We’ve entered the final stretch of exams, which means that you’re likely feeling at least a little bit fatigued. And while it’s important to stay the course and remain focused, an important part of studying, particularly for law school exams, is knowing when you need to take a break. You could always help yourself to one of the DVDs from our Leisure collection, but there are a few other ways you can take a break and still do some studying.

One way is to watch YouTube videos starring beloved childhood toys, such as Legos. For example, those of you still studying for Torts may find the Lego reenactment of Palsgraf to be helpful. If you’re studying for Evidence, though, we’ve heard that there may be some flaws in the Lego explanation of hearsay exceptions. (Hint: If there is a contradiction, it’s best to side with Prof. Milich on evidence law. He did help rewrite the Georgia evidence code, after all.)

Another option is to use the TV shows and movies you watch as hypotheticals. For example, you may want to use your break to watch Thor; afterward, you can visit Law and the Multiverse for an analysis of the legal issues in the movie, such as the interpretation of force majeure clauses and the important problem of supervillain insurance (or, more specifically, the lack thereof). If you’re catching up on the last few episodes of The Office, then check out That’s What She Said, where attorneys at Ford & Harrison total up the potential litigation value of each episode.

If you need a break from reading, try playing a game. Maybe one of the games designed by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; Do I Have a Right? lets you manage a civil rights firm, while Argument Wars lets you argue cases such as Gideon v. Wainwright, Snyder v. Phelps, and Brown v. Board of Education.

Finally, if all you really want is to find some peace and seek out the inner stillness of the law, try some Supreme Court haiku. Breathe deeply, sit quietly, and meditate on the Constitution – in seventeen syllable increments.

For those of you who have been following The Blackacre Times since the beginning, you might remember my post back in December about the Royal Engagement.  Well, the wedding day has finally arrived.  What seemed like it was forever away is set to begin in less than 15 hours.

Depending on what your favorite network is, many stations will be broadcasting coverage of the wedding starting at 4 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on Friday, April 29th.  If this is a little early for you on a Friday morning, don’t worry, the actual ceremony will not start until 6 a.m.   However, if you want to see the guests walk in, tune in early.

The ceremony, which takes place at Westminster Abbey, will last until around 7:15 a.m., when William and Kate will go by carriage to Buckingham Palace.  They will reappear at 8:25 a.m. on the balcony at the palace.  Don’t worry about missing an exam since exams on Friday start at 1 p.m.

So what does any of this have to do with law?  Well, just last week the Queen consented to the marriage between William and Kate.  Under the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, descendants of George II must obtain the sovereign’s agreement, in this case Queen Elizabeth, before they wed.  Failure to obtain consent would lead in the marriage being declared invalid.  Think of this as a nice meshing of family & estates law.

Schedule of Events (Eastern Standard Time)

Royal Wedding Seating Chart

Royal Wedding Official Website

Finals time is upon us again. Much like the plague. As you once again get ready for those marathon typing sessions, don’t forget that the library has a lot of resources to help you prepare.

• Extra Study Rooms – Once again, the CSO office is letting us use three offices as extra study rooms. These can be checked out using the online booking system just like any other study room.
• CALI Lessons and Law in a Flash flashcards for a more interactive study experience.
• AudioCaseFiles, Sum & Substance and Law School Legends audio CDs.
• Numerous study aids from both the Examples & Explanations and Questions & Answers series. And remember you can check out older editions of these.
• The online archive of old exams, and
• Earplugs, available at Circulation.

It’s still National Library Week, and so we’re still geeking out over exactly how great libraries are. From public libraries (which are, as Keith Richards, an almost-librarian, said “the great equalizer[s]”) , to the library at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Folger Shakespeare Library. And law libraries, of course. Many law libraries are open to the public and provide information that is, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, “the currency of democracy.” Law libraries also provide an important service to members of the bar and courts; Justice Sandra Day O’Connor once noted that the law library “provides the stability and continuity for the rule of law.”

So it was no surprise to us when CNN ran a story recently declaring librarians “masters of the info universe.” Neil Gaiman, a longtime advocate for libraries, said much the same thing last year.

By the way, while we’re on the subject of libraries, have you checked out our trivia contest yet? If you’re one of the students with the most correct answers about your own College of Law Library, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Target gift card. Don’t wait too long, though – you only have until Sunday, April 17th, at 11:59 p.m. While you’re at it, do us a favor and fill out our short student survey. This is your chance to let us know how we’re doing and what we can do to improve our services to you. The survey will be available until Friday, April 29th at 5:00 p.m.

AJC photo by Jason Getz

Although these Georgia State fans may look like they are cheering for the football team, they are really overcome with joy because they know that National Library Week starts on April 10th.

