WestLaw and LexisNexis and the “Porno Indians”

WestLaw and LexisNexis need to update their scanning software immediately. We noticed in WestLaw’s scan of a recent trial pleading in the ongoing Cloverdale Rancheria of Pomo Indians v. Salazar, that “Pomo” had repeatedly been scanned in as “Porno.” [As you probably know, WestLaw and LexisNexis now offer a service allowing users to download original trial pleadings and briefs, but with the same text available for searching, etc.]

Hoping it was a one-time-only miscue, we searched other areas in WestLaw and LexisNexis. “Porno Indians” appears in WL’s allcases database four time, and a whopping 375 times in WL’s various trial pleadings and briefs databases. It also appears a handful of times in WL’s journals and law reviews databases but only in CLE materials (good job, student law review editors!).

LexisNexis is guilty as well, with “Porno Indians” appearing eight times in its cases databases and 38 times in its trial pleadings and briefs (but none at all in its law journals databases).

2 thoughts on “WestLaw and LexisNexis and the “Porno Indians”

  1. Beedie October 9, 2011 / 10:05 pm

    I live in the heart of Pomo Country (Lake County). I am acquainted with two of the parties whose petition for a writ of habeas corpus was recently denied (not read?). I’m not mentioning the case by petitioners’ names nor the name of the rancheria because of ongoing communications hassles. Only one positive note: You may be interested in the recent arrest of Tracey Avila for embezzlement while she was bookkeeper (whatever) for the Elem Colony. She posted bond a week or so ago. I won’t go into my usual rant about WestLaw or Nexis. Thank goodness for GooGle! Ennyway, I hope you read the online newspaper “Lake County News”, editor Elizabeth Larson.

  2. Tony Cohen March 15, 2012 / 7:26 pm

    The problem is way bigger than Lexis and Westlaw. If you Google “porno Indians,” you get 15,800 hits! I just ran across it repeatedly on the NIGC’s website.

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