Wisconsin State Law Library

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Tuesday, December 31st and Wednesday, January 1st for state holidays. We will respond to questions and requests on Thursday, January 2nd.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

A recent release from the US Government Printing Office reported that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the most accessed item in the history of their digital document system, FDSys.

By KVDP (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

According to their release:

The health care law has experienced approximately 13 million retrievals since the law was passed in March 2010 and nearly 9 million retrievals in the year 2013. GPO launched FDsys in January 2009 to serve as a one-stop site to authentic, published Government information. Today, FDsys has 900 thousand titles available and has experienced nearly 900 million total retrievals.

The library has added several new titles on the Affordable Care Act and health care law to our collection, including Health care reform : now what? and Church and governmental plans.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Tuesday, December 24th and Wednesday, December 25th for state holidays. We will respond to questions and requests on Thursday, December 26th.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

Most often attorneys communicate professional legal advice through in person or telephone conversations with clients. Sometimes however, an attorney is requested to provide legal advice in a formal written legal opinion. A good place to start for guidance on drafting such an opinion letter is Legal Opinion Letters: A Comprehensive Guide to Opinion Letter Practice. Edited by Attorney M. John Sterba, Jr. and updated annually, this one volume loose-leaf treatise, published by Wolters Kluwer Law & Business, covers virtually all substantive areas of legal opinion practice.

The first two chapters includes an introduction to written opinions and elements to include in a typical opinion letter. Following chapters detail the drafting of legal opinion letters in areas of law such as corporate, commercial and banking transactions, real estate transactions, securities law, tax, intellectual property, bankruptcy and lien opinions, as well as attorneys' letters to auditors.

Sixteen appendices are included, many of which detail various reports issued by the New York TriBar Opinion Committee as related to drafting and issuing opinion letters. Sample opinion letters are also featured in several chapters on the topics listed above.

Search Hint: To find other library sources on opinion letter practice in other areas of the library we suggest a catalog search for the subject heading: Legal Opinion.

We are frequently asked the question: how do I find a public notary in my city or town? 

A notary public serves as an impartial witness to perform notarial acts as allowed or required by law. In Wisconsin, individuals who are a public notary are overseen by the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (WDFI ). Other states' notaries are frequently overseen by the Secretary of State in that state. 

""Notarial act" means any act that a notary public of this state is authorized to perform, and includes taking an acknowledgment, administering an oath or affirmation, taking a verification upon oath or affirmation, witnessing or attesting a signature, certifying or attesting a copy, and noting a protest of a negotiable instrument." - Wisconsin Statute 707.07(1)(c) 

On our Notaries legal topic page we link to the notary public search hosted at the WDFI's site: Notary Public Search. However, a search for all notaries in Madison Wisconsin returns too many results to display. Try plugging in a zip code to whittle the results down enough to return a list. Check for the business affiliation listed next to a notary's name to help you uncover contact information for the notary.

Find a Wisconsin notary located in other state by putting the abbreviation for the state in the Notary Public Search.

A notary public can also be found by doing a web search or looking in a phone book or similar online directory. Frequently banks will provide a notary service to their customers. You may wish to call ahead to find out the availability of notary services and any fees.

If you need court forms notarized, the clerk of court can notarize court documents.

Access to the library catalog and databases may be unavailable on Thursday, December 12th beginning at 9 am. These services will be down for a limited time due to scheduled system maintenance.

If you have any questions or experience issues accessing our catalog or databases, please contact us via our Ask a Librarian service or call us at 800-322-9755.

Our latest newsletter has information about our fabulous winter holiday open house, some library layout changes we think you will like, and tips about understanding your privacy while using the internet.

• What's New: WSLL winter holiday open house; Libraries closed for holidays; Federal Rule changes take effect Dec. 1; Librarians speak out
• WSLL's "new" Wisconsin journals collection
• This Just In...: New & updated library materials; Monthly list of new titles
• Tech Tip in Brief: Illuminating web tracks
• WSLL Recommends: Determining Economic Damages
• Odds 'n' Endings: Woolly weather; December notables

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Thursday, November 28th for a state holiday. WSLL and MLRC will be open the next day on Friday, November 29th; DCLRC will be closed until the following Monday.

Thanksgiving postcard circa 1900. Creative Commons

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests on Friday, November 29th.

