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LA Law Library LocationsMain Library:(Corner of 1st & Hill)

301 W. First Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 785-2529

Mon–Fri: 8:30–6:00 pm

Sat: 9:00–5:00 pm

Courthouse Branch Locations:

Long Beach, Torrance

Courthouse eBranch Locations:

Long Beach, Norwalk, Pomona, Torrance,

Santa Monica (coming soon)

Public Library Partnerships:Compton, Lancaster, Pasadena, Van Nuys

• Courthouse Branch Locations: Long Beach, Norwalk, Pomona and Torrance

• Coming Soon: Santa Monica

• Public Library Partnerships:Compton Library, Lancaster Regional Library, Pasadena Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library Van Nuys Branch

Visit www.lalawlibrary.org for more information

Remote Locations

www.lalawlibrary.org

• The LA Law Library was established in 1891

• The current building was

opened in 1953

• Largest print collection in a

public law library west of the Mississippi River

- Seven floors - 35 miles of shelving

- 1,000,000 equivalent volumes including print and digital

Overview

Print Collection• Primary and secondary legal materials for all

50 states, federal and multi-stateForeign and International materials

• Extensive historical collection including early California and state colonial materials

• California and Ninth Circuit Appellate and Supreme Court briefs

Electronic Databases• BNA Labor and Employment

Law Library

• BNA Tax Practice Library

• BriefServe.com

• California State Briefs

• CCH Government Contract Reporter

• CEB OnLAW

• Foreign Law Guide

• Forms Workflow

• HeinOnline

• IndexMaster

• Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals

• LA Law Library Catalog

• LLMC - Digital

• Legal Information Reference Center

• LegalTrac

• Lexis

• LoisLaw

• SmartRules

• U.S. Supreme Court Records and

Briefs, 1832-1978

• Westlaw

• WestlawNext

• Wolters Kluwer – Law and Business

• Xspouse

What We Do• Suggest research avenues and sources for research,

identify and locate citations

• Explain how to use legal materials

• Explain the law-making process

• Assist in finding forms

• Aid in the use of electronic resources including Westlaw and Lexis (online databases that contain cases, codes, and statutes for all 50 states and secondary materials), CEB OnLAW and HeinOnline

• Teach public classes

Library Services• Reference Service

– in library, by phone, email, mail and live chat through 24/7 Reference Cooperative

• Document Delivery Service

• Members Program– Open to members of the

State Bar of California

• Computer Services

• Circulation

– Borrower registration program

– Reserve books and more…

• Facility Rentals

– Training Center

– Conference Rooms– Office Space

– Private Events (up to 500 ppl)

• Instruction

– Public training classes– MCLE courses

– Tours

LA Law Library Instructors

Ralph Stahlberg, Channa Cajero, Christine

Langteau, Esther Eastman, Katie O’Laughlin, Ryan

Metheny and Austin Stoub

• All have M.L.S. and/or other advanced degrees

• Specialize in certain areas of research and law

• Are always willing to assist you

Course Objectives

• Discussion of Legal Documents

• Research Methods for Finding Cases

• Instruction on Finding Legal Documents

• Useful Legal Research Resources

• Demonstration of Methods for Locating Cases and Case Documents

Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I find a case like mine?

• Where can I find examples of documents for cases like mine?

• What format should I use for my document?

• How do I draft a

complaint/answer/brief/etc?

Building on Finding Forms

Public Training Class

• One of the other classes we offer

discusses methods and strategies for

finding forms and sample language to draft legal documents.

• This class will discuss methods for

locating documents which have

already been drafted and submitted to Court in connection with a case.

Our Motto

Think FirstUnderstand the Problem

Frame the Issues

Then Research

Types of Legal Documents

• Trial Court Documents

– Complaints, Answers, Memoranda, Motions, Orders, etc.

• Appellate Court Documents

– Notices, Motions, Briefs, Tables, etc.

Definitions

• "Papers" includes all documents… that are offered for filing in any case (Cal Rules of Court, Rule 2.3)

• The pleadings are the formal allegations by the parties of their respective claims and defenses, for the judgment of the court. (CCP 420)

• Every direction of a court or judge, made or entered in writing, and not included in a judgment, is denominated an order. An application for an order is a motion. (CCP 1003)

What is Included?"Court record" shall consist of the following:

1. All filed papers and documents in the case folder, but if

no case folder is created by the court, all filed papers

and documents that would have been in the case

folder if one had been created.

2. Administrative records filed in an action or proceeding,

depositions, paper exhibits, transcripts, including

preliminary hearing transcripts, and recordings of

electronically recorded proceedings filed, lodged, or

maintained in connection with the case, unless disposed of earlier in the case pursuant to law. (Cal Gov Code

68151)

Where are Trial

Court Records Available?

Court Websites

CourthousesLA Law Library

Commercial Databases PACER

Finding BriefsWhere?Where?Where?Where?

• Print/Microfilm:– Law Libraries, California Appellate and

9th Circuit Appellate– From the Court

• Electronic:

– LA Law Library website– Lexis, BriefServe (WestLaw), PACER

– FindLaw.com– LegalTrac

How Do You Find a Case?

