McGirt v. Oklahoma: A Historic Win for Native American Rights

American Indian, History of Supreme Court Nominations, Law Journal Library, State Constitutions Illustrated, Statutes at Large, U.S. Supreme Court
Tara Kibler

This summer, a landmark decision from the Supreme Court marked a historic win for Native American tribes, acknowledging their rights and forever transforming the justice system of the state of Oklahoma.

In case you missed it, reports rang out through July and August that half of the state had been ruled Native American land. However, in many cases, the headlines were misleading. Yes, the Supreme Court came to a major decision about criminal jurisdiction in Oklahoma—but no, the Court did not rule specifically on land ownership.

Curious about how it all went down? Explore the landmark decision, its background, and what was actually affected by the ruling with HeinOnline…

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Unpacking the History of American and International Child Rights

Human Rights, Law, Law Journal Library, Session Laws, Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, U.S. Congressional Serial Set, U.S. Federal Legislative History, U.S. Supreme Court, United Nations, World Treaty Library
Tara Kibler

What is a child? It may seem like a silly question, but the answer is more nuanced than one might think. In biology, the term refers to the state of the human being between birth and puberty. Legally, it refers to a person younger than a predetermined age of majority—the point in time when a person can take legal control over their actions and decisions. Symbolically, children have become much more. Over the past several hundred years, the child has become not only an allegory for innocence and the embodiment of freedom, but also a shining beacon of hope for future generations widely considered in need of adult protection.

Pre-20th Century Children

Though this view of the child is one we’re all familiar with now…

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Interested in Space Law? Let HeinOnline Take You Out of This World

Foreign & International Relations Database, Kluwer Law International Journal Library, Law Journal Library, McGill Institute of Air and Space Law Publications, Statutes at Large, U.S. Congressional Documents, United Nations, World Treaty Library
Tara Kibler

At the end of May, the United States launched astronauts into space for the first time since 2011. What’s more, for the first time ever, these American astronauts launched in a spacecraft that was commercially built and operated.

The feat marks the next chapter in human spaceflight history, and gives renewed vigor to the relatively young (but already-growing) commercial spaceflight industry. But even the laws regarding world nations in space are at times unclear and hotly debated, raising the question: how will we regulate this greater involvement in outer space from private corporations?

Strap in as we launch this post into an exploration of space law. We’ll use these databases…

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Proud to Be Born This Way: A Look Back at the Road to Pride and LGBTQ Rights

Current Events, Exploring HeinOnline, History of Supreme Court Nominations, Human Rights, Law Journal Library, LGBTQ, Statutes at Large, U.S. Supreme Court, World Constitutions Illustrated
Lauren Mattiuzzo

This June marks a special month for the LGBTQ community. Not only is it Pride month, but it’s also the 50th anniversary of annual LGBTQ and Pride traditions. The very first Pride march took place on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York City on June 28, 1970. More than 500 Pride-related events have been canceled this year due to the COVID pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped people from celebrating. The LGBTQ community has found ways to celebrate online, and others are marching in black lives matter protests to elevate black voices in solidarity for equal rights. Let’s take a closer look at this movement…

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A Quick ‘N Easy Guide to FDR’s Most Influential New Deal Programs

American History, Economics, Statutes at Large, U.S. Federal Legislative History, U.S. Presidential Library
Tara Kibler

The late 1920s and the 1930s witnessed the longest and most severe economic downturn the industrialized Western world had ever seen. Brought about by numerous factors—including a four-day stock market crash, banking panic and failures, and the use of the gold standard—the Great Depression caused a substantial decline in employment, wealth, output, gross domestic product (GDP), and more in numerous countries across the globe.

In the United States, recovery from the decade-long depression was primarily helmed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who pledged “a new deal for the American people” even before assuming the presidency. This promise soon became the namesake of a series of social programs, financial reforms, federal regulations…

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12 of the Boldest Executive Orders in U.S. History to Kick Off Your Presidents Day

Statutes at Large, U.S. Presidential Library, World Constitutions Illustrated
Tara Kibler

On the third Monday of every February, many around the United States honor those who have served as President. First established in 1879 to observe George Washington’s birthday, the holiday has become a catch-all celebration of the highest office in the country.

To celebrate Presidents Day this year, let’s take a look at one of the most effective courses of action for the President of the United States: the executive order. This type of directive, vaguely awarded to the executive branch in Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, can cover all sorts of topics as long as it has some basis in the Constitution or federal law…

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Hope and Change: Revisiting Barack Obama’s Historic Presidency

American History, Law Journal Library, Political Science, Statutes at Large, U.S. Presidential Library
Tara Kibler

More than a decade ago, Barack Obama became not only the 44th president of the United States, but also the first African-American to serve in the office. His unique backstory, eloquence and charisma, and platform of hope and change won him the presidency, but what did he accomplish during his two terms? Join HeinOnline as we explore the highlights of those historic eight years with the most comprehensive presidential collection available in digital format: HeinOnline’s U.S. Presidential Library.

The U.S. Presidential Library holds more than 780 titles consisting of nearly 800,000 pages. The database includes Messages and Papers of the Presidents…

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A Columbus Day Exploration of Indigenous American History

American History, American Indian, Human Rights, Law Journal Library, Legal Classics, Political Science, Statutes at Large, World Constitutions Illustrated, World Treaty Library
Tara Kibler

On this day each October, we observe the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492. However, the often-devastating impact of “Western” influences on indigenous Americans has led some to be wary of celebrating the man who started it all. As a solution, many have begun to counter-celebrate with “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” in honor of American Indian history and culture.

Regardless of your stance on Columbus Day, one thing is certain—albeit dark at times, American Indians have a rich and storied history which is forever entwined with the evolution of the United States. Join us as we explore that history with HeinOnline’s American Indian Law Collection and other relevant databases…

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Remembering the Fallen: Researching the Tragedy of 9/11

American History, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Foreign Affairs, Highlights in History, Law Journal Library, Reports of U.S. Presidential Commissions, Statutes at Large, U.S. Presidential Library
Tara Kibler

On this day in 2001, the United States experienced the single worst terrorist attack in human history. The morning of Tuesday, September 11 saw four separate but coordinated attacks in various U.S. locations, which killed 2,966 people, injured more than 6,000 others, and resulted in billions of dollars in damages. The events of September 11th shocked the world, paving the way for a more aggressive, preemptive U.S. approach to foreign policy and national security. Join HeinOnline in understanding the tragedy and researching its impact as we remember the fallen.

Before We Get Started:

Don’t miss out! Make sure you have the databases we’ll be mentioning in this post…

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The Watergate Scandal, Part III: The Serial Set

American History, Criminal Justice, Exploring HeinOnline, Political Science, Searching, Statutes at Large, U.S. Congressional Serial Set, U.S. Presidential Library
Tara Kibler

In 2017, we published two posts about researching the Watergate scandal in HeinOnline. The first post demonstrated how to research the scandal using HeinOnline resources such as the Law Journal Library. The second focused on Watergate’s connection to the Pentagon Papers.

With the continued growth of HeinOnline’s U.S. Congressional Serial Set, even more material on Nixon and Watergate has become available. Catch up on the first two installments of this series, and then continue on to Part III: The U.S. Congressional Serial Set.

Quick Recap: Timeline of Watergate Events

  • June 1972: Five men are arrested after breaking into the Democratic National Committee (DNC) headquarters at the Watergate complex in Washington…

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