The Goodson Blogson

January 1 marks the effective date for many new laws passed by legislatures in the previous calendar year. While individual statutes (or subsections of statutes) may include language indicating that they will take effect immediately upon passage or at a different specified point in time, most jurisdictions have a default time period for new laws to take effect if the text does not otherwise specify an effective date. See charts of the general dates at LegiScan and StateScape . January 1 is the general effective date for laws passed in the states of California, Oregon, and Illinois (at least for laws enacted prior to May 31). Other popular dates for new state laws to usually take effect are August 1, October 1, or 60–90 days after enactment or legislative adjournment. The North Carolina General Assembly maintains annual Effective Dates compilations on its website, with the 2025-26 document available here . New laws or portions of laws taking effect on January 1 in North Carolina i...

Long layovers, delayed flights, slow trains – be ready during your holiday travels with a good book. The Goodson Law Library staff have compiled a new list of recommendations, available in various formats across the University or from your favorite booksellers . The Payback: A Novel (2025), by Kashana Cauley. ( Request the print copy! ) "The second novel by a former lawyer turned comedy writer ( The Daily Show ; The Great North ) takes aim at student loans — literally. Retail worker Jada is fed up with running from the Debt Police, who brutalize her and her friends for being down on their luck and late on their payments. Together, they plot a heist that will take down their loan company. A funny and fast-paced commentary on capitalism and inequality." – Jennifer Behrens, Associate Director for Administration & Scholarship The Women (2024), by Kristin Hannah. ( Request the print or e-book ! ) "My book club's latest pick; historical fiction about nurses who ...

The Goodson Blogson has been compiling light-hearted holiday gift guides for lawyers and law students since 2009 , but this year's roundup has proven particularly challenging. Fluctuating tariffs on goods purchased from overseas, and the elimination of a former de minimis exemption on tariffs for items below $800, have resulted in higher costs, shipping delays, and even the destruction of some packages already in transit . Industry experts have also predicted shortages on holiday staples like toys, games, and decorations due to tariff-related disruptions to manufacturing processes and supply chains. In addition, some of our most reliable domestic sources in the past for quirky law-related gifts, like the National Archives Store , may have their turnaround and shipping times impacted by the ongoing federal government shutdown. (And that's before we even get to increasing economic anxiety for the many households impacted by the federal government shutdown, rising unemployment, ...