The recommended title this month is Determining Economic Damages. Published by James Publishing, Inc., this looseleaf volume with accompanying CD is a litigator's treasure chest. The authors are Gerald D. Martin and Marc A. Weinstein, both highly respected and experienced forensic economists.

This start-to-finish guide is the perfect source for:

• Determining past and future income loss
• Adjusting for personal consumption 
• Computing the value of fringe benefits
• Converting future losses to their present values
• Locating an expert
• Preparing your case and expert for trial 
• Deposing and cross examining the opposing expert

Also especially helpful for the legal practitioner are the easy-to-use worksheets for estimating case values, checklists for obtaining data and testifying in court, and sample work agreements and letters.

A unique feature is the chapter on authoritative legal opinions from the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. District Court and State Appeals Courts – all annotated by economists.

The accompanying CD, which requires no special software or installation, contains the full text of the printed volume and is keyword searchable by case name, topic or form name. The forms are conveniently formatted in Microsoft Word for easy editing.

We invite you to check this book out!

Frequently news stories will discuss legislation currently pending in the Assembly or Senate without giving specific details - like a bill number or exact title. One of our favorite tools for tracking down legislation is the Legislative Reference Bureau Library's Subject Index to Legislation. The subject index can be found by going to the Legislature's website. Select the Documents link from the home page and look for the Bulletin of Proceedings Indices heading at the bottom of the page. Select the Subject Index to Legislation to search or browse for legislation that has been introduced in the Legislature but not yet become law.

In trying to find the "revenge porn" bill that recently passed the Assembly we can approach the subject index in a couple of ways.

Keyword search the index

Use the search box at the top of the page as a quick way to pull up legislation. "Revenge porn," "photos," or "photographs" didn't pull up the legislation directly. However, searching "photograph" turned up "Nudity or nude photograph" which directs to the "Obscenity" subject heading. The recent revenge porn legislation was listed under this topic.

Be sure that you are looking under the heading in the search results for the most recent legislative session!


Browse the index

To browse the index it can be useful to break down the bill's topic. What are the main parts of the bill? From news stories, we know that the revenge porn bill is intended to respond to cases where nude photos are distributed without the photo subject's consent.  In this case, looking under "P" for "photographs" yielded nothing. Checking under "N" for "nudity" directs to "Obscenity" where the pending legislation was found.

There is still space available in our popular Wisconsin Briefs class this Thursday, November 14th. Sign up online or call us to reserve your spot for this hands-on CLE class at the Wisconsin State Law Library.

Wisconsin Briefs Online
Thursday November 14, 9:00-10:00 a.m.
Location: Wisconsin State Law Library training room

Learn how to access Wisconsin Appellate Briefs on WSCCA and the UW Law Library's Wisconsin Briefs webpage. This class is an introduction to searching for Wisconsin Appellate Briefs available for free on the Internet.

Sign up today!

It is time to renew your after hours subscription for next year. Subscribers have access to the library collection before the library opens and after it closes. Wireless internet access, photocopiers, and computers with subscription databases like WestlawNext and HeinOnline are available for the after hours user.

In addition to using the resources in the library attorneys with after hours access can also check out library materials. Check our After Hours page for more details about access hours.

To subscribe, complete an After Hours Service first-time subscription or renewal application form. Drop it off at the library or follow the mailing and payment instructions on our After Hours page.

This month new rules went into effect for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a law restricting telephone solicitors. First passed in 1991, the Act is enforced by rules and regulations set up by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The new rules require clear, prior written consent from consumers before companies can make autodialed, recorded calls to landlines or mobile phones, despite any established business relationship.

For more consumer information about FCC regulations against telemarketers, see their Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls info page.

In its second century of publication, Jones on Evidence: Civil and Criminal continues to be an influential treatise on all areas of civil and criminal evidence. Originally published in 1896 by Burr W. Jones, Professor of Law at the University of Wisconsin, the seventh edition by Clifford S. Fishman, began publication in 1992 and consists of five main volumes and a tables/index volume which are updated annually.

Jones on Evidence is primarily a practitioner’s tool rather than a theoretical treatise. The set integrates coverage of the Federal Rules of Evidence and the latest revised Federal Rules of Procedure, concisely explains the law, and provides guidance on how to work within the law and apply the rules. Fishman highlights significant recent decisions and includes numerous footnote references which cite to to resources such as American Law Reports, American Jurisprudence 2d, Proof of Facts, Am. Jur. Trials, etc.

