Month: March 2024

April Fools’ Day! When Media Mischief Means Litigation!

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Next Monday is April 1st, a.k.a. April Fool’s Day! If you are thinking about pulling a prank or see something suspicious in a media outlet, remember what starts out as a practical joke sometimes ends up with legal trouble.  

In Connecticut, a joke went too far when April Fools’ Day story published by a local newspaper parodying a commercial developer struck a nerve and led to a lawsuit. The case,  Victoria Square, LLC v. Glastonbury, brought forth claims of defamation, invasion of privacy by false light and violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA). The Superior court held that the newspaper article discussing a planned development with a huge Wal-Mart, a Hooters facing a church and school, and a helicopter launching pad, was clearly a parody of the newspaper’s usual content and not defamatory. 

Other media outlets such as radio stations should remember that broadcasters need to be careful with any practical jokes or pranks prepared especially for the day.  The FCC’s rule against broadcast hoaxes, Section 73.1217, prevents stations from running any information about a “crime or catastrophe” on the air, if the broadcaster (1) knows the information to be false, (2) it is foreseeable that the broadcast of the material will cause substantial public harm and (3) substantial public harm is in fact caused.  

Bottom line: think before you prank and if a story sounds too good to be true, take a deeper dive!

Online Exhibit! We March On: 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage

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UConn Law Library is highlighting Women’s History month by showcasing resources focusing on women and the law.

We March On – Celebrating 100 Years of Women’s Suffrage Exhibit was designed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this achievement.  The online exhibit features a historical narrative, recognizes the efforts of the suffrage movement in Connecticut, and showcases contributions to women’s equality by women at UConn School of Law.

Originally produced as six large banners, which were on display at the UConn Law Library,  We March On was intended as a traveling exhibit. The online version was created during COVID so that more people could learn about these important individuals and events. Accompanied by stunning period photos and powerful quotes, it’s a riveting view of this movement.

The We March On research guide contains additional information about women at UConn Law, the Equal Rights Amendment and a multitude of resources dedicated to this subject.

Database Spotlight! Women and the Law (Peggy) from Hein

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March is Women’s History Month and UConn Law Library is celebrating by highlighting some of its resources focusing on women and the law.

Women and the Law (Peggy), is a collection on HeinOnline that brings together more than 3,600 fully searchable books, biographies, and periodicals dedicated to the role of women in society and the law.

This collection provides a platform for users to research the progression of women’s roles and rights in society over the past 200 years.  It also includes titles from Emory University Law School’s Feminism and Legal Theory Project which provide a platform to view the effect of law and culture on the female gender.

HeinOnline has created a LibGuide with more information on the collection.

And if you are wondering why the collection is also called Peggy, take a look at the collection’s homepage for the story!

How do I access Women and the Law (Peggy)?

  1. Go to the Library website
  2. Click on Databases A-Z under the Top Library Tools section on lower right
  3. Scroll down to  HeinOnline Women and the Law (Peggy)

Women’s History Month Display at UConn Law Library

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Women’s History Month has been recognized in the United States since President Reagan issued Presidential Proclamation 5619 on March 16, 1987, with all the succeeding presidents following suit on an annual basis.  In 2024 President Biden’s Proclamation  urged us to recognize “the long, storied history of great women helping to realize our Nation’s founding promise and highest aspirations.”  Biden’s Proclamation also called upon Americans to celebrate International Women’s Day, celebrated within Women's History Month on March 8th every year.

The first International Women’s Day gathering was in 1911 and is now celebrated by more than one million individuals.  Read more about the history here.  Be sure to stop by the library to check out our print resources in honor of both Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day.  Also check out UConn Law Library's own research guide, We March On, which features an online exhibit highlighting the women's suffrage movement, UConn Law women and Connecticut's role in the movement.