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January 2009 Newsletter |
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Library CLOSED January 19 for MLK Day
All branches of the Law Library will be closed on Monday, January 19, 2009, for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day . Regular hours will resume on Tuesday.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Baptist minister advocating civil rights. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and the civil rights march on Washington in 1963, where he delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his work to end racial segregation and discrimination, the youngest person to receive the award.
King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, TN. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a national holiday in 1986.
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New Judicial Council Forms Posted
As of January 1, 2009, there are over 100 new and revised Judicial Council forms, addressing such topics as the Court of Appeals, alternative dispute resolution, criminal law, family law, juvenile law and general civil and probate matters, among others.
The Judicial Council forms were updated to reflect revisions in the California Rules of Court, eliminate out-dated terminology, and provide additional information to make the forms more user-friendly.
As with all Judicial Council forms, they are provided in PDF format to view and print, fill out online or download to your computer or portable storage device.
If you would like more details about the specific changes to the forms, review the Judicial Council's October 24, 2008, meeting agenda.
For a complete listing of the Judicial Council's latest form changes, visit the California Courts' website.
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Text Messaging While Driving Is Now Illegal!
The new year always brings about a number of new laws, such as last year's popular entries: no talking on cell phones while driving; and no smoking in vehicles when minors present. This year's addition addresses text messaging while driving.
As of January 1, 2009, it is an infraction to write, send or even read any text-based communication while driving. The new law applies to all electronic wireless communications devices, such as cell phones, and includes text messages, instant messages or electronic mail.
For a complete list of all the new laws affecting vehicles and drivers, visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
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Featured New Resource & New Materials Added to the Collection
Our featured resource this month is:
The Foreclosure Survival Guide
If you're having trouble making your mortgage payments or are already in jeopardy of foreclosure you should know your options. Can you keep your house? Should you?
The The Foreclosure Survival Guide, published by NOLO Press, gives you practical information and guides you through the process, step by step. This self-help book explains the nuts and bolts of foreclosure, covers negotiating a workout, mortgages and adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), judicial and non-judicial foreclosure, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, liens, short sales, credit counseling, and bankruptcy options.
Available at all of our branch locations, this resource is easy to understand and may help you stay in your home or possibly walk away with money in your pocket.
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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California Native American Resources
The Judicial Council of California Administrative Office of the Court's (AOC) Center for Families, Children and the Courts (CFCC) and the California Department of Social Services developed the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Project.
The AOC started this Project to provide the courts and agencies with educational and technical assistance to make it easier for them to comply with the ICWA. Some of the educational resources, provided at a limited number of courts, include regional trainings and workshops on such topics as ICWA applicability, jurisdiction, notice to tribes, and more.
The CFCC developed an interactive directory of resources to serve the state's Native American families. The directory contains listings of nationwide services available in California that is searchable by county or by state. It is also searchable by keyword, which allows users to narrow their search to quickly locate specific types of resources.
Searching the directory using the keywods "San Diego legal services" retrieved the following "Principal Office" contact information for the Bishop, Eureka and Sacramento Field Office locations:
California Indian Legal Services (CILS)
609 S. Escondido Blvd.,
Escondido, CA 92025
(760)746-8941
(760)746-1815
http://www.calindian.org For additional resources and information on the ICWA Project, visit their website.
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Website of the Month: VictimLaw
VictimLaw - Database of Victims' Rights Law Our legal system today has a number of codified crime victims' rights laws, and California is no exception. VictimLaw was developed to help with locating these laws and make searching easier.
This website provides a comprehensive, user-friendly database of victims' rights. It includes multi-jurisdictional databases for statutes, constitutional provisions, court rules and some regulations. The site intends to add more regulations, court decisions and attorney general opinions related to victims' rights in the near future.
Users of this site can search by subject, keyword, or citation, or can browse through the Table of Contents. All searches can be made for a particular jurisdiction, including federal, military, state and territories or Native American tribe.
The following "core rights" for crime victims, explained through the links on its homepage, include the right to:- attend court proceedings
- compensation
- be heard during criminal justice proceedings
- be informed
- protection
- restitution
- the return of property
- a speedy trial
- enforcement
Additional references on the website include The Justice System Explained, which includes a full-color diagram of the criminal justice system, a Legal Glossary of terms and phrases, and links to other Resources for all available jurisdictions on such topics as identity theft, Internet crimes, elder abuse, and privacy rights.
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Upcoming Classes for January & February
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.