Topics include:

• Burdens of proof 
• Relevance 
• Substantive inclusionary and exclusionary rules 
• How the evidence was obtained 
• The source of the information 
• The form of the evidence 
• Procedure 
• Prejudice; judicial economy 
• Objections and countermeasures 

Jones on Evidence is also available via Westlaw. Users can access Westlaw for free in one of our libraries.

For additional resources on evidence researchers may want to check out Mueller and Kirkpatrick’s Federal Evidence, The New Wigmore: A Treatise on Evidence (multiple titles) or Weinstein’s Federal Evidence: Commentary on Rules of Evidence for the United States.

The new term of the U.S. Supreme Court begins today, October 7th. Deemed essential, the court is currently operating normally. However, a notice on their website indicates that this decision will be revisited if the appropriation lapse lasts beyond October 11th.

During the term you can keep up with case developments using the Court's online docket search or follow updates and analysis from SCOTUSblog.


Image by Daderot (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Among the thousands of links on our website we link to many different Federal agency webpages - from published reports to consumer helplines. Due to the government shutdown, several of these websites are unavailable or not currently updated. If you have any questions about information you find on our site, please fill out our Ask a Librarian form to send us an email or call us at 608-267-9696.

Some of the sites that are completely unavailable include: the Census Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission (and its consumer.gov website), US Department of Agriculture, National Park Service, etc. The Library of Congress' many websites are down except for its legislative information sites Thomas.gov and beta.congress.gov. The Government Printing Office's FDSys government publication website will only be updated with Congressional information and limited Federal Register information.

Other websites are online but not updated including: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, Department of Labor, etc.

Updates on the shutdown can be found at USA.gov's shutdown information page. They provide a toll free number at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636) for answers to government questions and will continue to staff the phone line throughout the shutdown.

Our October newsletter is now online! In our latest newsletter find articles on: 

• Room rentals, upcoming classes, and staff news.
• New and updated books, including a return of our new book list.
• Information about new internet domain name extensions.
• WSLL Recommends: Bohr’s Social Security Issues Annotated.
• Unearthed: an historical legal joke book from 1915.

BadgerLink databases, like Academic Search Premier and Newspaper Source Plus, may be unavailable for a limited time this evening beginning at 9 pm. 

This maintenance will not affect access to the Hein Online Law Journal Library or LegalTrac. For a list of all databases available with your library card, see our Articles & Journals page.

A new smartphone app provides convenient access to the US Constitution Annotated - also known as the Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation. This app will assist researchers of topical constitutional law and make it easier to find amendments, unconstitutional federal and state laws, and recent cases.

This resource is constantly updated with an index and analysis of recent Supreme Court case decisions. The app is available for iOS on iPhones and iPads. An app for Android devices is in production. A searchable version of the resource is available on any device or desktop computer from the Constitution Annotated webpage: http://beta.congress.gov/constitution-annotated/. 

Get two free CLE credits, including one ethics credit, when you attend volunteer training for the Veterans Law Center at UW Madison. The training session takes place on October 4th from 9-11 am at the UW Law School Lubar Commons (Room 7200). RSVP online by September 27th.

The Veterans Law Center is a free walk-in legal clinic serving low income veterans and their families. Volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law students provide brief legal advice, information and referrals on civil legal matters.

Our classes page is full of CLE credit opportunities for the fall. Sign up for Ethics Research via Westlaw or Wisconsin Briefs Online at the Wisconsin State Law Library training room in Madison, Wisconsin.

In Milwaukee, watch for registration information for classes on using WestlawNext and HeinOnline - two legal research databases offered at our three library locations.

Bohr's Social Security Issues Annotated is a 2 volume loose-leaf set that is updated annually. This set is geared towards the drafting attorney practicing in Social Security law. The author, Susan Bohr, is an appellate attorney who has specialized in Social Security law for 30 years. The checklists, issue specific sample briefs, and summary of cases have all been developed from her real world expertise.

