Last updated 6/24/2025 KN
We do not offer legal advice. Refer patrons to the LA Law Library, which offers the following resources and more:
Advice from lawyers via appointment, by phone or in person at the LA Law Library downtown
General resources on how to find legal help
Reference assistance from LA Law Library staff, including by phone (213-785-2529) and email (reference@lalawlibrary.org)
Previously listed on the LAPL website under "Web Resources."
California Courts Self-Help Guide
Offers legal information, guidance and forms.
California State Bar Association
Database of State of California Members. Public Services link offers consumer information on finding a lawyer, small claims court, wills, and trusts.
Cornell Legal Information Institute
Source for codes, cases, and assorted legal information.
FindLaw
Browse current legal information written for the public covering subjects such as Accidents & Injuries, Bankruptcy, Criminal Law, Family Law, Estate Planning, and Real Estate. Can search for a local lawyer.
LA Law Library
LA Law Library provides remote access to some databases: Click Legal Research, then Research Databases, and scroll down to: California Bill Analysis; California Briefs; EBSCO Legal Information Research Center (Nolo Press); LA Law Library Online Catalog, plus information under "Frequently Asked Questions."
Law Schools (ABA-Approved)
Listings and links to schools approved by the American Bar Association.
Laws.com
Contains various free legal forms, and information on state codes & statutes, laws, U.S. Constitution, and cases. Browse by topics including immigration, bankruptcy, family, divorce, real estate, intellectual property, and estate legal information.
Locating The Law: A Handbook For Non-Law Librarians
Although written for public librarians, this valuable resource has much to offer to anyone conducting legal research. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the U.S. legal system, the types of legal sources and finding tools available, and the differences between constitutional law, statutory law, case law, and administrative law. Chapter 2 describes how to read a legal citation, while Chapter 5 and 7 provide guidance on researching California law and federal law, respectively. Chapter 9 covers legal resources available for self-represented litigants. Chapter 10 provides an annotated, selective bibliography of self-help resources arranged by subject headings, e.g. art law, bankruptcy, estate planning, landlord-tenant law, public records data, and veterans' rights & benefits. Available online as Flip book and Complete PDF. This is the 6th edition published by the Southern California Association of Law Librarians
Los Angeles Superior Court Juror Information
Information on jury duty, phone numbers, locations of the courts.
Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Locator
Directory of U.S. and international lawyers and law firms.
Nolo Press Legal Information
Contains encyclopedia of popular legal topics, dictionary of legal terms and free full content of a number of current legal editions such as Foreclosure Survival Guide, Renters’ Rights, Everybody’s Guide to Small Claims Court, 8 Ways to Avoid Probate, and Living Together.
Public Law Libraries
Website for California county law libraries.
Skip Ease
Created by skiptracers, people searchers and public records researchers. It is divided into six main areas: skiptracing, genealogy, legal desk, insurance desk, government and news.
Virtual Chase
Legal research on the Internet to locate people using public records, annotated guides, online teaching tools, articles on specific research issues and material on evaluating resources.
WORLDLawDirect
Free legal advice on U.S. and international law (except family law). Site contains articles on legal subjects, basic legal forms, recommended lawyers, and an "Ask a Lawyer" feature.
Central District of California
Filing & Claim Forms, Public Notices, Job Listings, etc.
Superior Courts
Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles
Current U.S. Supreme Court Justices
Information on members of the U.S. Supreme Court. (Cornell University Law School, Legal Information Institute)
Supreme Court Decisions Web Server
Access to the full texts of decisions.