November is National Adoption Month, and the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library is celebrating with four special events, including a free Texas CLE with ethics credit, a family information session for people going through the adoption process, a traveling exhibit of photos of children available for adoption, and a resource drive for children in foster care.
Read moreRobert W. Hainsworth: Undaunted Advocate – Two New Exhibits
In anticipation of our virtual rededication ceremony at 2 p.m. Central today, the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library has curated two exhibits honoring our namesake, one physical exhibit in the Law Library lobby and one digital exhibit available online. Both are titled, “Robert Wendell Hainsworth: Undaunted Advocate.” Learn more about Robert W. Hainsworth by exploring these exhibits and by visiting our webpage dedicated to him: https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/robert-w-hainsworth.
Read moreNational African American History Month: Justice Thurgood Marshall
National African American History Month traces its roots to efforts made by historian and founder of the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, Dr. Carter G. Woodson. In 1926, Dr. Woodson instituted the first Negro History Week in February 1926, a week that coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. More than 50 years later, it was expanded to Black History Month or African American History Month.
In honor of National African American History Month, the Harris County Law Library created a digital exhibit celebrating the life and legacy of Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American to serve on the country’s highest court. The exhibit highlights his career as a civil rights attorney, as Solicitor General, and as Supreme Court Justice. For those of you who are fortunate to visit our library, you can view an exhibit commemorating Justice Marshall’s extraordinary life in the Law Library lobby.
If you are interested in learning more about African American history and the notable life of Justice Thurgood Marshall, please see these digital resources:
United States Courts (“Justice Thurgood Marshall Profile – Brown v. Board of Education Reenactment”)
Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage
Constitution Daily (“Thurgood Marshall’s Unique Supreme Court Legacy”)
Constitution Day - September 17, 1787
Constitution Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of our Constitution in 1787. On display in the Law Library lobby throughout the month of September is an exhibit featuring foundational documents that shaped the Constitution, including the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, along with examples of broadsides that were crucial to the states’ decisions to ratify our founding document.
July Exhibit: Summertime and the Law
During the month of July, Harris County Law Library is celebrating summer! Our exhibit, Summertime and the Law, will be on display all month long. On your next visit, pause for a moment in the Law Library lobby to view the exhibit and take a whimsical look at law and some of the hallmarks of summer -- sunshine, swimming, theme parks, barbecue, swimming, and more.
Featured items in the exhibit, along with a few additional sources, are listed here:
Cases
Gabriel Gomez v. The State of Texas, Unpublished
Gabriel Gomez appealed his conviction for aggravated assault asserting that he was denied a fair trial. In his complaint, Gomez described the State’s closing remarks as childish, improper, and prejudicial, and “an embarrassment to the legal dignity of the Court.” A portion of the prosecutor’s closing statement, which referenced various Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan, Snow White, and the Seven Dwarves, is quoted in the opinion. See pages 6 and 7.
Animal Legal Defense Fund v. U.S. Department of Agriculture, 789 F. 3d 1206 (2015)
Living in captivity at a Florida theme park called Seaquarium, an orca named Lolita was exposed to persistent ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Seaquarium tried to combat the harmful UV rays by applying a black-colored zinc oxide to Lolita’s skin, the physiological effects of which were untested and unknown. Plaintiffs argued that the park should be denied renewal of its operating license for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
Kingsford Products Company v. Kingsfords, Inc., 715 F. Supp. 1013 (1989)
The plaintiff, a manufacturer of charcoal briquettes, brought action against the similarly named Kingsfords, Inc. seeking to enjoin the defendant’s further use of the Kingsford mark on their barbecue sauce product. The District Court held that, despite the plaintiff’s aspirations to one day produce and sell a barbecue sauce under the Kingsford name, they were not entitled to trademark protection. The defendant had already established its product, developed from a family recipe, and the associated brand, so the plaintiff’s arguments went up in proverbial smoke.
Federal Regulations
State Statutes
Amusement Ride Safety and Inspection and Insurance Act, Vernon's Texas Code Annotated, Occupations Code, Chapter 2151. Regulation of Amusement Rides
Patents
