Do you need to find a lawyer in another state? Do you need to find the laws of another state?
Think about it. If you’re looking for reliable legal information, a law library is one good place to begin, online or on the phone or in person.
I posted previously about other state’s law libraries:
The Multnomah Law Librarian has graciously allowed me to post her Solo Lawyers bibliography here (and in PDF format, from my Law Library’s website):
HOW TO START AND BUILD A LAW PRACTICE. Platinum 5th ed. by Jay Foonberg. [KF 300 F65 2004]
FLYING SOLO: A survival guide for the solo and small firm lawyer 4th ed. by K. William Gibson. [KF 300 E59 2005]
Some (most!) of my favorite sources of law library legal research services and self-help ideas come from other state and county law libraries and law librarian bloggers (these law librarian bloggers, too) of course.
Here are some of my favorite state and county law library websites:
My top-rated favorite, People’s Law Library, is from the great State of Maryland Law Library.
If you thought legal research skills were icing on the cake, think again:
Lawyers have an ethical duty to perform adequate legal research. (And, clients might expect a bit more than “adequate.”)
If you are very lucky, you learn something new every day:
1) Did you know there was a Center for Plain Language? What might they do?
In a nutshell: “The Center for Plain Language wants government and business documents to be clear and understandable.” (Don’t we all!)
2) Also, do you remember the wonderful reference book, “Encyclopedia of Associations“? Well, it’s online now (and has been for some time) and probably at your public library (e.g. through the WCCLS, though you will find it under the new name, “Associations Unlimited”).
The following blog post got me to thinking that a legal citation lesson for non-attorneys might be a challenge worth attempting, though I surely won’t get it right the first time.
3 Geeks and a Law Blog: Bloomberg Law Gets Cited By A New Jersey Court… A First for “___ BL ___” (citing to United States v. Stuler, Civil Action No. 08-273, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 43338, 2010 BL 99422 (W.D. Pa. May 4, 2010))
Onward to Legal Citation for the Novice:
No, it’s not all online.
No, a lawyer researching online won’t always beat out the “paper” lawyer.
No, a legal researcher using print won’t always eat the dust of an online legal researcher
Yes, we all love online, but we also know its limits, especially in the hands (and mind) of a good legal researcher.
Yes, there are a lot of writers saying print is dead – and lots of researchers who say, no it isn’t.
Yes, there are a lot of experienced lawyers and law librarians who are appalled at the (print and online) legal research skills and habits of many new lawyers (at least those who won’t listen to research tips from those who are more experienced).
Justice William W. Bedsworth, in the November 2010, “Criminal Waste of Space” column in the OC Lawyer Magazine:
Excerpt: ‘… Take Congress.(1) Congress is about as lousy a job as you can have without getting involved with fish or sewage. I don’t understand why it isn’t the loser of the election that gets stuck going to Congress.(2)
…
And since I’m not willing to do the job myself, I don’t question the work being done by the guy who is. That’s a rule of mine. You will never hear me criticize the work of my garbage man or my presiding judge.
…
But I must admit my willingness to kvetch has expanded somewhat since the two national political parties turned the Congress of the United States into a third-rate game of frat boy dodgeball. I really am dismayed that they are so busy trying to beat the other team that they no longer care about the cost to the country. They’re so obsessed with being doctrinally pure Republicans and Democrats that they’ve lost interest in being Americans. …‘ (Link to full article.)
Take a judicious, so to speak, humor break and read Justice William W. Bedsworth, in his November 2010, “Criminal Waste of Space” column in the OC Lawyer Magazine: Accursed Congress
Excerpt: ‘… Take Congress.(1) Congress is about as lousy a job as you can have without getting involved with fish or sewage. I don’t understand why it isn’t the loser of the election that gets stuck going to Congress.(2)
…
And since I’m not willing to do the job myself, I don’t question the work being done by the guy who is. That’s a rule of mine. You will never hear me criticize the work of my garbage man or my presiding judge.
But I must admit my willingness to kvetch has expanded somewhat since the two national political parties turned the Congress of the United States into a third-rate game of frat boy dodgeball. I really am dismayed that they are so busy trying to beat the other team that they no longer care about the cost to the country. They’re so obsessed with being doctrinally pure Republicans and Democrats that they’ve lost interest in being Americans. …‘ (Link to full article.)
Law dot gov is sponsoring a contest. Legal Research Plus has a post to the links you need to bring yourself up to Law dot Gov speed: Law.gov Report Contest
Law dot gov is a Government Website Work in Progress and the tireless founders and contributors include the self-employed, law school employees, professional association employees, or other government entity employees (e.g. public law librarians).
If you want to read about the Law dot Gov Contest, and about law dot gov, visit the Law dot gov site at public resource dot org and the Law dot Gov Google Group.
Oregon Legal Research Blog