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Ask a Lawyer in the Library: Wednesday Wrap-Up

Mike Ragland 20151007 pm
Mike Ragland

The Ask A Lawyer In The Library program is a civil, non-family law, self-help program sponsored by the Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. Every Wednesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., you can talk with a volunteer attorney for up to 20 minutes. No appointment is necessary, but sign-up is required at the law library’s information desk. Sign-up begins at 10:45 a.m., and time slots are determined by a lottery. For more information, please see http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library.

On Wednesday, January 6, 2016, after a two-week hiatus due to the holidays, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you Mike Ragland and Jack Paltell for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Seven people were able to meet with the attorney to discuss issues related to employment, contracts, appeals in Circuit Court, bankruptcy, and administrative appeals.

It is helpful to prepare for your session with the attorney.  Here are some helpful tips:

  • Write a list of specific questions for the attorney.poster-paltell (1)
  • Bring any paperwork and information related to the case.
  • Organize any paperwork from most recent on the top to oldest at the bottom.
  • Identify all deadlines.
  • Prepare a timeline of the legal issue.

If you would like to research your issue prior to your session with the attorney, please come find us at the Law Library’s information desk.  We are happy to assist you.

More information about the program is available at http://circuitcourt.org/legal-help/lawyer-in-the-library. 

The Ask A Lawyer In The Law Library program is a limited legal advice service. The program is not a substitute for representation. If you need an attorney to represent you, you can contact the Anne Arundel Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral and Information Service.

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lawlibrary

Happy New Year!

Untitled drawing (3)The Law Library would like to wish everyone a very happy new year!  2015 was the best year yet for this blog, as we published more posts (168!) and increased our readership. Thank you for reading and following our blog. In 2016, we will continue to focus on the library (e.g., news, resources, events), legal research (for both experienced and inexperienced researchers), access to justice, access to legal information and pro bono legal service. We look forward to continuing our growth and refining this blog and hope you stay tuned. We are always open to comments and suggestions. Please comment below to let us know how we can improve our blog!

For those of you interested in our stats, WordPress.com’s stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report. Here’s an excerpt:  A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed over 4,000 times in 2015. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 3 trips to carry that many people. Click here to see the entire report.

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Online Databases in the Limelight – Verdict Search*

Online databases can be invaluable, time-saving  tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.  This month, the blog will feature six of the online databases available at the Law Library.

Are you looking for assistance with case valuation (i.e., what is the amount of money that you can reasonably expect in damages)?  Then look no further because the Law Library subscribes to VerdictSearch, an online database for verdict and settlement research.  VerdictSearch at the Law Library provides users with access to federal and state cases from Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. Search results may assist you with your trial research and strategy development.

How do I search on VerdictSearch? You can search by keywords (e.g., “car accident”) and then use any of the following filters:

  • Type of Injury (e.g., back, neck, head)
  • Venue (state and/or federal)
  • Case type (e.g., motor vehicle, insurance, wrongful death)
  • Award Type (e.g., verdict-plaintiff, settlement, mediated settlement)
  • Date Range (any range from 1988 to 2015)
  • Award Amount (e.g., less than $10,000, $10,000 to $100,000)

You can further refine their searches by plaintiff type (e.g., age, gender), expert name, attorney name, judge name, and insurance carrier. Once you have your results, VerdictSearch’s document delivery includes printing and email (PDF and Word).

Can I access VerdictSearch at the Library? Yes! The Law Library offers FREE, in-person access to VerdictSearch on a designated computer in our computer room. Please come to the service desk to request assistance in accessing VerdictSearch.

What to do if you need help with VerdictSearch? Please ask for help at the Law Library’s service desk. We can provide technical and research assistance.

Can I access the Law Library’s VerdictSearch subscription from home? No. The Law Library’s current subscription permits in-person use at the library only.

*This blog post is an update of a blog post previously published on December 22, 2014.

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lawlibrary

CANCELLED TODAY – Ask a Lawyer in the Library

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library is cancelled today, December 30, 2015. The next program date is Wednesday, January 6, 2016.

