Letter to a Young Law Student

Professor Corinne Cooper of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law has composed a Letter to a Young Law Student. It's an interesting and informative commentary from a Contracts instructor and quite relevant to our current pursuit.

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In other news, my homework is difficult. I was lucky enough to be one of those people for whom undergraduate coursework was usually fairly easy; it is already apparent that law school work is not. Although I've done a couple of loads of laundry, set up this site, and a few other miscellaneous chores, the fact remains that I'm still dwelling on my Con Law assignment for Thursday. After reading the material, taking notes, looking up some words in Black's Legal Dictionary, and briefing most of the case, I broke out a hornbook. The good news is that the thing I was struggling with - what law was Chief Justice Marshall railing against in Marbury v. Madison? - is now stunningly clear. For anyone interested, it's Section 13 of the Judiciary Act. I knew, of course, that judicial review derives from this case and I'd even read it college, but briefing it has proven rather difficult. The good news is that I'm on part seven of nine.

Mandamus - Latin for "we command," it's a writ issued by a superior court to a lower court or government official to perform mandatory or purely ministerial duties correctly.

Obloquy - abusive or defamatory language; being spoken badly of, ill repute.

Nullity - something that is legally void.

(I had basic ideas of the first and third, but wasn't at all familiar with the second.)