Examines legal proscriptions and practical definitions of sexual harassment, describes psychological effects of sexual harassment (Sexual Harassment Trauma Syndrome) for victim-client and impact on family system, and offers guidance for family therapy. Focuses on vulnerability of victim-client, reconstruction of self-concept as primary goal of…

Through catalytic issue management, corporations proactively seek to affect resolutions of issues in which they have some interest. Corporations now catalyze legal changes by purposely disobeying existing law, facing the associated consequences, and lobbying for desired changes. (Author)

Examines the Commission of the European Communities' draft directive on database copyright. Components of the directive are discussed, including a definition of a database, databases protected as literary works under copyright law, piracy protection, fair use, and licensing requirements; and problems with the directive are described. (four…

Describes why developers of multimedia products face a more complex legal landscape than do developers of "few-media" products. Describes the laws that pertain to multimedia. Discusses how developers of multimedia products might walk the legal labyrinth and protect themselves and their companies from lawsuits. (SR)

Electronic data interchange (EDI) permits two parties to enter into a contract without the use of paper and human signatures, which are historically associated with commerce in goods and services. As federal legislation governing contractual information changes to accommodate electronic formats, provisions must be crafted in a technology-neutral…

Presents a series of library- and legal-related perspectives on video copyright, and then delineates strategies for clarifying the copyright law for both copyright holders and users. (CB)

Unlike private parties, school districts have legal restraints on their ability to settle disputes in secret. Open records laws, state reporting statutes, judicial interpretations of public policy, and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution may all restrict a school district's ability to enter into valid settlement agreements containing…

When contracting with private companies for support services, districts should define goals and requirements; develop requests for proposals; and create a team with legal, financial, user, and task-management expertise. Contracts should be in plain English, avoid open-ended lists, define terms, and specify service provision details. (MLH)

This report of commercial Web sites which post class notes without faculty permission focuses on moral aspects, possible copyright violations, and potential lawsuits. Web site operators counter that the notes, taken by students, are "interpretations" of the class rather than verbatim transcripts. A few faculty are supportive of the Web sites. (DB)

Reviews the steps Catholic colleges and universities will have to implement, and the related legal difficulties, if Catholic bishops adopt the draft norms of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae," the Papal constitution on higher education. The unwillingness of Catholic institutions, as corporate entities, to do so is seen as a potential barrier to…

Examines issues in the current copyright law, such as classroom and fair-use exemptions, which impede efforts by institutions of higher education to provide distance-education courses. Recommendations for amendation under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act are offered, and the competing interests of content providers and educators are noted. (DB)

Recounts the case of a high school drama teacher in North Carolina who was disciplined after she chose a play for her students to perform, Lee Blessing's "Independence," which contained characters and language a parent found objectionable. Discusses the legal case that ensued and implications for academic freedom and the First Amendment.…

Contributes to scholarship on journalism law and journalism ethics by probing 42 journalists' decision-making processes in news gathering situations that resulted in lawsuits for invasion of privacy. Indicates that journalists were generally unaware of impending legal trouble; and that legal reasoning takes place in a "total context" of social…

Focuses on ethical and legal issues that arose in the evaluation of abortion services. Discusses the development of decision rules and tradeoffs in dealing with these issues to reach rational and objective decisions. Places the discussion in the context of balancing usefulness and propriety with respect to informed consent and privacy and makes…

Discusses legal implications of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae" and the Particular Norms issued by U.S. bishops. Addresses: (1) legal autonomy of Catholic colleges and universities; (2) changes resulting from adoption of "Ex Corde Ecclesiae"; (3) civil court challenges to the "mandatum" requirement; (4) other potential court…