UHLC Nota Bene

Jesse H. Rhodes' Ballot Blocked: The Political Erosion of the Voting Rights Act gives readers a behind-the-scenes view of the history and future of the Voting Rights Act. The 1965 Act was signed into law by President Johnson, following the calls of activists in the Civil Rights movement. The legislation came in the wake of civil rights demonstrations from Selma to Montgomery, aimed at calling attention  to the desire of  African-American  citizens to exercise their constitutional right to vote. The Voting Rights Act ( PL. 89-110 ) soon became a landmark federal achievement of the civil rights movement. The Act contains both general and special provisions. For general application,  Section 2 prohibits any jurisdiction from implementing a "voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure ... in a manner which results in a denial or abridgment of the right ... to vote on account of race," color, or language, or minori...

Texas Torts and Remedies by Matthew Bender is an excellent practice guide for those researching a specific type of tort as well as the remedies available and the procedures involved in Texas tort actions. Typical of most practice guides, this source provides a detailed background of the law and references to primary sources of law as well as secondary sources. This six volume set has ten parts including the principles of liability, different types of torts such as negligence, nuisance and trespass, landlord tenant issues, products liability, intentional torts, and issues related to motor vehicles and other modes of transportation. Those who need to learn about the procedures involved with prosecuting tort actions in Texas will be introduced to the different types of compensation available as well as matters related to expert testimony. Products liability and insurance claims are among the other topics that are discussed. This is currently available in the Law Library's reference c...

The O'Quinn Law Library collection now includes the 4th edition of Essentials of Asylum Law , a manual published by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. Essentials of Asylum Law is exactly what its title claims: a guide to the information necessary to practice asylum law.  Its focus is on the main elements of asylum law: the legal elements of an asylum claim, the five enumerated grounds for persecution, the bars to asylum, and alternative relief options for petitioners not eligible for asylum.  This book is primarily aimed at helping immigration law practitioners become effective advocates in asylum proceedings, but it contains enough discussion of legal theory and precedent rulings to be useful to legal scholars and law students as well. Essentials of Asylum Law may be located in the law library stacks under the call number KF 4836.E88 2018.

The O’Quinn Law Library recently acquired the 21st edition of A Guide for Immigration Advocates , a publication of the Immigrant Legal Resource Center. This two-volume set contains a comprehensive treatment of U.S. immigration law, as well as charts, worksheets, and sample applications providing detailed guidance to attorneys in their dealings with the immigration system. Topics covered include grounds of inadmissibility, family visas, legal research for immigration practice, the removal process, asylum, naturalization, constitutional and statutory rights of immigrants, and employment-based immigration. The call number for this book is KF4819.G85 2018. It is currently on the New Books shelf by the reference desk.    

Some Supreme Court justices stand taller in our memories than others, due to both their influential (or incendiary) opinions, and the public role they take on as Supreme Court justice. Antonin Scalia, one of the most well-known Justices in modern memory, died suddenly on February 13, 2016, leaving a long and controversial legacy. The first Supreme Court vacancy overseen by the Trump administration led to the nomination, and later, confirmation of Neil McGill Gorsuch of Colorado, then 49 years old. Far from a household name, much remains unknown about Gorsuch and the justice he will become. In Gorsuch , a new biography by journalist John Greenya, readers learn more about our newest justice, if not his jurisprudence. A relatively slim volume, at about 200 pages, Greenya’s book explores Gorsuch’s early years, career progression, and confirmation process. The reader learns about his formative experiences growing up in Colorado, and his experience as the son of a former EPA-head (Anne...