Chastek Blawg

This week, the Chastek Library implemented a new access policy. This change affects all users of the library, including the general public. Our general public hours are Monday-Friday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. We are closed to the general public on Saturday and Sunday. Our hours for Gonzaga Law Students are Monday - Thursday 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 p m to 10:00 pm.  Each Monday through Thursday, at 6:00 pm we will be clearing out the library of all library users (general public, law students, undergraduate students, et al.) and only law students, faculty, and staff will be allowed back into the library. The front doors to the library will be locked and you will need your Gonzaga ID to enter the library. Gonzaga Law alumni and attorneys who wish to have access to the Chastek Library should contact the Circulation Desk (509.313.5792) for information about access. The primary reason the Chaste...

TBT - Old School Video Games - Objection! from ClassicReload. This 1984 courtroom video game is available online for free at https://classicreload.com/objection.html .  Step into the virtual courtroom with the Objection! game series. The first video game to ever become professionally certified. Increase your aptitude and speed in identifying objectionable questions. Fun for everyone from professionals looking to sharpen their skills, law students or anyone interested in law. There is usually less then a second from the time a prosecutor asks the question to when the witness answers. So speed and accuracy counts toward your score. Many states also offer professionals CLE credits where home study of continuing education is available. In Objection! you deal with a murder trial. With your virtual consciousness at ease you know your client is innocent and have the opportunity to defend the prosecutor's line of questioning by using one of the 12 objectionable categorie...

The American Bar Association’s Model Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.1 states: “a lawyer shall provide competent representation to a client. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.” Additionally, the ABA revised the rule in 2012, and added comment 8 concerning maintaining competence and explaining that a lawyer should keep up with changes in the law, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology. Now, majority of the States have enacted rules requiring Lawyers to become familiar with technology that surrounds their practices. While this may sound easy to those of us who have grown up around technology, the rapid evolution of technology can create new problems. For example, client sensitive information may be inadvertently disclosed while using cloud technology or other data security platforms. [1]   E-Discovery is also gaining popularity. The process w...

Library Hours - Fall 2018 Fall library hours for Chastek Library can be found at  http://libguides.law.gonzaga.edu/hours . Please note the difference between the "general public" hours and the Gonzaga law student hours. New Procedure For the safety and security of our guests and students, the library will be closing to the general public at 6pm, Monday through Friday. We will no longer offer weekend hours to members of the public.  At 6pm, the front library doors will lock and all within the library will be asked to leave so the staff can do a sweep of the three floors. You will be asked to scan yourself back into the library with your student ID card. We also ask that you do not allow anyone behind you to enter without their ID. Please do not prop doors open .   If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Sundin at sundin@gonzaga.edu or Sharalyn Williams at WilliamsS2@gonzaga.edu .

Last week, members of the Spokane community gathered at the Spokane County Courthouse for a rally against white supremacy. This came following the discovery that now former Spokane County GOP Chair Cecily Wright invited political commentator James Allsup to speak at a private event that took place in July. Citizens of the county saw this as an opportunity to voice their disagreement with this decision in a public forum.  Thursday’s event was just one of a handful of protests that have taken place in Spokane this year; protests regarding immigration reform and reproductive rights have also taken place over the last few months. While most of these recent events have happened without problem, one in June 2014 led to the arrest of 12 protesters. These arrests were a direct cause of incorrect protesting on public property and could have been avoided with the use of proper permits.  “Proper” Protesting In order to protest on public property within the city limit...

The Zag Law Library News newsletter for July and August was released today. To read up close, click each photo.

Ishpeming, Michigan is a dying town, surrounded by forests ready to reclaim land lost in the Upper Peninsula mining boom. At the turn of the 19th century, however, Ishpeming was thriving. Miners tore through the surrounding hillsides, subsisting on copper country pasties and strong, black coffee. *** Thursday night. George Voelker’s tavern is filled to the brim. The barback attempts to squeeze out from behind the bar through the sea of bodies to stoke the woodstove, to no avail. It doesn’t matter, the crowd keeps the barroom warm.   It’s 1902. George wants to be fishing. *** Sunday evening. George’s son John pens his first story. John sits at an old oak table that doesn’t sit quite right with his mother Annie across from him lesson planning for the school week ahead. George sits in a rocker by the fireplace smoking a loosely rolled cigarette and wiping down a fox trap. Blizzardy winds batter the Voelker townhouse.   In the morning, George and John carry broad ...