Tag: lawlibrary

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

FullSizeRender
Thank you Richard!

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, April 29, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you Richard Ronay, of the Law Office of J. Richard Ronay, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Three people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with contract issues, neighbor dispute and estate administration issues. The next program date is Wednesday, May 6, 2015.

Do you have a criminal law matter? Criminal Law matters are best addressed by the Office of the Public Defender. Information about the Office of the Public Defender is available at http://www.opd.state.md.us/.

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 Pro Bono Self Represented

Copyright Resources Available at the Library

Untitled drawing (2)Last week, we celebrated World Book and Copyright Day! So, what better time than now to learn about the copyright resources available at the Law Library. Call numbers, when available, are included in parenthesis.

Check out these resources, which are available for your review at the Law Library!

If you are interested in going to source, check out these resources!

Are you more interested in “how-to” resources? Then check out these titles.

If you are looking for additional resources, the Law Library also provides users with access to LexisNexis, Westlaw and other online legal databases. Drop by the Law Library, and we can help get you started.

*If you prefer print resources, the Law Library has print copies available.

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

photo (2)
Thank you Joe!

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, April 22, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you, Joe Gormley from Gormley Jarashow Bowman LLC, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Three people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues regarding court procedure, debt collection and small claims. The next program date is Wednesday, April 29, 2015.

Do you have a criminal law matter? Criminal Law matters are best addressed by the Office of the Public Defender. Information about the Office of the Public Defender is available at http://www.opd.state.md.us/.

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 Pro Bono Self Represented

MVLS Personal Bankruptcy Clinic

On Thursday, April 30, 2015, the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service will be holding a FREE clinic for those individuals considering personal bankruptcy here at the Law Library. You can meet with an attorney one-on-one to discuss your situation and learn about filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

Here are the details.

  • Date:  Thursday, April 30, 2015
  • Time:  2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
  • Place:  Law Library, Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County. 8 Church Circle, Suite 303, Annapolis, Maryland 21401

mvls-logo

Registration is encouraged. To register, visit www.mvlslaw.org or call (443) 547-6537.

Note that all attendees must be low- to moderate-income and NOT be in a foreclosure proceeding. If you are not sure if your income falls within the guidelines, check out this page or call (443) 547-6537. If you need assistance with a foreclosure proceeding, MVLS also provides a free clinic called the Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project. You can read about it on our blog here.

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lawlibrary Libraries Pro Bono Self Represented

National Library Week: Partnerships and Programs

ALA_NLW2015_336x280This week, the Law Library celebrated National Library Week, so what better time than now to highlight the Law Library’s partnerships and programs. The Law Library’s mission is to serve the information needs of the judiciary, court and government agencies, the legal community and the citizens of Anne Arundel County. We are committed to providing access to legal information, resources and referrals for our community. In connection with our mission, the Law Library has developed partnerships with the Anne Arundel County Public Library, the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, the Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee to promote access to justice through access to legal information and resources.

poster raglandThe Law Library coordinates and administers the Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program, which is a FREE program where volunteer attorneys provide limited legal advice on a one-on-one basis for a wide variety of civil matters (excluding family law matters). Every Wednesday, attorneys from the Anne Arundel County legal community donate their time and expertise to provide program participants with legal assistance and guidance on issues ranging from foreclosure, debt and bankruptcy, real estate transactions, landlord/tenant disputes, employment and wage claims, contract disputes and estate planning.The Ask a Lawyer program is offered monthly on the third Wednesday at the Glen Burnie Regional Library.  Program partners include the Anne Arundel County Public Library, the Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers service. Since its inception in 2009, 124 attorneys have volunteered over 1,200 hours to assist nearly 2400 participants!

In addition to the ongoing Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program, the Law Library hosts and coordinates a variety of standalone or short term clinics. One upcoming program is the Personal Bankruptcy Clinic provided by the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, which will be held on April 30, 2015 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Law Library. This clinic is an opportunity for attendees to learn experience attorney about filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.  This program will be repeated September 17, 2015.

For those you who cannot visit the Law Library in person, we are available via phone (410-222-1387) and email (lawlibrary@aacounty.org). The Law Library has developed and continues to update the AACPLL Self Help and Pro Bono WIKI, a public wiki that serves as a guide to pro bono and self-help resources and referrals. Check out the wiki to learn more about family law resources available online, attorney referrals, pro bono and reduced fee legal services and volunteer opportunities.

Don’t forget, the Law Library is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and can provide you with one-on-one legal reference assistance.

If you are interested in participating in the programs described in this post as either a volunteer or program participant and would like more information, please contact us!

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

IMG_1127
Thank you!

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, April 15, 2015,  the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program.  Thank you Sam Brown of Hillman, Brown & Darrow, P.A. for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Five people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues such as foreclosure, car titles and estates .  The next program date is Wednesday, April 22, 2015.

kurt_roperSince this was the third Wednesday of the month, the program was also held at the Glen Burnie Regional Library of the Anne Arundel County Public Library in the evening from 4:30 to 6;30.  Cliff O’Connor of Holmes & O’Connor, Kurt Roper of Staiti & DiBlasio, and Alan Forman volunteered to help 14 people with questions about such issues real estate, bankruptcy, wills, estates and wills.  The next date for the monthly program will be May 20, 2015.  This will be the last evening program before the summer break.