National Library Week is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians.  This year, National Library Week is April 10-16, 2011.

“What if I am not a librarian?  Can I still participate?”  Of course you can.  Everyone can celebrate the awesomeness that is library week.  In honor of this occasion, the College of Law Library has several events and activities planned during this time for students.

The Law Library will be doing two Library Abridged table sessions on Monday, April 11th from 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. and Tuesday, April 12th from 5:00 p.m. – 5: 45 p.m.   The topic will be “Apps for Lawyers and Law Students.”  As always, the table will be located in the first floor lobby by the front entrance to the law school and there will be free coffee and cookies.  Chances are if you drop by you may even get to put your hands on, but not keep, an iPad.

The Law Library will also have a Law Library Trivia Contest.  Those students who answer the most questions correct will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Target gift card.  You may ask yourself, “Can I ask a reference librarian what the answer is to one of the questions?”  Simply put, no.  However, you can ask one of the reference librarians how you would find the answer.  Have no fear, none of these questions will require you to crack open a reporter, code, or treatise.  The deadline will be Sunday, April 17^th at 11:59 p.m.  You can access the trivia contest via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gsulawlibrarytriviacontest

In addition to these activities, the Law Library would like students to take the time to fill out the annual College of Law Library Survey.  Don’t worry, this is not one of those long surveys that you will eventually resort to filling out “C” or “Agree” all the way through.  The survey is short, multiple choice, and will  give students the chance to voice their comments and concerns about the Law Library’s services and resources.  The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, April 29th at 5:00 p.m. You can access the survey via the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/gsulawlibrary

Do you have a summer job lined up? Are you still hoping to nab a prized internship? Whether you know exactly where you’ll be working this summer yet or not, you’ll want to attend the library’s “Top 10 Ways the Library Can Help You This Summer” workshop on April 20. The law librarians will introduce you to resources you can use (even if you’re nowhere near the library itself) and offer advice on ways you can shine on the job.

And if the thought of all that good advice isn’t enough, we’re also be offering pizza and drinks to all attendees. Remember: April 20. We’ll be in Room 311 from 12 – 1 p.m.

Space is limited! Sign up now.

Why is this person jumping for joy?  Because they just found out that starting Monday, April 4th,  the Law Library will circulate all books located in the stacks to students.  What does this mean?

Remember when you needed the looseleaf service Collier on Bankruptcy last semester for your research paper you were writing at home?  How about when you wanted a few “law looking” books to go on your coffee table for the weekend to impress your parents or significant other who was coming into town?  Both times you couldn’t check them out because they were “non-circulating” items.  Not anymore my friend.  Now any book located in the general stacks can be checked out by students.

Before you get too excited, there is a small disclaimer.  This does not include books and other materials on reserves or located in the reference collection.  Only materials located in the general stacks are now circulating.  So for those of you who got excited about the possibility of taking Property: Examples and Explanations on your next two day road trip, I am sorry to say that is still not possible (unless you check-out an older edition located on the back shelves of the study aids collection).  But, if you are looking to take a form book or legal encyclopedia to the Braves game (blasphemy I know), then you are in luck.

If you are unsure about what you can check out, feel free to consult with someone working at the Circulation Desk.

Just in case you haven’t heard, there’s a lot going on in the world of sports right now. The NFL’s players are locked out, Barry Bonds is facing trial for perjury, there’s some sort of basketball tournament happening, and the usual scandals surrounding college athletes and recruiting violations are going on. Did you know that all of this has to do with law? Specifically, it all has to do in one way or another with sports law.

Sports law covers a lot of areas of law that interact with sports – contracts, ADR, antitrust, IP, torts, and employment law being just a few. The Legal Information Institute, a site that we love, has a pretty good overview with links to some of the major statutes and most recent cases. In the Law Library,we have some great books on the subject, like Sports Justice, Female Gladiators, and Courting the Yankees, which features a chapter by our very own Professor Jack Williams.

If you’re more interested in what’s going on now, check out a few of the many blogs devoted to sports and the law, like Findlaw’s Tarnished Twenty or the aptly named Sports Law Blog. If you’re interested in college sports, keep an eye on the College Sports Law Blog and the NCAA Bylaw Blog. If you’re more interested gender issues in sports, there’s the Title IX Blog. Finally, for those who are really invested in their fantasy baseball/basketball/football leagues, there’s always the Sports Judge Blog. In addition to discussing legal issues affecting fantasy gaming, SportsJudge also handles dispute resolution for fantasy sports leagues, complete with options.

Now, we’re not saying that watching ESPN can substitute for, say, studying for classes, but the next time you’re watching SportsCenter, just remember – there’s a lot more law there than you’d think.