This set comes with a companion CD that allows you to search and access the full-text of the book, as well 120 model briefs (not included in paper). This tool makes incorporating the text of persuasive pattern arguments in your own writing both quick and easy. While the James Publishing Search program feels a little clunky, it does facilitate a comprehensive review of your topic throughout the set. The text of the briefs can be found in a separate folder on the CD. Unfortunately, they do not appear to be searchable through the main search program.

You will find an examination of common errors in ALJ decisions and a checklist of issues that can be raised in the Appeals Council, as well as federal courts. There are also detailed case surveys for sequential evaluation, assessment of disability, specific impairments, non-disability issues, administrative review, federal courts, attorneys' fees, and source of law issues. In addition, the author focuses on 44 specific disability issues, including several specific impairments. For these issues you will find summaries of the applicable statutes, regulations, rulings, POMS (Program Operations Manual System), cases, and practice pointers.

Look to this set if you are writing a brief for your next SSA case or drafting a SSA appeal. If you are looking for more of a primer on Social Security law, you might be better served by a title such as Handling a Social Security Disability Case (NBI).

The Wisconsin State Legislature begins a series of floorperiods September 17th.  Tracking legislation and staying informed on legislative activities is made easier with the use of several free websites. First and foremost, the State Legislature's website provides quick access to proposals.  Use the search box in the lower left side of the screen to search by proposal number:

This summary page of the proposed bill will provide an overview of the topic, a link to the full text bill, any amendments, memos from legislative service agencies, fiscal estimates and more.  This information is continually updated and citizens can follow the progression in the "history" list, with links to the Senate or Assembly Journal.  To stay informed on the progress of specific bills or committee activity, sign up for the legislature's Notification Service.  This free service provides daily updates via email. Each proposal overview also includes a link labelled "Government Accountability Board Information."  This link will take the user outside the legislature's website to the GAB's "Eye on Lobbying" page.  The direct link provides an immediate look at which entities are lobbying on this bill.

The Eye on Lobbying website is another resource we suggest for investigating the legislative process.  As indicated in the tabs at the top of the website, the focus is on "who" "what" and "how much."  Who is lobbying in Wisconsin?  What are they lobbying about?  How much time and money have they spent?

Finally, for a front row seat, visit the WisconsinEye website.  Here you can watch hearings and debates as they happen.  You can also delve into the video archive to see not only legislative activity but events from the administrative and judicial branches, as well as local government and community coverage. 

September 11th is observed as National Day of Service and Remembrance.  President George W. Bush approved Public Law 107-89 on December 18, 2001. 

This joint resolution designates September 11th as Patriot Day.  In 2009, President Barack Obama signed Public Law 111-13, the "Serve America Act" which names September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance.  Americans are encouraged to honor the heroes and victims of 9/11 by serving in their communities. To promote volunteerism and unity throughout the year, the Serve.gov website acts as a gateway to register projects and find volunteer opportunities. 

September is Library Card Sign-up Month and our newsletter explains the benefits of carrying a Wisconsin State Law Library user card. Also this month:

• New titles in the collection
• A Tech Tip of Handy Gadgets
• WSLL Recommends
• Flashback: Law Office Technology

School bells are ringing again across the State of Wisconsin.  State law requires at least 180 days of instruction.  Wisconsin Administrative Code PI 8.01(f) allows for only five of those days to be used for non-instruction, such as parent-teacher conferences or snow days.  In addition, unless given DPI approval, public school districts may not commence the school year before September 1, see Wisconsin Statute 118.045 and Administrative Code PI 27.03.  Although school cannot start before September 1, the law does not prohibit any school district from holding year-round school.

For additional information related to school attendance, see Answers to Frequently Asked Compulsory School Attendance Questions. from the Department of Public Instruction.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, September 3rd.

The Dane County Legal Resource Center (DCLRC) is closed on Friday, August 30th for a Dane County furlough day. The DCLRC will also be closed on Monday, September 2nd for the Labor Day holiday, along with the Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center.

If you need assistance while the DCLRC is closed, please contact the Wisconsin State Law Library at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. The DCLRC will reopen on Tuesday, September 3rd.

This week, the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington (August 28, 1963).  Take this opportunity to reflect with a book in the library's "coffee table" collection - Powerful Days; The Civil Rights Photography of Charles Moore.

