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Legal Self-Help Websites
In this economic downturn, courts are seeing a rise in the number of lawsuits being filed. With layoffs, furlough days, and mounting debt, many people just cannot afford to hire an attorney. An increasing number of people are handling their own cases, writing their own legal documents, and conducting their own legal research. California's County Law Libraries' (CCCLL) primary mission is to provide Californians with free access to legal information, and to serve as a valuable resource in these types of situations. However, many users turn first to the Internet and/or their local public library when starting a legal research project. There is an abundance of legal information online, with varying degrees of credibility and accuracy. This abundance can be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with the law. For those of you faced with these types of legal reference questions, CCCLL Law Librarians offer this short list of legal self-help websites for general California legal information.
A great starting place for many people is the California State Court's Self-Help website. This website provides detailed background information, as well as procedural information, guidance on finding court forms, and tips for presenting your case in court. Guides are available for a large number of common legal issues, such as divorce, small claims, and evictions. Included in these guides are links to interactive versions of the required court forms.
A similar online self-help center is provided by the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Although this website is intended for those with cases before the Santa Clara Court, much of the background and procedural information, and information about forms, is relevant to those with cases in any California Superior Court.
Good websites for generating court documents in subject areas such as family law, small claims, and evictions are EZ Legal File (http://www.ezlegalfile.org) and I-CAN! Legal (http://www.icandocs.org/). Both websites ask users a series of simple questions, and use the answers provided to produce forms that can be filed with a court. The availability of these websites and subject areas covered varies by county.
Users looking for primary legal resources rather than self-help websites can conduct some research online. Primary resources, the law itself, are of three types: statutory, regulatory, and case law. California statutory law, which is passed by the Legislature and known as the California Codes, is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov.calaw. California regulatory law, which is promulgated by Executive Agencies and known as the California Code of Regulations, is available at http://www.calregs.com. Both websites offer fully keyword-searchable versions of the law.
California case law is also available online. The full text of California Supreme and Appellate Court decisions are available online at http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions. This website, powered by Lexis, provides very robust search features, allowing users to retrieve known cases and to search for cases by keyword. Sophisticated search limits are available.
Librarian-created mini-courses in legal research are available as well. CCCLL offers "Basic Legal Research: A Mini Research Class" at http://www.publiclawlibrary.org/research.html.
The Southern California Association of Law Libraries (SCALL) offers a free, full text online resource, "Locating the Law: A Handbook for Non-Law Librarians" on the SCALL web site at http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/scall/locating.htm.
CCCLL provides free chat reference service as part of the California AskNow project. Users can access this live chat service from the "Ask the Law Librarian" link on every page of the California State Court's Self-Help website, from links on many public law library websites, and directly at http://www.247ref.org/portal/access_law3.cfm. Although Law Librarians cannot provide legal advice, they can direct users to reliable sources of legal information, both online and at the user's local law library.
Legal self-help sites can provide a good start for legal research. However, users should understand that self-help websites are no substitute for legal advice or legal services. For users looking for more assistance or legal advice, LawHelpCalifornia (http://www.LawHelpCalifornia.org) offers free referrals to legal aid and court services, sliding scale legal programs, and lawyer referral services.
In addition to these online self-help resources, California is fortunate to have a county law library system. Link to your county's public law library at: http://www.publiclawlibrary.org/find.html.
These County Law Libraries are a valuable resource for self-represented litigants. County Law Libraries provide free access to the law, both in print and electronically, as well as trained and helpful staff to help users navigate the often complex world of legal research.
Submitted to California Libraries by:
Karen M. Lutke, San Mateo County Law Library;
Mary Pinard, Sacramento County Public Law Library,
and John A. Zorbas, Butte County Public Law Library
Posted on February 18, 2010 9:47 AM | Permalink