In the United States, we can relish in the fact that every state follows the same constitutional principles to protect their citizens. While state laws differ for every state across the nation, there are specific principles in place that protect the rights of every single American citizen. In fact, the United States pioneered this revolutionary form of constitutional democracy. However, it is important to note that some states have especially bizarre state laws that are quite different than any other state, and the Golden State is no exception. Considering that 15 years ago California lawmakers decided that the public has a right to gain ... Read More >

“Life is like riding a bicycle: you don’t fall off unless you stop pedaling.” -- Claude Pepper Given that our offices here at Legislative Intent Service, Inc. in Woodland, California are located next door to the university town of Davis, which prides itself on being the bicycle capital of the world (as well as home to the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame), we thought we might “gear up” our clients with this update on recent California legislation affecting the cycling community. Have you ever found yourself staring in awe at a cyclist blowing through a stop sign and thinking to yourself, “Wow, that person just broke the law!” but ... Read More >

We attended all three California Law Librarian annual meetings this year and enjoyed meeting and catching up with our librarian friends from private practice, government and academia.  These meetings provide a fascinating glimpse into the fields of both law and information science.  Each of the three had very different focuses, which touched on areas of interest and applicability to all legal professionals. SANDALL, February 10, 2017:  This year’s San Diego Association of Law Librarians Winter Institute was held at Morrison Foerster’s Office and addressed “Library Safety and Security: Protecting Our People and Resources.”   The different ... Read More >

With congress grappling over a new federal budget, you may have heard that a government shutdown could be on the horizon. Opinions vary over whether this could actually happen, with many Republican leaders assuring constituents that they will be reaching an agreement soon. Congressional Democrats have been trying to filibuster, or delay, a decision, as they are in stark opposition to some of the budget bill's main features. With all of this talk floating around, here is what you should know about government shutdowns. What is a government shutdown? When congress cannot decide on a federal budget for an upcoming fiscal year, the government ... Read More >

The California housing crisis is a legislative hot topic that has been in the news of late!  According to a report prepared by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, new home building is on the decline while there has been a steep increase in rents over the years, which has proven burdensome for many California families. The blame game is on:  Recently, the Legislative Analyst’s office prepared a report attributing the housing crisis to local government refusal to build and provided suggestions for hastening construction.  Despite alleged pushback from local communities, legislators are continuing in their efforts ... Read More >

Within the set of presidential powers, set in federal legislative history, is the right to appoint Supreme Court Justices. With the death of Antonin Scalia, a seat opened up last year. President Donald Trump has selected Judge Neil Gorsuch, a Republican, to fill the open spot. Following his January nomination, Gorsuch will need to go through a process to be confirmed by the Senate. The United States Senate includes two members from each state, for a total of 100 members, who are elected by the population as the 17th Amendment requires. It is the job of these legislators to hold a series of hearings and eventually vote on presidential ... Read More >

For more than a century, state courts around the country have sought to understand legislative intent when interpreting legal statutes and state law. When judges are trying to understand the intended purpose of particular laws, federal statutes, and even the constitution itself, they must often rely on arcane and complex legislative research. Of course, sometimes the meaning behind a law is abundantly clear. Case in point: President Donald J. Trump's executive order on immigration, which was rushed into effect to deliver on one of the president's primary campaign promises. There's no need to review the fallout or controversy surrounding ... Read More >

It is safe to say that within the past week, our nation's government has gone through a lot of changes. The transitional period between presidents is always quite interesting, and new presidents usually come under fire to make multiple changes within their first 100 days. President Trump has stayed true to multiple campaign claims and has undoubtedly done more in his first week of being the 45th President than many who have come before him in terms of executive orders. This is quite different because typically within the statutory history of the United States, a bill must be passed by both the House of Representatives and then the Senate. ... Read More >

In the 200 years since the Constitution began establishing the law of the land, thousands of state rules and federal regulations have been created. Throughout the legislative history of U.S. code, there have consequently been many unbelievable lawsuits. In the spirit of the holidays, here are some of the craziest holiday lawsuits ever filed. Do I need to copyright my turkey cooking instructions? Back in 2010, Greenburg Smoked Turkeys, Inc. filed a lawsuit against Goode-Cook, Inc. for copyright infringement over their smoked turkey recipe. The complaint alleged that Goode-Cook stole Greenburg's recipe for preparing the bird for a ... Read More >

There is a presidential election every four years in the United States, and with every election comes a whole new set of promises from the presidential candidates. However, many of the promises they make do not comply with state statutes and federal regulations. With the election of president-elect Donald J. Trump, many Americans are wondering whether the promises he made on the campaign trail are feasible in terms of our Constitution. For more than one hundred years, state courts have looked to the evidence of legislative intent in construing state law, so here is everything you should know about Donald Trump's claims. Issue: building a ... Read More >