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John Passmore

Alphabet Soup of Federal Legal Authority

January 5, 2018 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

Alphabet Soup of Federal Legal AuthorityIn Washington, D.C., acronyms and initialisms are not in short supply. You have the FAA, FBI, FCC, FEC, FMC, DHS, DOE, DOD, and HHS—and you are barely getting started. But in the world of legal authority, there is a whole other set of abbreviations. It can be disorienting to come across an authority you don’t recognize as you are reading a case or doing research. Hopefully, this quick guide to federal legal authority will help you to avoid some confusion. [Read more…] about Alphabet Soup of Federal Legal Authority

Dealing with Dicta: 10 Questions Asked and Answered

November 20, 2017 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

Dealing with Dicta: 10 Questions Asked and AnsweredWhether researching case law or reading an assigned case, understanding and identifying dicta in a judicial opinion is a must. You probably know that you can’t rely on dicta as binding precedent in a future case, but what is it and how can you be sure to recognize it? If the concept of dicta seems complicated, it is. Experienced attorneys and legal scholars alike struggle to pin down the slippery concept. Here are ten frequently asked questions and answers about dicta to help you to successfully deal with dicta: [Read more…] about Dealing with Dicta: 10 Questions Asked and Answered

6 Keys to Research Assistant Success

November 17, 2017 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

6 Keys to Research Assistant SuccessWhile it may not be glamorous, being a research assistant for a professor during law school comes with plenty of benefits. Without leaving campus, you can improve your research skills, build a valuable professional relationship, and start monetizing your newfound legal knowledge. But developing a great working relationship with your professor is not a given. Here are some tips to make the most of your research assistant experience: [Read more…] about 6 Keys to Research Assistant Success

5 Tips for Citing Web-Based Sources in Legal Writing

November 10, 2017 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

5 Tips for Citing Web-Based Sources in Legal WritingThe Bluebook now includes a citation format for social media. A recent Texas Supreme Court opinion spent four pages weighing the validity of a Texas Court of Appeal’s use of a Wikipedia definition. The U.S. Supreme Court archives internet sources cited in its opinions on its website. With authoritative internet sources proliferating and legal blogs gaining in popularity, citing to web-based sources in legal writing is on the rise. Traditional, print authorities still dominate, but the exceptions to that rule continue to grow. If you are considering using a web-based authority in your legal writing, consider these 5 tips: [Read more…] about 5 Tips for Citing Web-Based Sources in Legal Writing

Fun with Black’s Law: 10 Unexpected Legal Terms

November 8, 2017 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

Fun with Black's Law: 10 Unexpected Legal TermsEarly in my 1L year, a professor told us that you had to get a copy of Black’s Law Dictionary because every lawyer will have their law-school copy in their office for the rest of their career as some sort of bookshelf trophy. That may be one reason to get a Black’s Law Dictionary, but I have found actually using the dictionary has been very helpful in law school and beyond. Even though it is tempting to Google a legal term of art or Latin legal phrase – requiring a distracting search through two or three webpages – turning to Black’s Law first will give you a concise, authoritative definition every time. Some may prefer a pocket edition or the app, but for me, I still prefer the complete, hardbound, more than 50,000 term edition. Aside from being a great research tool and invaluable reference, there is another benefit to using the 2054 page version – the amazing legal terms you find by accident. Here are my top 10 unexpected legal terms you will find inside the august Black’s Law Dictionary: [Read more…] about Fun with Black’s Law: 10 Unexpected Legal Terms

What Signals Are Your Signals Sending? 

October 20, 2017 By John Passmore Leave a Comment

What Signals Are Your Signals Sending?Legal writing is tough. You have to learn how to do legal research, you have to re-learn how to write, you have to master complex substantive law, and you have to Bluebook your citations. With all of those challenges, signals and citation sentence formatting can easily be overlooked. But the good news is, with a little bit of attention, you can master this aspect of legal writing and stop giving away points on your legal writing assignments. A detailed treatment of signals and citation sentences can be found in The Bluebook at Rule B1.2 and Rule 1.2, but hopefully this post can highlight some signal basics. [Read more…] about What Signals Are Your Signals Sending? 

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If you find law school tough, you are not alone! The Law School Toolbox team is here to help you through it. Check out our helpful free content, podcasts, courses and one-on-one tutoring. Thanks for stopping by and drop us a line if you have any questions. We also invite you to join our weekly mailing list, for advice right to your inbox.

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