Tag: lawlibrary

Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Ask a Lawyer In the Library: Wednesday Wrap-up

admin-ajax
Thank you Mike Ragland (l)  and Jack Paltell (r)!

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 7, 2015,  the Law Library hosted another successful Ask A Lawyer In The Library program.  Thank you, Mike Ragland and Jack Paltell, from Bell, Ragland, Gauges & Paltell, for volunteering and providing this service to the public. Six people took part in the program and were able to speak with the attorney to request assistance with issues such as employment termination, foreclosure, property, wills and trusts.  The next program date is Wednesday, January 14, 2015.

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.

If 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.
 
Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Online Databases in the Limelight

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 functions.  Many online databases, including fee-based databases, are available at the Law Library, free of charge, to library patrons.

Throughout the month of December 2014, this blog featured a series on online databases available at the Law Library for patrons’ use.  The featured databases include Bloomberg BNA, HeinOnline, LexisNexis, VerdictSearch and Westlaw, which are all subscription-based databases that the Law Library offers to its patrons free of charge.  However, this is just a small sampling of the legal databases that may be available for your use.  If you are interested in learning more about online legal databases, including databases that are available without subscription, please contact us!

Many other law libraries also provide their library patrons with access to online legal databases free of charge.  For other local access points to online legal databases, you can check out these libraries.

Categories
lawlibrary Maryland Law

The 2015 Edition of Michie’s Maryland Court Rules is available!

photo 3The 2015 Edition of Michie’s Maryland Court Rules is available at the Law Library!  The 2015 edition includes amendments adopted through November 7, 2014.  The Maryland Rules are the rules of practice and procedure followed by Maryland courts and apply to all Maryland courts unless noted otherwise.  Annotation sources include Maryland case law, the Maryland Law Review, the University of Baltimore Law Review, the University of Baltimore Law Forum and Opinions of the Attorney General.

The current Maryland Code and Rules (without annotations) are available online, free of charge, through Lexis Nexis and Westlaw.  In addition, you can access the annotated Maryland Code and Rules online in the Law Library’s computer room through the Law Library’s subscriptions to Lexis and Westlaw legal databases.  If you are new to the Maryland Rules, the People’s Law Library has an online video tutorial on reading the Maryland Rules through Westlaw, which is available at http://www.screencast.com/t/My0FU44NZbwL.

The 2015 edition supersedes and replaces all previous editions and supplements.  Note that the Law Library maintains copies of the superseded Maryland Rules in its collection, so if you ever need to reference the superseded rules, please drop by the Law Library’s service desk, and we can assist you in locating the appropriate rules.

Categories
lawlibrary Maryland Law

New Maryland Laws Took Effect on January 1, 2015

Laws of MDHappy New Year!  New Maryland laws took effect on January 1, 2015, which impact laws relating to trusts (House Bill 83, Chapter 585), residential leases (Senate Bill 345 / Chapter 488 and House Bill 249, Chapter 489) and real estate appraisers (Senate Bill 1106, Chapter 79). These new laws represent just a small sampling of the new laws enacted by the 2014 Legislative Session.  To learn more about the laws resulting from the 2014 session, check out the 90 Day Report – A Review of the 2014 Session, which is published by the Department of Legislative Services of the General Assembly of Maryland.

If you have any questions or want to learn more, you can always reach us via email at lawlibrary@aacounty.org, via phone at (410) 222-1387 or via fax at (410) 268-9762.

Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.  The program will restart on Wednesday, January 7, 2015.

 

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

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.  Each Tuesday of this month, this blog will highlight one of the many 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 Westlaw 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.

Law Library patrons may access Bloomberg BNA’s database  in the library’s computer room free of charge.  If you have any questions regarding how to use the database, please come to the Law Library’s service desk.

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

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Legal Research in the Blogosphere – VerdictSearch

Legal research can be challenging, even for experienced attorneys; however, there are many resources available to assist both attorneys and non-attorneys with their legal research needs.  The Legal Research in the Blogosphere series will share blog posts and online sites that legal researchers may find useful.

Last week, we featured a post on VerdictSearch, an online database available at the Law Library for patrons to use, free of charge.  (You can read it here.)  If you are interested in a more detailed review of VerdictSearch, specifically its functionality and features, check out the review available on the Law Sites Blog at http://www.lawsitesblog.com/2012/11/verdictsearch-ramps-up-its-look-and-functionality.html.  If you have questions about how to use VerdictSearch, the Law Library is always available to help!

Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge Part I Winners!

Untitled drawing (3)
Thank you for your commitment to pro bono service!

The Law Library participated in the 2014 National Pro Bono Celebration, which was celebrated from October 19, 2014 through October 25, 2014.  This blog featured posts focusing on pro bono and other free legal services throughout the month of October, including the Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge, which we blogged about here and here.  Part I of the Challenge asked attorneys to register with a pro bono legal service and agree to take a case.

The winners of Part I’s Challenge Drawing are Tasnima Apol, Gene Brennan, Carole Brown and Eileen Powers of Blumenthal, Delavan, Powers & Palmer who registered with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, YWCA Domestic Violence Legal Services, Mid-Shore Pro Bono and the Esperanza Center. Thank you for your commitment to pro bono service!

Stay tuned for Part II of the Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Challenge!

Categories
lawlibrary Pro Bono Self Represented

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today.

The Ask a Lawyer in the Library Program is cancelled today, Wednesday, December 24, 2014, and next Wednesday, December 31, 2014.  The program will restart on Wednesday, January 7, 2015.

Categories
lawlibrary Legal Technology

Online Databases in the Limelight – VerdictSearch

Blog PhotoOnline 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.  Each Tuesday of this month, this blog will highlight one of the many databases available at the Law Library.

Are you looking for case valuation assistance?  Then look no further because the Law Library subscribes to VerdictSearch, an online database that assists with 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.  Users can search by specific terms as well as by type of injury (e.g., arm, brain, cancer), award (e.g., decision in favor of defendant, settlement, mediated settlement) and case (e.g., appeals, business law, civil practice).  Users can further refine their searches by plaintiff type (e.g., age, gender) and date range.  These searches may assist you with your trial research and strategy development.  VerdictSearch’s document delivery includes printing and email (PDF and Word).

Law Library patrons may use VerdictSearch in the library’s computer room free of charge.  If you have any questions regarding how to use VerdictSearch, please come to the Law Library’s service desk.

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

*Note that VerdictSearch does offer a national database as well as practice area-specific databases.  The Library subscribes only to the Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. databases as these jurisdictions are the most relevant for the Law Library’s patrons.