As a photojournalist, Mr Moore documented turmoil and determination in the South. This book showcases his famous photographs and tells the stories behind them, 1958-1965.  His 1963 photos from Birmingham - showing demonstrators being attacked by police dogs and blasted with high pressure fire hoses - shocked the nation.  As he shot these images, he was arrested.  Upon being released from jail, he fled Alabama on the advice of his lawyer. He was forced to live away from his home state and family until the charges were dropped a year later.  Mr. Moore had a 32-year career as a photojournalist, working most notably for Life magazine.

Legal Guide to Human Resources provides a comprehensive overview of the law and issues surrounding employment.


Appropriate for many users, from attorneys to human resources managers to employees, this two-volume set delves into employee protection, selection, appraisal, privacy, promotion, transfer and more.

Several chapters are dedicated to working with employee unions, avoiding unfair labor practices and participating in collective bargaining. Wage laws, benefits, retirement plans and a summary of individual state employment laws round out the content.

Other available titles on human resource management include:

• Fundamental issues in Wisconsin human resources law

• Human resources management: OSHA compliance

• WG&L human resources forms:with commentary

 

Prior versions of the Wisconsin Administrative Code are available on the state legislature website.  Codes dating back to 1956 can be found in the administrative code archive. Read more about this useful digital collection on WisBlawg. 

Read about the courthouse fire impact on the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center; new books in the library, apps for lawyers and more... just a click away: 

• What's new, including upcoming classes
• New editions of popular titles
• Apps for Lawyers
• WSLL recommends
• Court of Appeals milestone

The first edition of Sack on Defamation was published in 1980, with subsequent editions in 1994, 1999 and the current fourth edition in 2010. During the author’s 33-year private practice he specialized in national and international press law. Since 1998 he has served on the bench of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.


This leading treatise provides a comprehensive and up to date analysis of the law of defmation, invasion of privacy and related torts - including insights into how the internet and other electronic media continue to have significant effects. The first several chapters cover:

• Constitutional principles
• The cause of action and its elements
• Truth (fact) and opinion
• Standard of conduct for both private and public plaintiffs
• Absolute and qualified privilege
• Damages and other remedies
• Retraction
• Related causes of action, such as invasion of privacy, injurious falsehood, interference with contract, negligent infliction of emotional distress, conspiracy, deprivation of civil rights

It goes on to provide practical guidance regarding:

• Discovery – sources, confidentiality, and anonymity
• Jurisdiction and Choice of law
• Motion practice and Appeal

A final chapter on Insurance policies discusses risks and protections for publishers and broadcasters:

Other titles on defamation available at WSLL

Defamation: a lawyer’s guide by David A. Elder
Law of Defamation by Rodney A. Smolla
Libel and Privacy by Bruce W. Sanford
Wisconsin Elements of an Action by Jay E. Grenig (volume 14 of the Wisconsin Practice series) contains chapters on both defamation and emotional distress.

LLMC Digital is a database available in our libraries that allows researchers to find historical Wisconsin and Federal primary and secondary law. Our newest tutorial covers how to find Wisconsin Attorney General Opinions on LLMC Digital. The tutorial also includes a quick overview of how to browse through volumes and print. Watch it below or go to the Using LLMC Digital tutorial page for the video plus additional research guides.

We updated our Google Scholar videos to reflect recent changes in how the Google Scholar website works - particularly the advanced search. Watch both below or visit our Case Law Research with Google Scholar tutorial page for both videos and additional search tips.

We are pleased to announce that the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center (MLRC) will reopen to the public for its regular hours (8-4:30) on Tuesday, July 16th. The MLRC was closed since last Monday after a fire in the Milwaukee County Courthouse. 

The Milwaukee Legal Resource Center (MLRC) will be closed on Monday, July 15th, though parts of the courthouse will reopen to the public on that date. A fire in the Milwaukee County courthouse where the MLRC is located has caused the temporary closure of the courthouse and MLRC.

If you need assistance while the MLRC is closed, please call the Wisconsin State Law Library reference desk at 608-267-9696 or email us using our Ask a Librarian service.

Watch this website for further updates on when the MLRC will reopen.

The Milwaukee Legal Resource Center (MLRC) will be closed through Friday, July 12th. A fire in the Milwaukee County courthouse where the MLRC is located has caused the temporary closure of the courthouse and MLRC.

