Although not exactly law related, there is a great letter written by a public librarian in Colorado defending the children's book "Uncle Bobby's Wedding".  The book is aimed to help children deal with gay and lesbian issues in an age-appropriate manner.  The letter stresses the value of information access and the dangers of censorship.  The author has posted the letter to help other librarians when facing the same issue.

Uncle Bobby's Wedding -- MyLibBlog

The current issue of the University of North Dakota Law Review is drawing ire from a number of North Dakota attorneys for its latest issue.  The issue is devoted entirely to opposing marriage equality for LGBT families.  One prominent family law attorney in Fargo, Mike Gjesdal, accuses the law review of "passing off editorializing and theological perspective as academic work … [and] bringing shame upon us."

Some complain law review biased against gay marriage -- InForum News (North Dakota)

Volume 83, Issue 4 (table of contents) -- University of North Dakota Law Review

The NY Times has published some of the exam questions given by Barack Obama during his time teaching law school at the University of Chicago.  Nan Hunter at the blog, Feminist Law Professors, was impressed with the exam questions given.  She states that "[a]lmost every exam includes a question that involves sexual orientation or reproductive rights or a combination. His 2001 con law exam, a few months after September 11, contained a question involving bioterrorism."

Professor Obama on sexuality, gender, and health -- Feminist Law Professors

Inside Professor Obama's classroom -- NY Times

My comment on Obama's teaching materials -- The Volokh Conspiracy (Randy Barnett)

Barack Obama at the University of Chicago Law School -- Althouse (Ann Althouse)

List of Obama's exams:

Syllabus: Current Issues in Racism and the Law

2003 Final Exam
2002 Final Exam
2001 Final Exam
2000 Final Exam
1999 Final Exam
1998 Exam
1997 Final Exam | Answer Memo
1996 Final Exam | Answer Memo

News is coming out of Los Angeles that the bar takers presently taking the bar exam in Los Angeles were affected by yesterday's earthquake.  The quake struck shortly before noon, during the morning session of the exam's first day.  The State Bar of California is in the process of gathering information about the disturbance, and how the quake may affect test scores.

Quake rattled bar takers -- Business Associations Blog

Eric Goldman has written a humorous article on the blog, Conglomerate, discussing the recent article "Friends as Fiduciaries" by Ethan Lieb.  The article discusses Lieb's recent submission, and considers how it represents a "broader research trend examining the overlay of legal rules onto social networks and relationships".

Eric Goldman on Friends as Fiduciaries -- Conglomerate

Friends as Fiduciaries -- SSRN (Ethan Lieb)

Opponents of marriage equality have promised to sue the state attorney general's office over a change in the description of Proposition 8.  The proposition aims to eliminate the right of civil marriage for same-gender families.  Supporters of the initiative are upset that the attorney general's office has described it as "eliminat[ing] the right of same-sex couples to marry".  The language reflects the legal reality since the CA Supreme Court made its decision in "In Re Marriage Cases".  Opponents of marriage equality claim the language is biased and "inherently argumentative and highly likely to create prejudice".

Prop. 8 backers sue to change ballot wording -- San Francisco Chronicle

California Prop 8 supporters to sue over blunt ballot langugage -- Pam's House Blend

California fundies sue over Prop 8 language change -- Bilerico Project

Don't believe everything you read (press release) -- Family Research Council (a far right-wing group which opposes marriage equality)

The ongoing saga at the Justice Department continues today with the release of the LexisNexis search string aides of Ms. Goodling's were using to vet potential candidates.  The LexisNexis search not only reflects the ideological biases of the department, it also demonstrates a profound ignorance of LexisNexis.  A DOJ report, released yesterday, finds that Ms. Goodling violated federal law in her hiring practices.  Ms. Goodling is a graduate of Regent University, a law school founded in 1978 by TV evangelist Pat Robertson.  There are some 150 graduates of Regent presently serving in the DOJ. 

Here is the LexisNexis search string that was released today:

[first name of a candidate] and pre/2 [last name of a candidate] w/7 bush or gore or republican! or democrat! or charg! or accus! or criticiz! or blam! or defend! or iran contra or clinton or spotted owl or florida recount or sex! or controvers! or racis! or fraud! or investigat! or bankrupt! or layoff! or downsiz! or PNTR or NAFTA or outsourc! or indict! or enron or kerry or iraq or wmd! or arrest! or intox! or fired or sex! or racis! or intox! or slur! or arrest! or fired or controvers! or abortion! or gay! or homosexual! or gun! or firearm!

Report faults aides in hiring at Justice Department -- NY Times (via WestLaw)

Monica Goodling: Poor Lexis Researcher -- ZeifBrief (USF Law Library)

OLC told me I could do it -- Balkanization

An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring by Monica Goodling and Other Staff in the Office of the Attorney General (report text) -- Department of Justice

The South Carolina Law Review, a publication of the University of South Carolina, has announced plans to experiment with a new peer review program to select law review articles.  The announcement claims that "[b]ecause we believe the current system of legal scholarship publication may be improved by changing how articles are selected, our Pilot Program will explore the feasibility of article selection through peer review in the context of a major, general interest law review."

Peer Review Pilot Program -- South Carolina Law Review

South Carolina Law Review trying to institute "peer review" -- Brian Leiter's Law School Reports

The Bush Administration has approved the first execution by the military since 1961.  It marks the first execution since the death penalty, for the military, was reinstated by the Reagan Administration in 1984.  The case involved Private Ronald Gray, who was sentenced to death for a series of rapes and murders 20 years ago.  The NY Times has an article about Pvt. Gray and the history of the death penalty in the US military.

Execution by military is approved by President -- NY Times

Bush approves execution of soldier, first in over 50 years -- How Appealing

Want to try a fun new way to pick up your MCLE credit?

Log in to Second Life and let your avatar go to class for you.

The SL Bar Association and Virtual Worlds Law Library are pleased to host the third  in our speaker series, "Internet Fraud" with Theophan Paine.

Date/Time: Tues, July 29, 12 Noon (PDT/SLT)
Place: SLBA Office
More Information: http://slba.info/speakers/roshuk.html

This session is free and is good for one hour of MCLE for California.  This a a continuing series, so consider this as a way to pick up some needed hours, and learn a new skill.