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.
  • 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.

cliff_and_alanIf you would like to read up on 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

National Library Week: National Bookmobile Day!

BookmobileDay_Logo_1Today is National Bookmobile Day! Sponsored by the American Library Association’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries, this day celebrates bookmobiles and the library professionals who support and provide bookmobile services.

What is a bookmobile? Essentially, it is a vehicle that is designed to hold books and act as a mobile library. The goal is to provide direct-delivery outreach searches, and these bookmobiles accomplish this by providing services to areas and individuals who have difficulty accessing traditional libraries. The collections of materials maintained by bookmobiles will vary based on the needs and demands of the service community and can include technology and other resources.

Here are some fun facts about bookmobiles.*

  • The first bookmobile service in the United States started in 1905 right here in Maryland. Mary Lemis Titcomb, the first librarian of the Washington County Free Library, created a specially-designed “Library Wagon” to serve the information and education needs of the largely rural county.
  • In 1931, the mobile library concept was introduced in India. This two-wheeled cart was supported and promoted by S.R. Ranganathan, the “Father of Library Science” in India.
  • Uganda boasts a camel library service.
  • Elephant libraries are available in Thailand.
  • In 2011, Maryland had 18 bookmobiles in service.
  • The average cost of a bookmobile is $200,000.

For more information about National Bookmobile Day, check out The American Library Association’s webpage.

*National Bookmobile Day 2015 – Bookmobiles at a Glance, available at http://www.ala.org/offices/olos/nbdhome.

 

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lawlibrary Libraries

National Library Week and National Legal Research Teach-In!

ALA_NLW2015_336x280This week is National Library Week! Let’s celebrate the contributions made by libraries and librarians, both past and present, across the United States. National Library Week, sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), has a long history in the United States, with the first celebration occurring in 1958. Running from April 12, 2015 through April 18, 2015 this year, National Library Week celebrates the contributions made by libraries of all types, including public libraries, school libraries, academic libraries and special libraries, all of which will participate in this weeklong celebration in order to promote library use and support. If you are interested in participating in a National Library Week event, check out the National Events posted on the ALA’s website.

In conjunction with this week’s National Library Week celebration, the American Association of Law Libraries is sponsoring the 23rd National Legal Research Teach-In. The National Legal Research Teach-In was born in 1993  to address the need to improve the research skills of students and new attorneys and to celebrate legal research instruction and acknowledge and demonstrate the value of law librarians in teaching legal research skills. Law Librarians are uniquely positioned to address the research instruction needs of the legal community.The Law Library will be celebrating the National Legal Research Teach-In by launching a series of instructional presentations later this year. Stay tuned, but in the meantime, come visit the Law Library for one-on-one training and a tour!

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lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Free Tax Sale/Foreclosure Clinic for Baltimore City Homeowners!

"Sign of the Times-Foreclosure" by respres - http://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/2539334956/. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sign_of_the_Times-Foreclosure.jpg#/media/File:Sign_of_the_Times-Foreclosure.jpg
“Sign of the Times-Foreclosure” by respres*

Are you a homeowner who is behind on your property taxes or water bills? If so, you might be interested in attending the free, brief legal advice Tax Sale Clinic organized by the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland.

There are two upcoming clinic dates.

  1. Thursday, April 9, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Urban Business Center, 1200 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21223
  2. Wednesday, April 15, 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Enoch Pratt Library, Southeast Anchor Branch, 3601 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224

Homeowners should bring all recent property tax or water bills and notices, any proof of payment of the property tax or water bills and all notices from the Baltimore City Circuit Court with them to the clinic. For more information, please visit www.probonomd.org/legal-help or contact the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland at (443) 703-3052. You can also check out this Resource Guide for Tax Sales and Tax Foreclosures.

In addition, the Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Project is a free, walk-in clinic open to homeowners facing foreclosure without legal representation. Located at 11101 Gilroy Road, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031 at the Office of Administrative Hearings (Administrative Law Building), the clinic’s hours of operation are Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (new intakes are not accepted after 4:00 p.m.). The clinic is first-come, first-serve. For more information, check out our past blog post here!

*http://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/2539334956/. Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sign_of_the_Times-Foreclosure.jpg#/media/File:Sign_of_the_Times-Foreclosure.jpg
Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

photo 1 (3)
Thank you Chris!

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, March 11, 2015, the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program. Thank you Chris Boucher for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Seven people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues such as bankruptcy, foreclosure, homeowner’s association issues, installment contracts and contract disputes. The next program date is Wednesday, April 15, 2015.

Do you have a criminal law matter? Criminal Law matters are best addressed by the Office of the Public Defender. Information about the Office of the Public Defender is available at http://www.opd.state.md.us/.

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.