The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) ensures that government publications are available outside the federal government. Typically, access to these publications comes through “depository libraries,” which agree to house and make accessible these resources to the public. The groundwork for what is now the FDLP began with a Congressional Joint Resolution in 1813. However, the …
Exploring North Carolina’s New Trial Court Docket Portal
Accessing state court dockets has long been a hurdle for legal researchers. In North Carolina, Appellate and Supreme Court decisions back to the year 2000 have been available online via the NC Appellate Courts eFiling site. Researchers looking for trial and superior court documents online have been out of luck. Earlier this year, North Carolina …
New LibGuide: Hurricane Helene Resource Guide
The University of North Carolina School of Law’s Kathrine R. Everett Library has just published a new Hurricane Helene Resource Guide. This guide contains information and useful links for victims of Hurricane Helene, including federal and state government resources, legal resources, and build-back support. Additionally, this guide includes information for individuals looking to help via donating …
Researching Election Law
As we all know, the November 2024 election is quickly approaching. In anticipation of this occasion, we’ve gathered some resources to help you learn and think about election law. Whether you want to find out more about the Voting Rights Act, Bush v. Gore, or ballot counting, the Kathrine R. Everett Law Library has you …
The Untapped Potential in Practice Materials on VitalLaw
Our legal research databases are chock full of helpful secondary sources that greatly increase the efficiency and accuracy of our research. Practical law resources are a particular kind of secondary source that focus on helping lawyers complete specific tasks and work product. These can be of great help when you’re working on a task for …
New Acquisitions: Her Story
Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2, ed. Teresa M. Beck, Alicia M. Menendez, and Shayna M. Steinfeld We recently received a stack of new acquisitions from the ABA at the law library, and one highlight is Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer’s Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2, ed. …
Researching Uniform Laws
In certain areas of law, it benefits states to have similar legislative approaches. Sometimes states pass virtually identical acts, known as uniform laws, to reduce the confusion caused by conflicting state statutes. But how do they decide what makes up these uniform laws, and how can we research them? The Uniform Law Commission (ULC) is …
Annotated Bibliography on Generative AI & Law Schools
As professors, librarians, and other academics within law schools explore Generative AI (GenAI) tools, we’re beginning to see a body of scholarship developing. At the UNC Law Library, we recently compiled these articles in an annotated bibliography to distribute at a librarian-led workshop for law faculty on legal GenAI. I thought it may be helpful …
New Books by UNC Law Professor Michael Gerhardt
Professor Michael Gerhardt has two new books available in 2024: The Law of Presidential Impeachment and FDR’s Mentors. The Law of Presidential Impeachment: A Guide for the Engaged Citizen provides “a refresher course on the law of presidential impeachment” providing a historical reflection on the impeachment process, the underpinnings of its creation and an analysis …
New Database: Docket Alarm
A court case involves more than just the final opinion. Many documents are created during active cases that are useful for research, including briefs, trial transcripts, jury instructions, and more. These can be found in the court docket. The materials in a docket can reveal what arguments persuaded the court and contextualize factual issues that …