These pages provide links to statutes, videos, free articles for the layperson, forms, and bibliographies of relevant print resources in the library. If you need help figuring out which resources to start with on the list, we at the law library can point you to those that would be most helpful and relevant to your situation.
Steve Migdal, Jack Paltell and Leonard Englander were the Lawyers in the Library for December. They assisted 11 people with issues such as unemployment, breach of contract, wills and estates, deed change, neighbor issues and personal injury. The program is not held the last two weeks in December so the Lawyer in the Library is done for 2021.
The Lawyer in the Library will return on January 5, 2022. “Ask a Lawyer in the Library” is held every Wednesday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and on the third Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (except for the last two weeks in December). You can talk with a volunteer lawyer for at least 20 minutes about your civil, non-family legal problem for free. All sessions are now conducted over Zoom or by phone.
This program is sponsored by Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee,Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, and the Anne Arundel Bar Association. It is hosted by the Anne Arundel County Public Library.
Register online here orcall the law library for help. Once you have registered, you will be sent a link to an intake sheet. Instructions for meeting with the attorney will be sent once the intake is competed.
It is tough navigating the court system. There are fees, deadlines, jargon, forms, paperwork, hearings, and many other details to remember. What is a lawyer-less litigant to do?
To help SRLs (self-represented litigants) keep themselves organized and get help navigating the legal process, Civil Justice and the Maryland Judiciary, with A2J Tech, have partnered to create the Maryland Justice Passport, a free online tool that allows participants to scan and upload their documents, share those documents with legal service providers, set up timelines and reminders, learn about legal topics, and connect with legal aid organizations. Litigants can use the Passport as an app on their smartphone or at the website.
This month, attorneys Steve Migdal and Jack Paltell, provided seven hours of brief legal advice to eleven people on issues such as medical record privacy, changing a deed, contracts and consumer complaints.
“Ask a Lawyer in the Library” is held every Wednesday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and on the third Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (except for the last two weeks in December). You can talk with a volunteer lawyer for at least 20 minutes about your civil, non-family legal problem for free.
This program is sponsored by Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, and the Anne Arundel Bar Association. It is hosted by the Anne Arundel County Public Library.
Register online here or call the law library for help. Once you have registered, you will be sent a link to an intake sheet. Instructions for meeting with the attorney will be sent once the intake is competed.
The Law Library, the Family Court Help Center, and the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County are closed today November 25, 2021 and tomorrow, November 26, 2021 for the Thanksgiving Holiday. The Law Library will reopen on Monday, November 29, 2021. Except on Court Holidays, the Library is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
The law library has added updated Microsoft manuals to the collection. Although it is easy to find answers to many Microsoft application problems with a simple Google search, it is also nice to have a manual on hand so that you can go through the problem with the instructions on your desk especially for those without two screens or a large screen. These manuals also answer the questions you did not know to ask, allowing you to expand your knowledge to make better use of these applications.
The Anne Arundel County Public Law Library has published its FY2021 Annual Report. The report provides a picture of library use, programs, resources, services, staff and finances. The strategic plan with goals and actions taken is included.
The effects of COVID on library services and how the library responded to the challenges, including how the library downsized and moved last fall, are detailed.
The Law Library and the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court are closed today, November 11, 2021 in observance of Veterans Day. The law library and court will reopen on Friday, November 12. Veterans Day was originally known as Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I. In 1954, the name of the holiday was changed to Veterans Day to honor veterans of all wars. Read more here.
Except on Court Holidays, the law Library is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website here.
Patrons who attend our Lawyer in the Library program frequently ask how to handle conflicts with their neighbors. This is such a common concern that there are countless sources on relevant law, or lack thereof, governing overhanging tree branches, fence placement, etc. For example, look at the number of search hits on Westlaw after entering some relevant keywords in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Westlaw search results showing sources on neighbor law
Below, I have collected print and electronic secondary sources available through the library that cover neighbor law for attorneys and laypersons. We also have a page on mediation resources, which may be a preferable first step in resolving many of these conflicts.
On the shelf and online through the Maryland Judiciary network:
All of the library’s alternative dispute resolution resources, filed under “ADR.” For a list of these, go to the catalog, search by “Call Number Prefix,” select “ADR,” then click “Search.”
October is Celebrate Pro Bono month. The ABA theme this year is “Moving Forward in a Post-Pandemic World.” Although the ABA designates a week, October 24 through October 30, Maryland recognizes pro bono throughout the month.
In keeping with the theme, Lawyer in the Library was offered remotely as it has since May of 2020 using Zoom. Four attorneys working from home or office provided more than eight hours of pro bono service to 16 clients.
Many thanks to Jack Paltell, Steve Migdal (AABA Pro Bono Award recipient), Leonard Englander and Carole Brown for their time this month.
Issues this month included estates and wills; landlord and tenant; debt; and employment. The law library supports the work of the program attorneys by sending background information to program participants and the attorney. Most often links to information found on the law library FAQ page are sent. The landlord\tenant page and the wills and estates page are good examples.
Ask a Lawyer in the Library” is held every Wednesday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and on the third Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (except for the last two weeks in December). You can talk with a volunteer lawyer for at least 20 minutes about your civil, non-family legal problem for free.
Register online here or call the law library for help. Once you have registered, you will be sent a link to an intake sheet. Instructions for meeting with the attorney will be sent once the intake is competed.
AACPLL Blog: Law Library News 