Annotated Codes

Practice Guides

Digests

Case ReportsParty Name Search

Electronic Databases

Shepard’s/Authority Tables

Annotated Codes• Use specific code sections in the annotated codes to find cases in “Notes of Decisions”

• Index is available to find codes and statutes by topic

• Popular Names tables can be used to find code sections for things like “Family Medical Leave Act,” “Brown Act,” “California Public Records Act” and “PATRIOT Act.”

Practice Guides

• Use the index to find legal topic

• Most treatises will include case and statute references

• Analysis of case and statutory law will provide more relevant information

Digests/Case Reports

• Case reports will have references to other cases

• Use KeyNumbers/HeadNotes to find similar cases in various jurisdictions

Party Name Search

• Superior Court: Via website or in person

• Courts of Appeal:

Name search via WestLaw/ Lexis or

California Court’s

website

Electronic Databases

• Search party names

• Review table of authorities

• Shepardize/KeyCite cases to find subsequent case citations

• Check practice resources

• Keyword/topic searching

Obtaining Trial Court Documents

California Superior Court

• Some jurisdictions offer fee-based access via web

• Available upon request in person at the court

• LA Superior maintains paper archives for roughly 10 years, microfilm copies after that time.

• WestLawNext database or CourtExpress

• Lexis’ “CourtLink” service

Obtaining Trial Court Documents

United States District Court (Cal. Central District)

• PACER.gov (free access at Central District)

• Active cases are available in person at the court, fill out request forms

• Some case records will be located at different court locations.

• Records for cases older than 2 years are off-site and can be copied for a fee

Obtaining Appellate Documents

California Courts of Appeals (2ndDistrict)

• Case records are available upon request at the Court

of Appeal

• Older cases are archived offsite

• Civil case records may be destroyed after 10 years

• Criminal and juvenile case records after 20 years

• Requestor must make arrangements for copies

• Briefs available via LA Law Library, web and onsite

Obtaining Appellate Documents

United States Court of Appeal (9thCircuit)

• PACER.gov for documents filed after Jan. 1,

2009

• Records are available from the Clerk of the

Court, located in San Francisco for cases from previous 5 years

• 9th Circuit briefs available in print at LA Law

Library

Examples – Criminal CasesCalifornia cases

• People v. Price, KA061541

• Method: Annotated Code

• People v. Rizzo, BA376026

• Method: Case in the news

Federal cases

• US v. Hernandez, 04-CR-02983

• Method: Topical practice guide

• US v. Arnt, 03-CR-00523

• Method: Table of Authorities

People v. Price, 155 Cal.App.4th 987West’s Annotated California Codes↳California Penal Code 476↳People v. Price, KA061541

People v. Rizzo, BA376026Bell City Manager Scandal↳LA Superior Court website: www.lacourt.org↳People v. Rizzo, BA376026

US v. Hernandez, 476 F.3d 791Wharton’s Criminal Procedure 14th, Sec 19:6, footnote 3↳State v. Woods, 283 Mont. 359↳West Key Number: Criminal Law KEY NUMBER 411.4↳US v. Hernandez, 04-CR-02983

US v. Arnt, 474 F.3d 1159US v. Hernandez, 476 F.3d 791↳Table of Authorities for US v. Hernandez, 476 F.3d 791↳US v. Arnt, 03-CR-00523

Examples – Civil CasesCalifornia cases

• Mayer v. L&B Real Estate, 43 Cal. 4th 1231

• Method: Annotated Code

• Massoud v. Massoud, BC364061

• Method: Citation Service

Federal case

• Oskar v. Club Speed, 09-CV-03854

• Method: Topical practice guide

• Nelson v. Nasa, 530 F.3d 865

• Method: Appellate Court Decision in the News

Mayer v. L&B Real Estate,

43 Cal. 4th 1231Deering’s California Code Annotated↳Revenue and Taxation Section 3725↳Mayer v. L & B Real Estate, 136 Cal App 4th 947,

Massoud v. Goldberger, BC364061

Mayer v. L&B Real Estate Shepardization↳Citing reference, Massoudv. Goldberger

Oskar v. Club Speed, 09-CV-03854Miligram on Licensing, Section 5.05↳Burnett v. Warner Bros., 493 N.Y.S. 2d 326↳West Key Number: Copyright KEY NUMBER 47↳Oskar Systems v. Club Speed, Inc., CV 09-3854

Nelson v. Nasa, 530 F.3d 865 NASA v. Nelson, 130 S.Ct. 1755, Supreme Court Decision↳Nelson v. Nasa, 530 F.3d 865, 9th Circuit Opinion↳Nelson et al v. Nasa, CV-07-05669, Trial Court Case

References• PACER, http://pacer.gov

• LA Superior Court website, http://lasuperiorcourt.org

• LEXIS, http://www.lexis.com

• WestLaw, http://www.westlaw.com

• Find Law, http://www.findlaw.com

• Briefserve, http://www.briefserve.westlaw.com

• California Business & Professions Code § 6125

• California Rules of Court, Rule 2.3

• California Code of Civil Procedure § 420

• California Code of Civil Procedure § 1003

• California Government Code § 68151

Any Questions?