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lawlibrary Legal Technology Self Represented

Online Databases in the Limelight – NOLO

Online databases can be invaluable, time-saving  tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.  This month, the blog will feature six of the online databases available at the Law Library.

NOLO publishes do-it-yourself manuals, a lawyer directory and form books in print and electronic formats all written in plain English, meaning that you do not need a legal background to understand the text. For legal research, NOLO’s materials can be a great starting point to get a general understanding of the law in a specific subject. Through the library’s online subscription, you have access NOLO’s publications, which include titles on topics such as auto accidents, bankruptcy, business law, criminal law, debt management, disability law, LGBT law, medical malpractice, real estate, small businesses, workers’ compensation and much more! You can search for specific keywords or browse titles. However, NOLO does not provide legal advice, and you should not consider these materials as a substitute for legal advice from an attorney.

Can I access NOLO at the Library? Yes! The Law Library offers FREE, in-person access to the NOLO database.

How to use NOLO in the Library? You can access NOLO from any of the public access computers available at the Law Library.

What to do if you need help with NOLO? Please ask for help at the Law Library’s service desk. We can provide technical and research assistance.

Can I access the Law Library’s NOLO subscription from home? No. The Law Library’s current subscription permits in-person use at the library only. However, NOLO offers many free articles on topics like accidents, bankruptcy, immigration, taxes, wills, and much more. You can access this free information at www.nolo.com.

Do you prefer print resources? Then check out the Law Library’s print collection of NOLO titles, which includes the following:

  • NOLO’s Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (SELF HELP KF387 .N65 2014);
  • NOLO’s Essential Guide to Divorce (SELF HELP KF535 .D67 2014);
  • NOLO’s Guide to Social Security Disability (SELF HELP KF3649 .M6 2014);
  • Patent, Copyright & Trademark (SELF HELP KF2980 .E44 2014);
  • Contracts: The Essential Business Desk Reference (SELF HELP KF801 .S75 2011);
  • Neighbor Law: Fences, Trees, Boundaries & Noise (SELF HELP KF639 .J67 2014);
  • Plus many more!

For more information about understanding legal research, including the difference between primary and secondary legal resources, check out these research guides.

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Holiday lawlibrary

Court Holiday

The Law Library is closed today, December 25, 2015, as today is a Court Holiday.  The Law Library will be open on Monday, December 28, 2015.  A list of Court Holidays is available on the Circuit Court’s website at http://www.circuitcourt.org/court-holidays.

Except on Court Holidays, the Library is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We are located on the third floor (main floor) of the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court at 8 Church Circle, Annapolis, Maryland.

If you cannot make it to the library in person, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

MVLS Annual Report

Established in 1981 to meet Maryland’s unmet civil legal services needs, the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service is a private, non-profit legal services provider that serves Marylanders throughout the state. The Law Library’s partnerships with MVLS include the weekly Ask A Lawyer in the Library Program at the Law Library, the monthly Foreclosure Clinic at the Law Library, the monthly Ask A Lawyer in the Library Program at the Glen Burnie Regional Library, and the Personal Bankruptcy Clinics (select dates) at the Law Library. With 80% of low-income Marylanders representing themselves in court for civil matters, the Law Library’s partnerships are vital to promote access to justice for Marylanders. To learn more about MVLS, check out their 2015 Annual Report, which is available here.

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lawlibrary

CANCELLED TODAY – Ask a Lawyer in the Library

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library is cancelled today, December 23, 2015, and next week, December 30, 2015. The next program date is Wednesday, January 6, 2016.

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lawlibrary

Online Databases in the Limelight – Bloomberg BNA*

Online databases can be invaluable, time-saving  tools to any legal researcher as they provide organized access to a wide array of legal resources as well as sophisticated search tools.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.  This month, the blog will feature six of the online databases available at the Law Library.

