Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Picture It-Three Giants Lead the Legal Publishing Industry

Three publishing giants-Thomson/West, Reed Elsevier and Wolters Kluwer- have cornered the market of what used to be a wide number of legal research and reference publishers. A librarian and colleague named Sarah Glassmeyer has created a wonderful, colorful chart that grapically illustrates where the market was and where it is today. Where are LexisNexis  and West Group in the mix? Take a look.  Another commentator has compiled a pie chart showing how the publishers are represented in terms of market share.

Thanks to the blog at Case Law School for the tip.

Franklin County to Establish E-filing

The Columbus Dispatch reports that Franklin County is in the process of purchasing an online system to allow lawyers to e-file court documents without having to go to the Courthouse. The system will cost about $1.3 million. No word yet on whether pro se litigants will also be able to use the system. The civil division will be the first to go live in about a year, with Probate, Domestic Relations, the 10th District Appeals Court, and the Franklin County Data Center to follow. Click here to read a notice from Justice Eric Brown about how e-filing at the court will foster the Court's "Go Green" initiative to save paper and reap other benefits.

LexisNexis and Texas Court Sued Over File and Serve Service Used Locally for Complex Litigation Docket

Locally, litigants and attorneys partcipating in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court's complex litigation docket must use LexisNexis File and Serve to access or file documents. Interestingly enough, according to law.com, a woman in Texas has sued a court and judge there, as well as LexisNexis, over a similar civil filing requirement for Montgomery County, Texas. Her suit was filed as a class action in federal district court in Houston under both the Texas and US constitutions and alleges, among other claims, due process and equal protection violations, as well as RICO violations under federal law (18 U.S.C. secs. 1961-1968). According to the article, the woman has paid almost $450 so far to access and/or file documents in her case.  Click here to see a list from the ABA indicating which courts employ e-filing rules. Click here to listen to our Law Library's Podcast containing information about the local Cuyahoga County complex litigation docket system.

Thanks to Hamilton County Ohio's County Law Library for the tip.

Cuyahoga County Could Help Cleveland Operate Jails

According to WKSU News, the City of Cleveland is considering transferring some of its jail operations to Cuyahoga County. Click here to listen to the audio news report, which starts off by indicating that an efficiency report prepared for Mayor Jackson indicated the City could save millions of dollars if it oursourced its prisoner care at its Highland Hills facility to Cuyahoga County. The news cast also indicates that Cleveland houses about 300 prisoners a day between Highland Hills and the Justice Center downtown, at an annual cost of about $15,000,000. Apparently, former Cuyahoga County Sheriff McFaul tried this same effort unsuccessfully about 15 years ago. The final decision this year may be made as early as next month.

New U.S. Supreme Court Web Site Has Added Functionality

The U.S. Supreme Court's website has gotten a facelift, along with some new features, including an interactive, color-coded argument calendar on the bottom of the front page and better search capabilities. There is also a new Case Citation Finder and docket files dating back to 2000. According to the Court, the Case Citation Finder: "may be used to retrieve the citation, in the form recommended by the Reporter of Decisions, for every signed, per curiam, or in-chambers opinion published (or soon to be published) in the United States Reports." It allows for Boolean operators (and - or), the use of quotation marks, and sorting by volume number or the name of the petititoner or respondent.

Welcome Judge Gold to Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Bench

Welcome to Judge Rosemary Grdina Gold, whose started today as the newest Judge on the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Bench. Judge Gold's background includes a domestic relations practice at Buckley King, after which she hung out her own shingle in family law for the last 8 years. Click here to read the Ohio Supreme Court's Press Release on the Governor's appointment of Judge Gold.