Archive for March 2008

Word of the Week: Mediation

Mar 31st, 2008

Each week we select a legal term or phrase that’s commonly misunderstood, interesting, or may remind you that suing your neighbor when they won’t replace the fence that Fido knocked down last week may not be the best option. This week’s word is the latter. Written by: Lauren E. Trent Most people imagine a dramatic [...]



Confrontation as a Policy Issue for State Legislatures

Mar 26th, 2008

Written by Tom Lininger Associate professor, University of Oregon School of Law (B.A., Yale; J.D., Harvard). Professor Lininger has been a member of the Oregon faculty since 2003, where he teaches evidence, legal ethics, criminal procedure and alternative dispute resolution. Before he came to the U of O, Professor Lininger worked as a federal prosecutor, [...]



Word of the Week: Intestacy

Mar 24th, 2008

Each week we select a legal term or phrase that’s commonly misunderstood, interesting, or may make you reconsider telling Crazy Uncle Larry what you really think of him. This week’s word is the latter. Written by: Amy E. Seely Here’s the thing about wealth: when the grim reaper calls your number, you can’t take it [...]



Harry Potter and the Deathly Lawsuit: Can Rowling Make an Unauthorized Encyclopedia Disappear?

Mar 19th, 2008

Written by: Kimberly Brandt Researched by: Jeff W. Richards Edited by: Amy E. Seely and Jay D. Hall On Halloween, 2007, the Muggle world was ablaze with news that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and movie studio Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. had filed suit against RDR Books. Their goals? To prevent the publication of an [...]



Word of the Week: Executor

Mar 17th, 2008

Each week we select a legal term or phrase that’s commonly misunderstood, interesting, or may help you live a worry-free afterlife. This week’s word is the latter. Written by: Jeff W. Richards Alice, worried that her next trip down a rabbit hole might not end quite so happily, decides to write her will. While doing [...]



Stop That Paying Customer! The Legality of Compulsory Receipt-Checking

Mar 12th, 2008

Written by: Steve Glista Researched by: Matthew A. Schroettnig Edited by: Lauren E. Trent When Michael Righi heard someone running up behind him, he thought he knew what would come next. He expected a difficult conversation, maybe even some shouting or threats. He certainly didn’t expect to get handcuffed — but that’s exactly what happened [...]



Word of the Week: Pro Se

Mar 10th, 2008

Each week we select a legal term or phrase that’s commonly misunderstood, interesting, or in Latin. This week’s word is the latter. Written by: Jay D. Hall Pro se is a term used to describe a person who represents themselves in a legal action. The Latin term pro se literally means “for self.” In a [...]



Representing Yourself Pro Se: Crafty Legal Strategy or Fool’s Errand?

Mar 5th, 2008

Written by: Jay D. Hall Researched by: Amy E. Seely Edited by: Kimberly Brandt and Stefanie Herrington There’s a common saying in the legal community: a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client. If this old adage is true, it applies with equal vigor to those who decide to represent themselves without [...]



Word of the Week: Quiet Enjoyment

Mar 3rd, 2008

Each week we select a legal term or phrase that’s commonly misunderstood, interesting, or may save you from living under a leaky roof. This week’s word is the latter. Written by: J. Aaron Landau Imagine you’re signing a lease on an apartment. A provision in the contract makes an assurance: so long as you keep [...]