If you need assistance while the MLRC is closed, please call the Wisconsin State Law Library reference desk at 608-267-9696 or email us using our Ask a Librarian service.

Watch this website for further updates on when the MLRC will reopen.

Due to an electrical fire in the Milwaukee Courthouse basement, the Milwaukee Legal Resource Center will be closed Monday and Tuesday, July 8th and 9th.

If you need assistance while the MLRC is closed, please call the Wisconsin State Law Library reference desk at 608-267-9696 or email us using our Ask a Librarian service.

Summer reading is highlighted in our July newsletter. Read more about the Prose and Cons collection in the Lighter Side of the Law. Other news items include:

• What's New, including upcoming classes
• Updated books
• A look at alternatives to Google Reader
• A review of antitrust resources at the library
• SCOTUS blog focus and a 1980's flashback 

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Thursday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day. The Dane County Legal Resource Center will also be closed on Friday, July 5th for a county furlough day.

To submit a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, you may call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. We will respond to questions and requests on Friday, July 5th.

The library has just received the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association. This manual is designed to assist mental health professionals in diagnosing patients. The DSM-5 (also known as the DSM-V) replaces the previous edition, known as the DSM-IV. A case search for "DSM-IV", "DSM-4", or "diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders" brings up several cases citing disorder descriptions from or use of this manual.

A cautionary statement on forensic use of the manual is included at the beginning of the DSM-5. While the manual may be useful as an established system of diagnosis for particular mental disorders, there is a risk that the information may be misused or misunderstood. It cautions: "These dangers arise because of the imperfect fit between the questions of ultimate concern to the law and the information contained in a clinical diagnosis. In most situations, the clinical diagnosis of a DSM-5 mental disorder such as intellectual disability (intellectual developmental disorder), schizophrenia, major neurocognitive disorder, gambling disorder, or pedophilic disorder does not imply that an individual with such a condition meets legal criteria for the presence of a mental disorder or a specified legal standard (e.g., for competence, criminal responsibility, or disability)."

The DSM-5 has been discussed in scientific and mainstream news in the past few years. Several law review articles anticipating the DSM-5 can be found via the library's subscription to HeinOnline or LegalTrac. A quick tip for those searching for articles: the manual is most commonly referred to in legal literature by the roman numeral abbreviation, DSM-V.

Access to the library catalog and databases will be unavailable from midnight to 8 am on Sunday, June 23rd. These services will be down for a limited time due to scheduled system maintenance.

If you have any questions or experience issues accessing our catalog or databases after the scheduled maintenance, please contact us via our Ask a Librarian service.

Reportedly the most cited work in its field, Areeda’s Antitrust Law: An Analysis of Antitrust Principles and Their Application is clearly an authority on antitrust law.

This title comprised of 14 volumes, plus a standalone supplement volume and a table of contents, table of cases and index volume, is divided into four parts:

• Preliminary and Pervasive Issues: Antitrust Goals, Coverage Procedure, and Economics, which covers the interplay of state and federal law, federal exemptions, reach of antitrust law in interstate and foreign commerce, litigation, and antitrust standing.
• Market Structures, which covers market power; geographic and product markets; monopolies; exploitative, predatory and strategic pricing; vertical integration; and mergers. 
• Restraints of Trade: Horizontal and Vertical, which covers commonly owned corporations, the “Rule of Reason” and the “Per Se” rule, tying arrangements, exclusive dealing, and horizontal agreements.
• Collateral Antitrust Provisions, which covers the Robinson-Patman Act and state antitrust law. 

When researching antitrust law, you may also wish to consider two other titles within the State Law Library’s collection: Kintner’s Federal Antitrust Law and Antitrust Laws and Trade Regulation by Von Kalinowski.

Kintner’s provides analysis of federal antitrust statutes and citations to federal court opinions of all major areas of federal antitrust law. In June the library received an entirely revised volume (II) for this title on practices prohibited by the Sherman Antitrust Act. The 10 volume Von Kalinowski set provides analysis of business practices that may conflict with antitrust laws. This comprehensive work includes citations to federal, state and international primary law.

Our June newsletter features new CLE class offerings in Madison and Milwaukee and a comprehensive rundown of services available to library users.