JANUARY
South Bay Branch (619) 691-4929
These two classes are free for Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
- Computer Forensics: Cybercrime, Identity Theft and Computer Security*
Tuesday, January 13th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Mitch Dembin, Assistant U.S. Attorney,
Southern District of California
1 hour General Participatory credit
- Identity Theft: Avoid Being a Victim*
Thursday, January 22nd, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Lamont Siller, Special Agent with the FBI
1 hour General Participatory credit
The following classes are FREE and open ONLY to our
Attorney and Paralegal members
North County Branch (760) 940-4386
- Law Firm Technology on the Cheap*
Tuesday, January 6th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Craig Coombs, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
- ADR Selection Roulette: Placing the Right "Bet" During Tough Economic Times*
Thursday, January 8th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Joseph L. Stine, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
- Electronic and Computer-Generated Evidence - Admissibility PART ONE*
Monday, January 12th, 12:00 - 2:00pm
DVD - 2 hours General Participatory credit
- Electronic and Computer-Generated Evidence - Admissibility PART TWO*
Wednesday, January 14th, 12:00 - 2:00pm
DVD - 2 hours General Participatory credit
- Hiring and Firing: How to Avoid Mistakes: PART ONE*
Tuesday, January 20th, 12:00 - 1:30pm
DVD - 1.5 hours General Participatory credit
- Hiring and Firing: How to Avoid Mistakes: PART TWO*
Thursday, January 22nd, 12:00 - 1:30pm
DVD - 1.5 hours General Participatory credit
- California Animal Law Update*
Tuesday, January 27th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Jennifer George, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
- Speed Writing for Lawyers*
Thursday, January 29th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Randall B. Christison, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
Main Branch (619) 531-3900- Hiring and Firing: How to Avoid Mistakes*
Thursday, January 8th, 2:00 - 5:30pm
DVD - 3.25 hours General Participatory credit
- Lawyers and Depression*
Friday, January 9th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
David Cameron Carr, Esq.
1 hour Substance Abuse Participatory credit
- Substance Abuse*
Monday, January 12th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Moira S. Brennan, Esq.
1 hour Substance Abuse Participatory credit
- Fee Arbitration*
Tuesday, January 13th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Carl Ingwalson, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
- Bankruptcy*
Thursday, January 15th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Kathleen Cashman-Kramer, Esq. and Lisa Torres, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
- Mixing It Up: Ethical Considerations in Business Transactions With Non-Lawyers*
Tuesday, January 20th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
David Cameron Carr, Esq.
1 hour Ethics Participatory credit
- Ethics: Useful Suggestions on Handling Common Dilemmas*
Monday, January 26th, 1:30 - 5:30pm
DVD - 4 hours Ethics Participatory credit
- To Bias Or Not To Bias: Developments in Discrimination Law*
Thursday, January 29th, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Rupa G. Singh, Esq. and Robert J. Lauchlan Jr., Esq.
1 hour Bias Participatory credit
- CRAM DAY DVDs
Friday, January 30th
- Defining Substance Abuse*
9:30 - 10:30am
1 hour Substance Abuse Participatory credit
- Elimination of Bias: Age Discrimination in Law Firms*
11:00 - 12:00pm
1 hour Bias Participatory credit
- Ethics: Traps, Snares and Pitfalls*
12:30 - 4:30pm
4 hours Ethics Participatory credit
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.
- Speed Writing for Lawyers*
Tuesday February 17, 2009, 12:00 - 1:00pm
Randall B. Christison, Esq.
1 hour General Participatory credit
Presented in conjunction with the Foothills Bar Association.
Main Branch (619) 531-3900
These classes are free to Law Library members and $5 for non-members.
- Using Lexis*
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
12:00 - 1:00pm
- The U.S.Housing Crisis; Strategies & Solutions; Counseling Homeowners in Distress*
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
12:00 - 1:00pm
Gary M. Laturno, Esq.
- Law Made Public*
Saturday, February 21, 2009
2:00 - 3:00pm
*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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From the Director
Happy New Year! I'm excited to share with you our prospects for 2009.
But first, we want to thank our two past Board Presidents who have ended their terms this year, Martin White, Esq. and The Hon. Gerald Jessop. Both gentlemen have served so ably on our Facilities Committee. We look forward to working with our new Trustees.
We also look forward to continuing our negotiations with the County regarding renovation of our downtown facility. We are striving to make it the modern, efficient community resource that our County both needs and deserves. We also anticipate working with the County on updating the skylights in our East County branch. This follows the installation of new carpeting last month in our North County branch. The new carpeting not only improves the appearance of the branch, but also addresses the safety issues with the old carpeting. We will work on addressing the carpeting needs of our East County branch after the completion of the work on the skylights.
Our plans for the fiftieth anniversary gala celebration of our downtown library to be held in March are well underway. This Gala Event 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.
We intend to continue to partner with the County, law schools, other libraries, bar associations, and other legal service providers to offer free clinics, classes and outreach programs, and other educational programs and services that our community depends upon.
As we move forward strategically, we thank all of you for your participation and support through all these years.
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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 Librarian.
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