TAP/CJ Help Needed on JURIS

["James P. Love" <love@essential.org>]

Taxpayer Assets Project
Information Policy Note
October 6, 1993

                      (please redistribute widely)

      HELP NEEDED ON JURIS

      CONTACT INFORMATION AND MODEL LETTER

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
      JURIS is an online system to search and retrieve federal legal
information which is run by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on
government owned computers and software.  In the 1980s, DOJ entered
into two contracts with West Publishing, which privatized both the
collection of the JURIS data and the ownership of many of the JURIS
records.  TAP and other groups have been urging DOJ to end its
relationship with West, so that DOJ can provide the public with access
to the JURIS database.  Last week West announced that it would not
renew its DOJ/JURIS contract, and DOJ has since indicated that West
will insist that DOJ erase from its computers all copies of federal
caselaw which were provided under the West contracts.
      As a result of the incredibly bad contracts negotiated with West,
DOJ now has an online system, with computers, software, manuals, staff
and other assets, but which is missing a core element of its database,
the historical records of federal judicial decisions (those collected
by West over the past decade).  It is important to note that the JURIS
database also includes many items which were not subject to the West
contract.
      DOJ now has to decide whether to kill the JURIS program, and rely
solely upon WESTLAW and LEXIS for online access to federal legal
information, or to obtain the historical caselaw records from a new
source, such as data scanned from printed decisions.
      We are asking DOJ to find a way to keep JURIS operational, and to
provide the public with access to the JURIS database, including both
the current and the historical records of federal court decisions
(supreme, circuit and district courts).
      
WHAT YOU CAN DO
      We are asking individuals to contact at least one of their own
members of congress, plus at least one of the congressional leadership
who have direct jurisdiction over DOJ.  Contact information, including
telephone numbers, fax numbers and addresses, are given below.  First,
however, we are providing as a "tear out," suggested language which
you may use in your letter.  (As suggested by Robert Berger, in order
to make this easier).

------------------ suggested letter ---------------------------------

Dear Representative/Senator Smith

The Department of Justice maintains an information system named JURIS
which contains the country's most important collection of federal
legal information.  We believe the public should have access to this
important database, particularly since citizen's are presumed to "know
the law."

The JURIS information system and database is now in jeopardy because
DOJ used bad judgement in allowing a private data vendor, West
publishing, to gain control and ownership of many of the JURIS
records.  Last week West indicated that it will require DOJ to "erase"
huge amounts of federal caselaw from the DOJ computers, possibly
crippling the JURIS program.

DOJ can correct this matter, by paying contractors to obtain copies of
these historical records, but it will be expensive.  On the other
hand, DOJ can justify these investments, because DOJ is a large
consumer of federal legal information, spending millions of dollars
every year on WESTLAW and LEXIS, to obtain access to public
information that should be available through JURIS.

Please contact Steven Colgate, the Assistant Attorney General for
Administration, and urge DOJ to preserve the JURIS program, and to
take steps to allow all citizens to receive access to this important
information.

Please tell me the specific steps that you are taking to address this
issue.


Sincerely

------------------ end of suggested letter -------------------------

WHO TO CONTACT:

Your own Senators and House member can be contacted as follows:

      Representative John Doe          Senator Jane Doe
      U.S. House of Representatives    U.S. Senate
      Washington, DC  20515            Washington, DC 20510
      v. 202/225-3121                  v. 202/224-3121

To get the fax number (or email address) for your member call the
office, tell them you are a constituent, and ask for the info.

The key leadership members are:

Senator Joe Biden                      Representative Jack Brooks
Chair, Senate Judiciary Committee      Chair, House Judiciary Committee
SD-224                                 2138 Rayburn HOB
U.S. Senate                            U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC  20510-6275             Washington, DC 20515-6216
voice: 202/224-5225                    voice: 202/225-3951
fax: 202/224-9516                      fax: 202/225-1958

Senator Pat Leahy                      Representative John Bryant
Chair, Technology and the Law          Chair, Administrative Law & 
  Subcommittee                         Governmental Relations Subcom
SH 815                                 B351A Rayburn HOB
U.S. Senate                            U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC  20510                  Washington, DC 20515
voice: 202/224-3406                    voice: 202/225-5741
                                       fax: 202/225-3673

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