Recent changes to interface and sorting options make it easier to find and evaluate documents in Google Scholar’s ever-growing free database of court opinions and legal materials.

Earlier this month, Google Scholar added the option to sort legal search results by date, with the most recently published cases and articles appearing first. The new sorting option can be used in combination with jurisdiction and date restrictions, so you can view only results from specific time ranges or courts.

And in case you missed it, since March, Google Scholar has included graphical indicators in the “Cited by” list of subsequent opinions citing a case – from zero to three bars, depending on the depth of treatment – and like the general results list, the “Cited by” list can now be limited by date and jurisdiction. As before, the “How cited” feature also displays excerpts from the most relevant parts of the citing cases.

Longtime Google Scholar users may have also noticed enhancements since May to display and print options, including a cleaner, streamlined look and improved browser-based printing for legal opinions.

Not new but worth noting is the “Create email alert” link at the bottom of any Google Scholar search results page – click it to set up notifications for newly added documents citing any case or article, or corresponding to a specific search you’ve run.

You can access Google Scholar through the Law Library catalog. To get the most out of your searches, remember to log in to your Library Account before using Google Scholar off campus – this allows direct access to article results from Georgetown’s subscription databases.

The screenshot below highlights useful features on the “Cited by” page for Ferguson v. Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, 69 P. 3d 965.

The U.S. signed the Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances on June 26^th, 2012. This treaty is the first multi-lateral treaty since 1996 to protect the intellectual property rights of audiovisual performers, such as TV or film actors. Though the treaty has been signed by 48 countries, the treaty will not come into force until it has been ratified by 30 members.

A list of contracting parties can be found here. And the full treaty text is available here.

LexisNexis recently released a new version of Lexis Advance.  The new version includes a number of significant updates, such as the ability to browse sources and search a specific source.  New content was also added, including American Jurisprudence 2d and state legal encyclopedias. 

To learn more about Lexis Advance, visit http://www.lexisnexis.com/lawschool/ and log in to view videos, tutorials, and research guides.

On June 26 the Landgericht Köln (Cologne Regional Court) ruled that a medically unnecessary circumcision violated a 4 year old boy's "best interests." The circumcision was competently performed and there was parental consent. The circumcision was performed because of the parents' religious beliefs. The case is a criminal prosecution of the performing physician.

In the opinion the court stated:

Nor was the defendant's act justified by consent. There was no consent by the child, who was four years old at the time, and since the child was not old enough to understand the situation, there was no question of such consent being given. There was consent by the parents, but this was not capable of justifying the commission of the elements of bodily harm.

The opinion is available in German. There is also a partial and unofficial English translation. Additional background information as well as some coverage of related developments in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden is available from Library of Congress’ blog Global Legal Monitor.

Scout is a new alert service from the Sunlight Foundation, which can be used to easily monitor federal and state legislation and federal regulations. 

To get alerts, simply search for a keyword or phrase describing the issue in which you are interested and then click “Create Alert.”  Free registration is required.

Many leading European universities offer the Ph.D. in law; now Yale, another one of the leading world institutions in legal scholarship, announces that it is offering the United States' first Ph.D. in law.

Dean Robert Post observes that "...increasing numbers of law professors now pursue Ph.D.’s in allied disciplines like economics, history, philosophy, or political science. Because such disciplines train students in standards and questions that are different from those of the law, the natural next step for the legal academy is to create our own Ph.D. program that can focus on the questions and practices of the law itself. "

In the summer of 1896, the first Modern Olympic Games commenced in Athens, Greece. Since then the Summer Olympic Games have been held every four years in various locations with the exception of the games scheduled during World War II. This year, the Summer Olympic Games will be in London. The games will commence on July 27^th and conclude on August 12^th.

The exhibit, located on the 4^th floor of Wolff Library, highlights recommended titles for international sports law, resources for legal aspects of the Olympic Movement, and samples of case law.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently announced that their collection of Appellate and Amicus Briefs is now searchable online. The Appellate collection includes all briefs filed by the EEOC in which the United States is a party from 2000 to the present. The amicus brief collection contains all briefs filed by the EEOC in the U.S. Court of Appeals, district courts and state courts. The briefs are searchable by keyword, case name, case number, as well as by applicable statute.

The month of July sees New York and the UN host a global arms treaty negotiation, which could result in the first binding treaty to regulate the global arms market. While there is a general consensus that some global controls are needed, there is disagreement about specifics. One major issue is that the major weapons producers, which include the five permanent members of the UN Security Council (the US, Russia, China, Britain, and France) plus Germany, have an economic interest in a robust global arms trade.

Armstreaty.org brings us a database which provides information about countries' positions on the specific issues addressed in the treaty. Especially helpful are the maps, which for any specific issue (e.g. ammunitions) show which countries strongly support, mildly support, or oppose the inclusion of that issue in the treaty. Information can also be viewed by country.

WestlawNext has now launched an Android version of its mobile app, which works on both Android phones and tablets. It is available from http://store.westlaw.com/westlawnext/mobile-ipad/android-app/default.aspx