The full contents include:

• What's New: Upcoming classes and staff news
• This Just In…: New and updated books
• Tech Tip in Brief: Tips for using the Quick Tab feature in Internet Explorer
• Start Here: A Guide to State Law Library Services and Specialized Research Materials
• WSLL Recommends: Accommodating Disabilities
• Odds ‘n' Endings: Book news and June notable events

BadgerLink databases, like Academic Search Premier and Newspaper Source Plus, may be unavailable between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28th. During this time, scheduled server maintenance may make databases unavailable for one to two hours.

This maintenance will not affect access to the Hein Online Law Journal Library or LegalTrac. For a list of all databases available with your library card, see our Articles & Journals page.

Accommodating Disabilities: Business Management Guide is a three-volume, loose-leaf set from CCH / Wolters Kluwer designed to help business owners understand and comply with ADA requirements.

Helping employees who are disabled is often the first requisite that comes to mind in this area of the law. However, other areas of concern to business owners – access to public facilities, transportation accessibility, and telecommunication services are also covered in this set.

Users will find a wide variety of practical and useful information, such as compliance planning checklists and guidance. Just a few examples include accommodating employees with brain injuries, allergies, lung disorders, learning disorders, and diabetes; construction checklists for fixed / built-in seating, drinking fountains, public telephones, and ATMs; and transportation standards for light rail, buses, vans, bus stops, and airports.

In addition, this set includes reprints of federal law and regulations, summaries of state laws, and guidelines of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers and Compliance Board ("Access Board").

A "New Developments" section and monthly newsletter provide information on case law, rule revisions, disability rights, and litigation.

The Dane County Legal Resource Center (DCLRC) is closed on Friday, May 24th for a Dane County furlough day. The DCLRC will also be closed on Monday, May 27th for the Memorial Day holiday, along with the Wisconsin State Law Library and Milwaukee Legal Resource Center.

If you need assistance while the DCLRC is closed, please contact the Wisconsin State Law Library at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online. The DCLRC will reopen on Tuesday, May 28th.

The Wisconsin State Law Library, Milwaukee Legal Resource Center, and Dane County Legal Resource Center will be closed on Monday, May 27th in observance of Memorial Day.

To send a question to the Wisconsin State Law Library while we are closed, call us at 608-267-9696 or Ask a Librarian online.

We will respond to questions and requests on Tuesday, May 28th.

A recent USA.gov blog post on how to replace five common vital records got us thinking about frequent questions we get related to these types of records. 

Image by Tom Ventura from Denver, CO, USA (Flickr) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Where can I get copies of a birth or death certificate?

For birth or death certificates issued in Wisconsin contact the WI Vital Records Office or the county's Register of Deeds office. See our Vital Records topic for links to more information on obtaining these records.

Where can I get copies of a marriage, divorce, or domestic partnership declaration or termination certificate?

For marriages, divorces, or domestic partnerships in Wisconsin, contact the WI Vital Records Office or the county's Register of Deeds office. See our Vital Records topic for links to more information on obtaining these records.

Can I file a copy of my foreign marriage or divorce in Wisconsin?

No. Marriage or divorce certificates that were not issued in Wisconsin do not get filed with any Wisconsin vital records office. For more information, see the Marriages Abroad / Out of State section of our Marriage legal topic page.

Where can I get proof that I have not been married?

Contact the WI Vital Records Office to request a Letter of Non-Marriage. See their website for more information.

I'm changing my name. Where do I need to update my name?

We include links for several popular agencies people may need to contact to update their name on our Name Change legal topic page.

Can somebody make a photocopy of a birth, death, marriage, or domestic partnership certificate?

The Attorney General stated in a 1989 AG Opinion #78, "Section 69.24(1)(a) was enacted in apparent response to a substantial increase in the practice of obtaining and using false identification documents by manipulating the existing system. For example, it was easy for a person to procure a photocopy of a birth certificate from a source other than discussed in chapter 69. This certificate, which might be accurate or already altered, could be altered to provide a new identity or other erroneous identifying information……. The Legislature obviously determined that this evil and its consequences could only be prevented by a strict measure which makes copying per se a criminal violation unless done under the authority of subchapter I of chapter 69."

You can request a certified copy from the WI Vital Records Office.

Schools can use the following form from the WI Register of Deeds Association to pull information from a certified copy of a birth certificate: Annotation of birth facts abstracted from certified copy of birth certificate.