Googling by the Court

Judicial fact finding is back in vogue this time via Google.

In the United States and abroad, judges are turning to search engines such as Google to check facts, to look up information about companies embroiled in litigation, and to challenge statistics presented by attorneys in court. Dozens of judges have penned opinions describing Google as a valuable--and sometimes crucial--source of knowledge. (Declan McCullagh at CNet News)

Under the Federal Rules of Evidence (Rule 201), this type of judicial notice of facts is only allowed when the accuracy of outside sources "cannot reasonably be questioned."

Related Book: The Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet) by Carole Levitt and Mark Rosch has an updated edition with lots of examples.

Written especially for legal professionals, this ... edition is a complete, hands-on guide ... for conducting efficient research on the Web. Learn the differences between legal research and fact-finding. Discover the distinction between the "visible" and "invisible" Web and how to find information in each. Learn the nuances of search engines in order to formulate strategies for locating the information you need. And read real-world war stories of how Internet data has benefited other legal professionals. (ernietheattorney)

Other: Illustrated patent case law.
(Thanks to Lori Patel, Law.com for the Link)