The Law Library provides library patrons with free access to the Bloomberg BNA (Bureau of National Affairs) legal database.  While there is a great deal of overlap between the resources available on Bloomberg BNA and WestlawNext and LexisNexis, which we highlighted earlier this month, Bloomberg BNA materials are only available on Bloomberg BNA.  These BNA materials include the following.

  • United States Law Week provides searchable access to Supreme Court opinions, Supreme Court Practice and Federal Appellate Practice.
  • Family Law Reporter provides a weekly roundup of family law developments and trends.
  • Criminal Law Reporter provides an overview of trends, development and issues in criminal law.
  • Lawyer’s Manual on Professional Conduct provides news and guidance regarding attorneys’ ethics and professional conduct.
  • “Slices” of Labor and Employment Law: The Americans with Disabilities Act Manual, which provides news and guidance related to ADA issues, developments, and state law compliance, and the Employment Discrimination Report, which covers developments in the procedural and substantive aspects of employment discrimination law, are the two resources the library has available through this database.

Can I access Bloomberg BNA at the Library? Yes! The Law Library offers FREE, in-person access to Bloomberg BNA.

How to use Bloomberg BNA in the Library? You can access Bloomberg BNA from any of the public access computers available at the Law Library.

What to do if you need help with Bloomberg BNA? Please ask for help at the Law Library’s service desk. We can provide technical and research assistance.

Can I access the Law Library’s Bloomberg BNA subscription from home? No. The Law Library’s current subscription permits in-person use at the library only.

For more information about understanding legal research, including the difference between primary and secondary legal resources, check out these research guides.

*This blog post is an update of a blog post previously published on December 30, 2014.

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lawlibrary

Farewell, Katharine

asdfasdfKatharine Ayerst, one of the library’s two interns, concluded her internship last week as she is graduating from the University of Maryland with her Masters in Library Science this month. Before her last day, we asked her a few questions about her internship experience.

What surprised you the most about this internship? The number of resources available to self-represented litigants (SRLs). Going into the internship, I knew that a large portion library users would be SRLs, but really wasn’t sure that that would look like on a daily basis, or how it would affect my duties. Starting the internship and learning how to help SRLs gain access to the law and obtain legal help was incredible. Learning what resources are available was a little overwhelming at first, but ultimately extremely helpful. Joanie has done a fantastic job providing “in house” resources – such as our wiki page and self-help reference section – as well partnering with the local legal community to allow for the Lawyer in the Library program and the Family Law Self Help Center. These resources are comprehensive, help with a myriad of problems, and are well utilized. But resources for SRLs don’t stop there. When the SRLs come in to the library need even more help, there other resources and methods of help available. We can help patrons navigate the legal documents in our collection, direct them to the District Court Self Help Center, the Maryland Court Self Help Center, and various other pro-bono or reduced fee resources. Through the course of the internship, there were very few times when we couldn’t direct the SRLs to the appropriate help needed.

While this may sound like I’m only running a promotion for the library, I’m really just describing what we do. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called home to say, “wow – the library is really doing some cool stuff” – especially when it comes to what’s available for the SRL.

 

What is the funniest or most memorable patron interaction? One morning when I came in to open the library, I discovered a patron had already come into the library, turned on the public computers, and tried to log into them. I’m not sure exactly what she was thinking, but this patron tried to guess the login password. She tried to login to each public computer so many times they locked down because of too many unsuccessful login attempts. When I arrived, she was waiting for me at the reference desk and was very perplexed that none of the public computers recognized her login credentials. (As far as I know, patrons have never been assigned their own login credentials at this library.) While we waited for IT to come and save the day, I explained that patrons here do not have their own login credentials. Next time she doesn’t know how to log in to a public computer, she should ask an employee for help. And really – never guess passwords not your own… Ever. Just as a librarian for help.

 

Did this internship change your library career plans? I can’t say that I am exclusively looking for law librarian positions, but I’ve definitely broadened my job search to include law libraries. I’ve enjoyed working in the law library, and wherever I end up – be it law, public, or academic library – I am excited to apply the skills I’ve learned here.
We will certainly miss Katharine and wish her the best of luck in the library career!