CT Judicial Law Libraries' NewsLog http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/AllPosts.aspx Helping you stay informed about recent legal developments, legal practice tools, and law library resources in Connecticut. Connecticut Judicial Branch Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:34:39 GMT Windows SharePoint Services V3 RSS Generator 30 Law Libraries' NewsLog: Posts http://www.jud.ct.gov/imgs/LawLibrary/lawliblogo4.gif http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/AllPosts.aspx CT Office of Legislative Research Reports http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=976 Category: FYI;Legal Research
Body:

The Office of Legislative Research (OLR) has issued the following reports:

  • Juvenile Justice Legislation 2001-2009 - 2009-R-0411
    You asked for a timeline of juvenile justice legislation.  This report supplements 2000-R-0816, which chronologically describes the legislation enacted between 1995 and 2000.
  • Gag Order and Inmate Visits and Communication - 2009-R-0414
    You asked about the (1) gag order imposed in the Cheshire murder case and (2) Department of Correction's (DOC) policies on visitation and written communication with inmates. We understand that your interest is based on visits from an author to one of the defendants in the Cheshire murder case and communications between them.
  • Medicare Coverage - 2009-R-0380
    You asked for a detailed description of what Medicare covers and a comparison of Medicare coverage and recently proposed and enacted state health insurance benefit mandates.
Published: 11/19/2009 1:55 PM
]]> Booth, George FYI;Legal Research Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:47:07 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=976 Supreme Court Advance Release Opinion - 11/18/09 http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=979 Category: Recent Decisions;Contract Law Opinions
Body:

Wilcox v. Webster Ins., Inc. - SC18317 (“The named plaintiff, David R. Wilcox, and the plaintiff Shaun A. Wilcox, appeal from the trial court’s dismissal of their claims against the defendant Acadia Insurance Company. The plaintiffs assert that the trial court improperly granted the defendant’s motion to dismiss on the ground that the plaintiffs lacked standing. The defendant responds that the trial court properly concluded that the plaintiffs lacked standing and that the trial court’s decision should be affirmed on the alternative ground that the plaintiffs’ claims against the defendant are moot.”)

Published: 11/18/2009 1:51 PM
]]> Roy, Christopher Recent Decisions;Contract Law Opinions Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:55:22 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=979 Advance Release Appellate Court Opinions - 11/18/09 http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=978 Body:
Seven Connecticut Appellate Court opinions are scheduled to be released today. See the Connecticut Judicial Branch website for the list of case names and links to the full text of the opinions. After today, the opinions will be available from the Appellate Court Archive.
Published: 11/18/2009 9:35 AM
]]> Roy, Christopher Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:38:09 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=978 Landmark Legislative Histories Online http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=977 Category: FYI;Legal History;Legal Research
Body:

The Connecticut State Library has posted the full-text of legislative histories for selected landmark Connecticut legislation. These legislative histories can be found in the library’s Digital Collections. The links below are direct links to the histories. To download the full-text of each volume in PDF format, choose the “complete print version” from the “view” drop-down menu on the left side of the Digital Collections screen.

  • An Act Concerning Revision and Codification of the Substantive Criminal Law, 1969 Public Act No. 828 — i.e. The Penal Code
    Volume 1 ~ Volume 2 ~ Volume 3 ~ Volume 4
    (“This is the act which compiled the criminal law of Connecticut into a Penal Code. The delayed effective date of 1971 permitted the legal community to study the new law. The Commission to Revise the Criminal Statutes revised and codified the substantive criminal law and did not address the problems of criminal procedure. This act codified the common law principles of criminal liability, created the new concept of an affirmative defense, and eliminated the common law right to forcefully resist arrest. The act established a system of five felonies and four misdemeanors with uniform penalties.”)

  • An Act Concerning Product Liability Actions, 1979 Public Act No. 483
    ("During the 1970's the rising price of product liability insurance was deemed to have created an unfavorable climate for manufacturing and commerce. The General Assembly sought to remedy this situation by codifying various common law approaches to product liability. The act also applied a single statute of limitations for all claims and simplified the types of defenses which would apply. Other changes included: (1) a provision for punitive damages and attorney fees in certain circumstances; (2) an all-encompassing comparative responsibility standard; (3) changes in the rights of plaintiffs and defendants with respect to provision of workers' compensation and compensation payments; (4) change in duty to warn; and (5) change in the law of indemnity and contribution.”)

  • An Act Concerning the Death Penalty, 1995 Public Act No. 19
    Volume 1 ~ Volume 2
    (“This is the legislative history of the act which provides that the death sentence shall be imposed on a defendant in a capital felony case if the aggravating factor or factors outweigh the mitigating factor or factors. Previously the death penalty could not be imposed if there were at least one mitigating factor or no aggravating factors. Previously there was also no requirement to weigh the factors against each other. This act also eliminates ‘unusual and substantial duress’ as one of the five automatic bars to the death penalty and instead redefines ‘unusual and substantial duress’ as a mitigating factor.”)
Published: 11/17/2009 11:13 AM
]]> Roy, Christopher FYI;Legal History;Legal Research Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:07:44 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=977 Supreme Court Advance Release Opinion - 11/16/09 http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=975 Category: Recent Decisions;Habeas Opinions
Body:
Crawford v. Commissioner of Correction - SC18315 ("On appeal, the petitioner claims that the habeas court improperly found that he had procedurally defaulted with regard to his claims challenging the sufficiency of his plea canvass and the state’s breach of his plea agreement that his sentences would be 'fully' concurrent. The petitioner also claims that the habeas court improperly determined that he was not entitled to one day of sentence credit under General Statutes § 18-98d (a) (2) (A). Finally, he claims that the habeas court improperly rejected his claim that he had been deprived of his right to appeal because he had not been given notice of that right.")
Published: 11/16/2009 11:40 AM
]]> Roy, Christopher Recent Decisions;Habeas Opinions Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:44:59 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=975 New Online United States Supreme Court Database http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=973 Category: FYI;Legal Research;Self-Help
Body:
The Supreme Court Database builds on work begun 20 years ago by political science professor Harold J. Spaeth and others.
 
Funded by the National Science Foundation, this newest iteration of professor Spaeth’s work offers a revamped interface with interactive search tools that make queries such as "How often has the Supreme Court declared acts of congress unconstitutional?" possible, thus widening the audience that will find this database of Supreme Court statistics and opinions (currently 1953-2008 terms) helpful. The website also features a helpful series of tutorials that guide the new user in effective use of the various search features.
Published: 11/13/2009 11:40 AM
]]> Booth, George FYI;Legal Research;Self-Help Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:36:01 GMT http://ersa.jud.ct.gov/lawlibnews/Lists/Posts/ViewPost.aspx?ID=973