Earlier this week, the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library received the O. James Werner Award for Distinguished Service to Persons with Disabilities for providing extended, remote access to justice during the pandemic via STAN (Synchronous Touchless Assistive Node), a virtual presence device that is stationed in the Law Library lobby during operating hours. This award was from the Government Law Libraries Special Interest Section of the American Association of Law Libraries.
Read moreConnect with Your Law Library
It’s National Library Week, and the Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library is celebrating! This year’s theme is “Connect with Your Library.” In recognition of the many organizations in Harris County that are committed to improving access to justice, we are spotlighting the community partners with whom we share a common goal – connecting with low income individuals and families in need of legal assistance, information, and resources. We, the Law Library, connect with them, the vital community partners, so that all of us can can connect with you, the many visitors we see every day!
Read moreFree Virtual Program (4/11/22): Legal Research for the Non-Law Librarian
In conjunction with the 2022 SWALL/HALL Annual Meeting, all are invited to attend a free virtual program, “Legal Research for the Non-Law Librarian,” Monday, April 11, 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Members of the local library community, as well as other information professionals who need a basic understanding of legal research and reference, are welcome. Register for free here, by choosing the last option on the page.
Read moreGideon’s Legacy
On March 18, 1963, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Gideon v . Wainwright that the Sixth Amendment’s guarantee of counsel in criminal cases is a fundamental right, essential to a fair trial, as provided by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The court battle leading up to this ruling was truly a case of David v. Goliath. In recent years, there has been a push to advocate for a “Civil Gideon” – the right to legal counsel in civil cases. If Civil Gideon should ever come to pass as a universal Constitutional right, the legacy of Clarence Earl Gideon, whose own case was decided on this day 59 years ago, would be fulfilled for all so that “justice should be the same, in substance and availability, without regard to economic status” and irrespective of the type of offense.
Read moreHarriet Tubman Day 2022
Harriet Tubman Day is observed annually on March 10, the anniversary of the freedom fighter’s death. Born enslaved, Harriet Tubman liberated herself and became a free woman who then devoted her life to helping others achieve the same freedom by guiding those escaping slavery through the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses along the journey north to freedom. Tubman is famous around the world for her heroism, bravery, and commitment to the fight for abolition and racial justice.
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