Ninth Circuit Requires Electronic Case Filing
by Benita G.
Effective January 2, 2009, mandatory use of the 9th Circuit Court's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) System will be required for all attorneys and court reporters, unless the Court grants them an exemption from using the System. Exemptions are only granted for good-cause reasons.
Self-represented litigants may continue to file their cases by submitting paper filings to the Court. Use of the CM/ECF System will remain voluntary for parties proceeding without an attorney.
Instructions to register for the CM/ECF System to file cases electronically may be found on the Court's PACER website. Users also will need to register separately for a PACER account and to receive electronic notifications regarding a case.
For additional information, including the rules governing electronic filing in the 9th Circuit Court, the ECF User Guide, the CM/ECF exemption form and to view the computer-based training modules, visit the 9th Circuit Court's website.
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Whitehouse.gov Invites Public Participation
By Tina J.
President Obama's administration launched a restructured White House website on January 20th, reflecting the new administration's policy of having a more open and transparent government.
The interactive website will feature a section dedicated to non-emergency legislation. The public will be able to review proposed legislation and make comments on it for five days before the President signs it.
The "Briefing Room" is a great place to find the most up-to-date information about the President and his administration. This section includes the latest Presidential events, public statements, proclamations, executive orders, press releases, photos, videos and the administration's daily blog entries.
Macon Phillips, Director of New Media for the White House, posted the first blog entry one minute after midnight on Inauguration Day. He stated that "WhiteHouse.gov and the rest of the Administration's online programs will put citizens first" and that their top three priorities include communication, transparency and participation.
To facilitate this effort, the public can sign up for an RSS feed and email updates to stay informed of White House actions and can provide feedback by filling out an online form.
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Children's Book Drive a Huge Success!
By Benita G.
During the month of December, the San Diego County Public Law Library, in partnership with San Diego Area Law Libraries (SANDALL), ran a holiday children's book drive.
The book drive benefited UPLIFT, a nonprofit organization that provides tutoring and mentoring services for low-income and racially diverse children in San Diego's inner-city communities.
Due to the generous contribution of SANDALL members and the general public, we were able to donate 129 books to help these children increase their literacy and improve their chances for a better life.
Thank you for your kindness and contribution.
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From the Director
By Robert R.
January marks the election time for the officers of our governing Board. I am happy to report that this year's officers include the Hon. Julia Kelety, President, and the Hon. Robert O'Neill, Vice President and Treasurer. The Hon. William Gentry a new member will be our third ex-officio to the Law Library Justice Foundation. Jeffrey Cawdrey, Partner at the law firm of Gordon Rees, has joined our facilities and budget committees, Judge O'Neill has joined the personnel committee, and former President K Martin White will serve in an advisory capacity.
The new Board will focus on our renovation plans for the downtown library. In addition, they will also be addressing the issue of the Library's perceived relevance to our community's needs. Negotiations continue with the County on the renovation plans, and we are awaiting a decision on our capital improvement request for the project.
Plans are moving ahead for marking the fiftieth anniversary of our downtown location with a gala celebration in March. Both the State and County will honor us with proclamations acknowledging our longevity. This will be followed by our annual Witkin Awards Event.
Like everyone else, we are hoping that the economy picks up, and that we can continue to receive the support for our programs from the legal community. So far, contributions have been lagging, and we are hopeful that support will increase. Please remember that our legal collection depends on your generosity. We need your help to update existing collections and purchase important new materials for all our branches.
We thank all our long standing friends for their support and welcome participation by new members of our community.
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Cartoon by Stu Rees
Stu's Views are "Cartoons About Law and Lawyers." Stu Rees is a local entertainment lawyer who represents mostly visual arts creators.
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We hope you've enjoyed our newsletter! If you are a guest and would like to subscribe, please CLICK HERE.
We're hard at work on the next edition. In the meantime, please visit us online at www.sdcpll.org or stop by one of our four locations.
For more information or to send comments about this newsletter, contact Tina Jagerson, Media Coordinator and South Bay Branch Manager.
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