KCLL Klues: Washington State Legal Research

When I teach my Public Sleuthing on Social Networks class I often caution the students about being careful about both their privacy and what they post when using social networks. Others may be checking your postings. Trial Ad Notes posted a cautionary story the other day about photos posted on a Facebook page and the BBC posted a story about serving a court order via a Twitter page.  Everyday I seem to come across another instance of social networking that could bring trouble to the person posting. 

I know that I always try to post with caution myself, although I still like to comment about #dwts occasionally. Maybe I should stop.  But doesn’t social networking also have to be fun?

In this episode of KCLL’s SideBar Rita K. talks about some of her favorite podcast episodes and says good-bye as she passes KCLL’s SideBar on to its new producers. Craig, in his “Reel Verdict” segment, reviews a documentary he watched recently called “A Lawyer Walks into a Bar.” The movie is about law students trying to pass California’s bar exam.

Listen to Episode 34
Links for Episode 34

One of the blogs I read on a regular basis is Laura Orr’s Oregon Legal Research blog. Recently she posted about engagement rings – and who gets the ring when the engagement is broken. She titled it “The Law of Engagement Rings (with a side of ring-flingers and Oregon cows).” It is a fascinating and funny post. So if you want to know more about this area of the law read Laura’s post.  It will make your day.

The Washington State Court web site posted the following on its child support forms page:

“Please note that the following form versions are being replaced effective October 1, 2009. To facilitate that change, all new versions are added to the appropriate topic pages except for the new WSCSS Schedule with instructions which is pending.”

The legislature changed the Washington State Child Support Schedule during this last session. If you need to see how they changed the law, before the new schedule is posted to the court site, look at Chapter 84 of the 2009 Washington state session laws.

I occasionally look at news from places where I used to work. I noticed this article about an associate at McKenna, Long and Aldridge who understands that if you want to get ahead in today’s environment you need to do more than the basics, you need to excel. The article appeared in the National Law Journal. I always have felt that just doing your job is not enough. You need to look at what you can accomplish as a challenge to do your very best.

This is my last assigned week of blogging for KCLL. I hope some of the things I have highlighted – such as research tips or news stories or court rule changes or – have been helpful.

The Washington State Library has created a new “Hard Times
Resource Guide.” This thorough guide contains detailed resources and methods to help in this tough economy. They have covered subjects from health and nutrition to finances, family and parenting, job-seeking, housing and homelessness, and more. Check out the new site.

And don’t forget to listen to KCLL’s podcast on debt collection, too.

In this episode of KCLL’s SideBar Rita K. talks about a common question the Library is getting in these harsh economic times. How can you help yourself if you are sued to collect on an outstanding debt? Then listen in as Craig, in his “Reel Verdict” segment, talks about the movie “Repo Man.”

Listen to Episode 33
Links for Episode 33

Laura Orr, over at the Oregon Legal Research blog, recently highlighted a glossary that is directed to Oregon residents. That made me realise that there are a number of glossaries here in Washington state that may be helpful when you are trying to understand how the law works.

First, we have a Glossary of Legal Terms and Resources on the KCLL web site itself. The state court web site has A Guide to Terms Used in Washington State Courts and the WashingtonLawHelp web site has a glossary of legal terms used on its web site. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals also has a glossary posted on its web site.

Even the Washington state legislature has a Glossary of Legislative Terms to help you understand the law making process.

All of these legal glossaries help to explain what the various terms mean and are useful when you are trying to navigate the legal system. Check them out.

I monitor many blogs, listservs, microblogs such as Twitter, social sites such as Facebook and more. Today the story that was repeated many times was that Sony will put out a new wireless e-reader called the Daily Edition. It will be out for the holidays in December. Sony announced other new e-readers recently, but they were wired. This new one will work on a 3G wireless network. Here are links to some of the stories I read today – from a blog at the Los Angeles Times, from Wireless Week and from the Mobile Libraries blog.

So now I have to try to decide between one of the other Sony e-readers, the Kindle e-reader, or this new Sony e-reader.

A tenant has not received a security deposit after vacating an apartment and wants to know what state law says about the time a landlord has to return this deposit. This is in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) Landlord/Tenant Act. Three sections of the act address security deposits, RCW 59.18.260, RCW 59.18.270 & RCW 59.18.280, which speaks to the number of days the landlord has to return the deposit or state why the deposit is being retained.

When you need to know more about Landlord/Tenant law check out KCLL’s research guide on the subject..