Note: Legal research requires a great deal of training to do properly. Library staff are not trained attorneys, so we cannot give legal advice, or perform in-depth legal research. While the resources below should be useful to those with legal questions, they are no substitute for professional legal help.
Guides to Research:
Basic Legal Research: A short introduction by TPL reference librarians
Introduction to Legal Research: Louisiana Law Library
Basics of Legal Research: Cornell Law Library
Books
General Collection
Books on Law in General
Law 101 : everything you need to know about the American legal system / Jay M. Feinman
Your little legal companion : helpful advice for life’s big events / from the editors of Nolo.
The words we live by : your annotated guide to the constitution / Linda R. Monk.
Books on Particular Legal Issues
Southern divorce/John C. Mayoue
Americans with Disabilities Act/by Margaret C. Jasper
The Criminal Law Handbook / Paul Bergman and Sara Berman-Barrett
Identity theft and how to protect yourself/by Margaret C. Jasper
Privacy and the Internet: your expectations and rights under the law/by Margaret C. Jasper
Workers’ compensation law/by Margaret C. Jasper
Reference Books (these do not check out)
Louisiana divorce/by Robert C. Lowe
Louisiana personal injury/by Russ Herman
Louisiana practice employment law/by Rick J. Norman
West’s Louisiana statutory criminal law and procedure
eBooks
Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview / Ilona Bray
Videos
The Supreme Court. [videorecording(DVD)] / Thirteen/WNET New York.
U.S. immigration explained [videorecording(DVD)]
Streaming Videos about Law on Access Video on Demand (Call 876-5861, option 2, for login information)
Online Databases
Official information and services from the U.S. government. Whatever you want or need from the U.S. government, it’s here. You’ll find a rich treasure of online information, services, and resources.
Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law
Part of Gale Virtual Library. Click on “Law”
Provides a wide selection of state-specific (and multi-state) legal forms across the most popular legal areas. Includes real estate contracts, wills, pre-marital agreements, bankruptcy, divorce, landlord tenant and many others. Also included is a comprehensive state directory of attorneys and a dictionary of legal definitions explained in laymen’s language.
Legal Collection
This database contains full text for more than 250 of the world’s most respected, scholarly law journals. Legal Collection is an authoritative source for information on current issues, studies, thoughts and trends of the legal world.
Websites
Search Laws Online
Local
Terrebonne Parish Code of Ordinances
State
Federal
Thomas: Search Legislation of the US Congress
United States Code of Federal Regulations Online
Websites About the Law
FindLaw: Learn About the Law “Learn About the Law is your starting place for help understanding the law. A legal resource for up to date online legal information about popular legal topics such as will preparation, divorce and child custody”
Google Scholar Google scholar allows you to search many scholarly and technical works, including some legal journals and court opinions. Use the Advanced Search option to narrow your search to legal documents and opinions of particular courts.
Justia.com An excellent website for finding and learning about the law. Highly recommended.
LawHelp.org/la This is an online resource for people living on low-incomes and the legal organizations that serve them. LawHelp.org provides referrals to local legal aid and public interest law offices, basic information about legal rights, self-help information, court information, links to social service agencies, and more.
Legal Information Institute at Cornell University “We are a not-for-profit group that believes everyone should be able to read and understand the laws that govern them, without cost”
NOLO Articles on the Law “Hundreds of free articles on everyday legal topics. Our articles are always accurate, up to date, and written in plain English”
Law Libraries
Law Library of Louisiana
The public library for legal issues; located at 400 Royal Street, 2nd floor, New Orleans LA 70130-2104. Library offers legal “how to” section for the public and librarians trained to assist with legal research.
504-310-2400 Monday-Thursday: 9am-6pm
504—310-2515 (Reference) Friday: 9am-5pm
800-820-3038 (Louisiana only) Closed Saturday & Sunday
library@lasc.org
Legal Assistance
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services has four full-time offices serving low-income and elderly (60+ years) Louisiana residents. Offices are open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5pm unless closed by holiday or emergency. Applications for help are taken by phone on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 9am until noon or when the case-load limit has been reached. An online application can also be submitted by email to selegal@slls.org. SLLS can
Houma Office (serving Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes)
521 Roussell Street Local: 985-851-5687
Houma, LA 70360 Toll Free: 800-256-1660
Fax: 985-851-5695
ACLU of Louisiana
Generally helps seek government action when groups of people’s civil rights are being violated. Requests for help can be made in writing through the website.
Advocacy Center
Provides free legal services for the elderly and disabled; to request help, call 1-800-960-7705 (Voice or via 711 Relay) or 1-866-935-7348 (TTY) or email advocacycenter@advocacyla.org. An intake specialist will contact you within 1-2 business days to discuss your issue in detail and determine if AC can help.
AIDSLaw of Louisiana, Inc
Provides free legal services to those suffering from HIV/AIDS; offices at 3801 Canal Street, Suite 331, New Orleans, LA 70119.
Office: 504-568-1631
Toll Free: 800-375-5035
info@aidslaw.org
Newsletter
Facebook
myTPL
Twitter
