Post on 08-May-2018
Law Libraries & Legal Reference for Public
LibrariansAn introduction to your local public law
library and What Goes On There
Introducing…law library staff
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Holly Gerber, Assistant Law LibrarianO
Chrystal Seager, Law Library Assistant
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Most common legal question?O
Or, most interesting?
Workshop ObjectivesO
Learn about your local public law library’s resources and services
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Learn about the basic legal research process
Washington County Law Library
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Where we are: downtown HillsboroO
Our website: http://www.co.washington.or.us/LawLibrary/
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The Oregon Council of County Law Libraries (OCCLL) http://occll.org/
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Funding through legislative appropriationO
Recent legislation changed court filing fee structures and county law library establishing statutes, resulting in budget cuts for the law libraries
Common MisconceptionsO
Law Library employees can give legal advice
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The fabled Fill in the Blank form
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“My legal question has a simple, straightforward answer that I can find 10 minutes before my court date”
Unauthorized Practice of Law
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It is against state law for library staff members to engage in any conduct that might constitute the unauthorized practice of law (ORS 9.160 to 9.166). They may not interpret statutes, cases, and regulations, perform legal research, or advise patrons regarding their legal rights. They may, however, assist patrons in locating materials or links that would aid in individual research.
Washington County Law Library Services
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We serve attorneys, pro se (self-
represented) litigants, and other members of the public with legal questions
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Attorneys: continuing education & researchO
Handling pro se legal reference questions: a delicate act
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Overview of resources
WCLL: Selected ResourcesO
Continuing Legal Education (CLE) materials: current and expired
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Oregon State Bar publicationsO
Online subscription database research: Westlaw, HeinOnline, LexisNexis
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Legislative History: Session Laws, House and Senate Journals, Committee Minutes and Exhibits, etc.
WCLL: Selected Resources II
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Digital Briefs CollectionO
Law Library website: www.co.washington.or.us/LawLibrary/
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Oregon Legal Research blog: http://oregonlegalresearch.blogspot.com/
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“Biz”
resource cards
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Other library services: copy, fax, conference room, Oregon Notary Public
Examples:Frequently Asked Questions
Family LawO
“I got served papers for the disillusionment of my marriage. How do I respond? Am I responding to the marriage or custody issues?”O
Multnomah Co. Family Court ServicesO
Legal Aid Services of Oregon publicationsO
St. Andrew Legal ClinicO
OSB Public InformationO
OSB deskbooks: Family Law
Landlord/Tenant LawO
“We need to evict our son. What do we have to do and what can we do with his belongings?”O
Landlord/Tenant Rights in Oregon
by Janay Ann Haas
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Handbook for Oregon Landlords
– Stevens-Ness
publication
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Legal Aid Services of Oregon
Landlord/tenant publication and Legal Aid’s Tenant Hotline (biz card)
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Community Alliance of Tenants: Renter’s Rights Hotline
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OSB Public InformationO
Continuing Legal Education materials
Oregon Civil Procedure: Going to Court
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“How can I find motions (preferable for Mult. Co. Circuit Court) for ORCP 21?”O
Oregon Rules of Civil Procedure
and other
relevant court rulesO
OSB deskbooks: Oregon Civil Pleading and Practice; Oregon Civil Litigation Manual
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Continuing Legal Education publications on civil trial procedure
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How to Prepare for Your Civil TrialO
Lawyer Referral Service
Legislative HistoryO
“When did ORCP 55(e) come into existence? Was it passed after 1956?”O
Legislative History ChecklistO
Oregon Revised StatutesO
Oregon Laws, House & Senate Journals, Committee Minutes and Exhibits
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Oregon Secretary of State Archives Division
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legislative records
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Oregon State Legislature
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search for bills and laws
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Selected Archives of the ORS
Brief Overview of Legal Research Resources and Process
Legal Resources: Primary Materials
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Produced by one of the three (or four!) branches of government
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Legislative: statutes, ordinancesO
Judicial: cases/opinions (reporters)O
Executive: constitutions (ORS vol. 17)O
Administrative: rules and orders
Legal Resources: Secondary Materials
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Two major publishers: Thomson-Reuters (Westlaw and West Publishing), Reed-
Elsevier (LexisNexis/Matthew Bender)O
Treatises and practice booksO
Legal encyclopediasO
Law reviews and journalsO
Digests and annotated materials (finding tools)
Updating MaterialsO
Citators
(Shepard’s,
KeyCite)O
Pocket Parts (print only)
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Good law, bad law
Legal Research ProcessO
Generate a list of search termsO
Check secondary sources and practice aidsO
Find the relevant constitutional provisions, statutes, or administrative rules
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Find related cases using case digests or online databases
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Read the casesO
Update with pocket parts and/or a citator
like Shepard’s
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Stop researching when there are no gaps left in your research and you begin to retrieve repeated results
(Oregon Legal Research 2d, Suzanne Rowe)
Wrap‐upO
Questions?O
Suggestions? Legal reference questions? Let us know…Chrystal, Holly, Laura
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Email, phone…or visit!
We love to hear from
our local public reference librariansO
Thanks for listening!