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Judge's bLAWg organization

Mon, 02/16/2004 - 10:38am — JudgeJones

Judge Jones' bLAWgs are listed here. You can also do a Google search from here. DISCLAIMER: No blog (bLAWg) entry or comment by the judge made on this site is intended to be any indication of the judge's judicial opinion of how he might rule on a particular matter.

What's a bLAWg? Well, a BLOG is an acronym for a weB LOG, thus BLOG. And it seems as if a blog about the law should be a bLAWg. Get it? Click 'blogs' on top menu for main listing of entries. Specific areas: 'Court Clips - Day in the Life .... | Random Rulings | Info & Procedures

So really, what IS a blog?

 Lifted directly from Blogger:
What is a weblog/blog?
A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a what's new page or a journal. The content and purposes of blogs varies greatly—from links and commentary about other web sites, to news about a company/person/idea, to diaries, photos, poetry, mini-essays, project updates, even fiction.

Blog posts are like instant messages to the web.

Many blogs are personal, "what's on my mind" type musings. Others are collaborative efforts based on a specific topic or area of mutual interest. Some blogs are for play. Some are for work. Some are both.

Blogs are also excellent team/department/company/family communication tools. They help small groups communicate in a way that is simpler and easier to follow than email or discussion forums. Use a private blog on an intranet to allow team members to post related links, files, quotes, or commentary. Set up a family blog where relatives can share personal news. A blog can help keep everyone in the loop, promote cohesiveness and group culture, and provide an informal "voice" of a project or department to outsiders.

 The Usage Here

These are places where the Court can more quickly communicate items of interest, they are available to everyone regardless of membership in the YahooGroups email list and anyone can post comments and have a dialogue on individual topics.  And the Court Clips section is just for fun and to share occasional humor that occurs in court. More detail below about the content of these blogs.

Why do this?
short answer: Save time for me yet have a better communication channel.
long answer: I've tried very hard to be highly communicative to/with the bar and those who interface with the court system (law enforcement, clerks, media, etc.). The group email list, posting of dockets by email, the web site -- all have been part of that effort which is appreciated by some and (frankly) disdained by some. Overall I think (hope?) the effort is appreciated.
BUT, it takes time. The web site updating (which I do -- we have no web person) is time-consuming and the email list is both fleeting and restrictive.  You have to be a member of the list to get the communication and looking back to find a posting you're interested in is either time-consuming or impossible due to exuberant use of the delete key.
The BLOG solves a number of problems both for me and for the recipient:

  • I can post a blog entry via email versus updating the web site. (It's magic!) Huge time saving.
  • The entry is readable by anyone with web access -- no memberships needed.
  • The entry is permanently available -- no hunting thru your email folders.
  • Comments can be made to an entry resulting in a dialogue that like the basic entry is more or less permanent.

You can be automatically notified of new entries.
Join in the comments. Each blog entry has a comment capability. Just play nice!
In addition to saving time for me, it is my hope that this will provide even greater communication functionality as an aid to the trial bar and everyone else involved.

 The History of Blogs & Blogging
(for those who care to know the very best)
See "weblogs: a history and perspective", Rebecca Blood, 7 September 2000, http://www.rebeccablood.net/essays/weblog_history.html
randomness