Thursday, October 8, 2015

Sarah Mauldin Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP

Margaret (Meg) Butler Georgia State University College of Law Library

Civics Review How Courts Work How Statutory Law Is Made How to Find: ◦ Free General Legal Information Online ◦ Free Federal and Georgia Materials Online ◦ Forms: A Georgia Case Study ◦ Public Records

Referrals Unauthorized Practice of Law

Forms of law ◦ Cases, statutes, regulations, ordinances,

constitutions Branches of government ◦ Judicial, legislative, executive

Federal and State systems Value of secondary sources

Court Websites Lower Court Dockets ◦ Major differences in coverage ◦ What can you find? ◦ State versus Federal (PACER)

Appellate Court Dockets Opinions ◦ Published versus Unpublished ◦ What is precedential?

US Code ◦ Created by Congress ◦ Available at fdsys.gov

Official Code of Georgia ◦ Created by the General Assembly ◦ Available at

https://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/ Atlanta Municipal Code ◦ Created by the City Council ◦ Available at Municode.com

Code of Federal Regulations ◦ Created by federal agencies ◦ Available at fdsys.gov

Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia ◦ Created by state agencies ◦ Available at

http://rules.sos.state.ga.us/home.aspx, from the Secretary of State

◦ Findlaw.com ◦ Nolo.com ◦ Legal Information Institute

(https://www.law.cornell.edu/) ◦ Public Library of Law

(http://www.plol.org/Pages/Search.aspx) ◦ Fastcase – free via app for mobile devices ◦ Google Scholar (scholar.google.com) ◦ Interest groups—Legal Aid, LawHelp.org, agencies

◦ FDSys—statutes, regulations, and so much more ◦ Pacer—docket information ◦ Patent and Trademark Office ◦ Social Security Administration ◦ Find My Senator

◦ Statutes ◦ Bills ◦ Cases ◦ Regulations ◦ Ordinances

Court-provided forms Statutory forms Hospital forms Corporation forms Pay sources online

Professional Licenses – Secretary of State Corporations – Secretary of State Property Records – Individual Counties ◦ Who owns a property? ◦ Property values

Inmate and Offender searches – State and County County Legal Organs ◦ Foreclosures ◦ Tax Sales ◦ Name Changes ◦ Other information required to be published

Law libraries—at law schools, courthouses Legal Aid Problem-based providers State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Services Law School Clinics

What is it? How can you help patrons? ◦ Direct patrons to forms sites/Law Depot ◦ Show patrons how to find legal materials in the catalog ◦ Direct patrons to free online legal resources ◦ Refer patrons to appropriate legal assistance agencies

What you can’t do to help? ◦ Tell patrons which form is required ◦ Help patrons fill out forms ◦ Explain what a law, ordinance, etc. means ◦ Give opinions about what patrons should do about their

legal problems

Contact us for an electronic version of the annotated bibliography ◦ Meg Butler ◦ mbutler@gsu.edu ◦ 404-413-9142

◦ Sarah Mauldin ◦ smauldin@sgrlaw.com ◦ 404-815-3538