Poetry of the Bench and Bar: Quoth the Raven, In re Love

We at the Harris County Law Library have enjoyed celebrating National Poetry Month. By featuring a new law-related poem every Friday in April, we’ve recognized the vital role of poetry in our lives, culture, history, and in the law, but as Geoffrey Chaucer said in Troilus and Criseyde, “All good things must come to an end.”

Before we conclude our celebration, we’re offering one more poem from the bench and bar, an exquisite illustration of the beauty of language, as well as the cleverness of the court. Written in the theme of Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, this legal verse is worth reading in full. It is a truly inspired piece of poetry by one very eloquent judge, the Hon. A. Jay Cristol, chief judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida. The poem is excerpted here from the case In re Love, 61 B.R. 558 (1986),

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary
Over many quaint and curious files of chapter seven lore
While I nodded nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door,
"Tis some debtor" I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this and nothing more."

Ah distinctly I recall, it was in the early fall
And the file still was small
The Code provided I could use it
If someone tried to substantially abuse it

No party asked that it be heard.
"Sua sponte" whispered a small black bird.
The bird himself, my only maven,
strongly looked to be a raven.

For more legal poetry, please look back at our Friday blog entries in April, especially The Calf Path or Precedents and Wills in Verse. And finally, for commentary on the role of legal levity, see Bons Mots, Buffoonery, and the Bench: The Role of Humor in Judicial Opinions by Lucas K. Hori, 60 UCLA L. Rev. Disc. 16 (2012)

HCLL Receives AALL Marketing Award

Yesterday, the Harris County Law Library was named the 2016 recipient of the American Association of Law Libraries Excellence in Marketing Award in the Best Campaign Division. We are very honored by the award and appreciate the recognition for our efforts on our Centennial Celebration. For anyone who was unable to attend the event on October 1, 2015, please visit our digital exhibit titled 1915-2015: A Century of Service to see videos of the speakers program, including a keynote address from Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas.

The Law Library would like to thank all of our partners who made the Centennial Celebration possible, including Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, Houston Bar Association President Laura Gibson, and Justice Brett Busby of the Fourteenth Texas Court of Appeals, who served as speakers at the event. We would also like to thank our event sponsors: Baker Botts, Andrews Kurth, Thomson Reuters, and ServiceDocs. Finally, we would like to thank the more than 300 guests who helped us celebrate the Law Library's first century of service.

Poetry of the Bench and Bar: The Things That Lawyers Know About Earth Day

In celebration of National Poetry Month, we at the Harris County Law Library are featuring a new law-related poem each Friday in April. With today's selection, The Law the Lawyer's Know About by Hilary Douglas Clark Pepler, we recognize Earth Day (April 22).

Pepler's lack of faith in lawyers' understanding of nature is counterbalanced by the work of poet and lawyer William Cullen Bryant. Bryant embraced "natural law," drawing both poetic and moral inspiration from the natural world. He was also inspired by human reason, viewing it as a universally recognizable determinant of the rights and values that bind society and check human behavior.

Bryant's philosophy of morality and human conduct stands in direct contrast with the thoughts of Hilary Pepler. As expressed in the words below, Pepler gives lawyers little credit for their appreciation of nature in the biological/organic sense or as an expression of humanity or morality. His romantic appreciation of the observable world allows no room for nature in the construct of written laws: 

The things that lawyers know about,
Are property and land.

But why the leaves are on the trees;
And why the waves disturb the seas;

Why honey is the food of bees;
Why horses have such tender knees;

Why winters come when rivers freeze;
Why faith is more than what one sees;

And hope survives the worst disease;
And charity is more than these ...

They do not understand.

Poetry of the Bench and Bar: The Taxman Cometh

It’s April 15th, and today, The Taxman cometh. We at the Harris County Law Library can think of no better way to welcome this annual visitor than to share a poem. The IRS doesn’t typically conjure the spirit of creativity, but on this day, while we celebrate National Poetry Month, a bit of written verse may be just what we all need. 

Currently on display in the Library lobby is an exhibit of legal opinions written in verse. Inspired by various sources including Edgar Allan Poe, Dr. Seuss, and Leann Rimes, these opinions reflect the wit and wisdom of their authors as well as the occasional levity of the court. One such opinion, written by Fifth Circuit Judge Irving Goldberg in the case United States v. Batson, even makes reference to government subsidies (i.e., tax breaks), in particular, the cotton set-aside program. A group of program participants in Gaines, Texas took full advantage of these subsidies, and managed to evade program payment limitations for a number of years. In his ruling, Judge Goldberg, known for his frequent use of biblical, literary, and musical references began his opinion with a poem:

Some farmers from Gaines had a plan.

It amounted to quite a big scam.

But the payments for cotton

began to smell rotten.

Twas a mugging of poor Uncle Sam.

The ASCS and its crew

uncovered this fraudulent stew.

After quite a few hearings,

the end is now nearing--

It awaits our judicial review.

This is just one of the clever opinions penned from the bench. For more examples of parody and verse in legal decisions, visit the Gallagher Law Library Judicial Humor page. And be sure to check in with Ex Libris Juris next Friday when we'll feature another law-related poem in celebration of National Poetry Month.

Legal Writing Resource Month: Bryan Garner on Words

April is Legal Writing Resource Month at the Harris County Law Library. Selected titles to help you improve your writing are currently on display. Included are a number of books by author, Bryan A. Garner, editor in chief of Black’s Law Dictionary and a highly-regarded expert on effective legal writing. In addition to his many print publications, Garner is very active online. He maintains a lively Twitter feed,  a popular Facebook page, and a regular blog on the LawProse website. He will even send you a Usage Tip of the Day if you email him at info@lawprose.org.

Another popular source for Garner’s writing is his monthly column in the ABA Journal, Bryan Garner on Words. Each month, Garner shares his thoughts on language, style, organization, and legal discourse. He typically offers  suggestions for improved writing proficiency, focusing at various times on the importance of good headings, well-organized tables of contents, and a dedication to clarity in writing. On occasion, he will share a historical vignette, offer his personal musings on a particular subject,  or wax philosophic about legalese and golf, none of which should be missed!

Whether you are writing a research memo, a legal brief, or an opinion letter, there is much to be learned from Bryan A. Garner. The Harris County Law Library highly recommends his work and will be happy to help you locate additional writing sources to improve your legal writing skills.