Update submitted by Brian J. Archambault, Head Law Librarian, Lawrence Law Library.

[The opinions expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Massachusetts Trial Court Law Library]

Back to School (Law) in Massachusetts

As it is back to school time, it seems appropriate to highlight a recently published book from Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, entitled School Law in Massachusetts.

Regional Reference Centers Memorial Hall Library (Andover) Phone: 978-623-8401 x31 or 32 Fax: 978-623-8407 Lawrence Law Library Phone: (978) 687-7608 Fax: (978) 688-2346

School Law in Massachusetts has been described as a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive, and practical guide to the wide range of legal issues surrounding public elementary and secondary schools in Massachusetts. Among the areas covered are school governance and regulation, employment and labor issues, student issues (such as safety and discipline, harassment, student assessment, and use of technology), tort liability, and school finance. The book's exceptional materials on special education include an overview of the applicable law, a discussion of practice before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals, and practical guidance regarding advocacy on behalf of both students and school districts.

The Lawrence Law Library has received rave reviews of this book from several patrons. As are most all of our holdings, this item is available for interlibrary loan. Just call, write, fax or email!

Enhanced Accessibility to Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court Case Information

Looking for information regarding recent and pending cases in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court or the Massachusetts Appeals Court? Then take a look at the latest offering by the Massachusetts Trial Court --- Public Case Information, free of charge, on the Web! Look up case information by party name, attorney name, lower court judge name, and more.

The launching of this service (found at http://www.ma-appellatecourts.org) comes on the heels of a Supreme Judicial Court policy announcement in June 2003, authorizing the publication of an intermediate level of case information on the Internet.

In the words of the Justices, "Providing case information on the Web will make courts more accessible to the people who use them. Litigants and attorneys will be able to check easily the status and scheduling of cases in which they are involved. This policy will allow the public to learn more about how the judicial system operates by providing basic information about individual cases."

In order to protect privacy interests, the policy bars publication of individuals' home addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers and date of birth. The policy further states that: "In response to the concerns underlying the Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) statute, G.L.c.6, § 172, this policy excludes from Trial Court case information Web sites information that would identify a specific criminal defendant by name."

The policy, however, encourages the publication of some information about every case, and the Public Case Information Website is the first step in that process. We invite you to take a look at this service, and please submit your comments and suggestions using the link found on the site. We want to hear from you!

Lexis and Westlaw Public Access Databases Available at No Charge!

Come into your nearest Massachusetts Trial Court Law Library for access to Lexis or Westlaw or both at no charge! No need to sign up, no password required, no catch! Just visit the law library, sit down at a computer and go! Public Access is available to state and federal primary law databases, as well as selected secondary sources.

Within the NMRLS service area, you will find Lexis Public Access at the Lawrence Law Library, and Westlaw Public Access at the Lawrence Law Library, Lowell Law Library and the Essex Law Library in Salem.

City and Town Property Assessment Data Available Online

For those cities and towns which use Vision Appraisal Technology to provide property assessment services, assessment data is now available online. The site (found at http://www.visonappraisal.com, select "Online Databases") allows access to descriptions, specifications, photographs and value calculations at the click of a mouse! The website allows all users to search for properties by location or by map and parcel. Registered users (free registration takes only a few minutes) may also search by owner name. All users may also find comparable sales using style of improvements and time frame as parameters. General tax information for each city and town, as well as links to municipal websites, can also be found here.

Within the NMRLS service area, Amesbury, Dracut, Lowell, Newburyport and Rowley are represented, and the list is growing. Access is available to information from cities and towns in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Virginia as of this writing.

Extended Hours Continued

The Lawrence Law Library is open to the public as follows:

Monday through Thursday—8:30AM to 8:00PM

Friday—8:30AM to 4:30PM

Saturday—10:00AM to 3:00PM

Evening and Weekend Hours are made possible by NMRLS Supplemental Reference funding. We are available in person, by telephone (978-687-7608), fax (978-688-2346) or email LawrenceLawLibrary@yahoo.com.

The Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries are Your Public Law Libraries

The NMRLS Region includes three of the seventeen Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries: Lawrence Law Library, Lowell Law Library, and the Essex Law Library (Salem, MA). Directions, hours, telephone numbers and email addresses for all Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries can be found at http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us.