This issue of the International Journal of Legal Information (IJLI) brings something entirely new. It is an entire issue devoted to one jurisdiction, Cuba. Not only is the IJLI focusing on just a single jurisdiction, but we are bringing you something truly unique. It's a detailed guide to Cuban law and legal research. To my knowledge, nothing like this has been published recently, and certainly nothing like this has been published in the IJLI or the other principal legal information journals. It is exciting to publish this truly groundbreaking piece in the IJLI.
The Cuba guide is the result of an extraordinary effort by 12 law librarian authors, under the overall editorial direction of Julienne Grant of the Loyola University Chicago Law Library, Marisol Florén-Romero of the Florida International University Law Library, and Sergio Stone, of the Stanford University Law Library. The other nine contributing authors are:
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Cate Kellett
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Eduardo Colón
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Irene Kraft
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Jonathan Pratter
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Jootaek Lee
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Lyonette Louis-Jacques
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Yasmin Morais
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Steven Alexandre da Costa
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Teresa Miguel-Stearns
The 12 authors had largely completed their work when they contacted me several months ago to see if there might be a home for the Guide in the IJLI. Of course, I was thrilled to be able to bring this totally unique and incredibly useful piece to the readers of the IJLI. And I couldn't be more pleased with how well it has turned out.
The guide has an introduction and is further divided into 12 sections: Legal System and Government Structure, The Socialist Constitution, Executive Powers, Legislation and Codes, The Judiciary, Foreign Investment Law, Cuba in the International Arena, The Legal Profession, Secondary Sources, Online Resources, Non-Legal Sources, and Cuban Legal Materials in U.S. and Canadian Libraries. Most sections contain bibliographies. And as you can see from the main subject headings, the Guide is quite comprehensive.
As you all know, Cuba is in the news a great deal these days, particularly its evolving relationship with the United States and other countries. This unique guide will become an excellent resource for those performing research on the law and government of the island nation of Cuba.
In addition to this landmark research guide on Cuba, this issue of the IJLI has the usual excellent book reviews, edited by Thomas Mills, and the indispensable International Calendar, edited by Amy Flick.
Please do yourself a favor and read through the Cuba guide. I am sure you will find interesting and useful information about that country, its government and its laws that you did not know before. Happy reading!
