There is a lot to understand about the law, but there are plenty of reliable and vetted resources to help you navigate and understand your rights. You can depend on BCLS to connect you to databases and guides to give you the confidence you need in court and beyond.
Your first stop should be our Legal Self-Help resource page featuring three of our major resources available to customers.
Westlaw is available to access in-library only at library PCs or connected to library WiFi. Thomas Reuters Westlaw is designed primarily for those in the legal profession, but it can be equally useful to anyone conducting legal research. Here are some of the things you can do:
- Search for New Jersey law content by going to the State Materials tab and clicking on New Jersey. You’ll find trial court orders, cases, regulations and forms.
- Use Practical Law to conduct research in a variety of practice areas. Click on an area to review recent updates and key findings from various court proceedings and decisions.
- Use search to find information on a specific topic. For example, you could look up “drone privacy” to see all related content to flying drones over private property. If you click the Federal link, a window of jurisdiction filters will appear so you can narrow down your search.
The Tools section of Westlaw provides a number of Westlaw’s resources to help organize your research. Here are just a few:
- West Key Number System provides you with an up-to-date index of materials
- General Counsel Resources assists corporate legal professionals quickly find verdicts, legislation, regulations, and sources to support cases
- The Profiler to get access to information on attorneys, judges, witnesses and more to determine the best way to present a case
Need additional help navigating this resource? Check out this handy PDF!
Legal Information Source is available both in the library for all customers and for cardholders at home. This database includes exclusive online full-text legal reference books, publications and thousands of legal forms. Much of the content guides come from Nolo, the nation’s oldest provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.
This database is geared toward the general public, with less legal jargon and more explanation than the primary documents included in Westlaw. Here are some of the ways you can use Legal Information Source:
- Explore Nolo Legal Guides to get easy-to-understand information on topics like Airbnb Host Taxes, buying your first home, U.S. Immigration or credit repair.
- Use the search bar to filter through periodicals, reviews and peer reviewed materials. You could search for AI and copyright and find articles that explain the current legal challenges being set forth for AI’s use of creative works and other intellectual property.
- Find Legal Forms by US State by scrolling all the way down and clicking the banner. Select PDF Full Text or Download and then scroll to New Jersey where you’ll find state forms, federal forms, and bankruptcy forms.
In addition to these two great resources, we provide you full access to the Legal Services of New Jersey’s Divorce Guide. On the resource, you’ll be able to download the PDF of the guide, and all forms mentioned throughout.
You should also check out LSNJLAW for more guides and self-help information. Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) coordinates the statewide Legal Services system in New Jersey, providing free legal assistance to lower-income people in civil matters. Part of Legal Services’ mission is to make people more aware of their legal rights and provide helpful information if they choose to pursue a legal case on their own.
Here are some of the ways that LSNJLAW keeps NJ residents up to date:
- Find out how to apply for NJ FamilyCare, the label for all Medicaid and CHIP programs administered by the State of NJ. You can apply for NJ FamilyCare here.
- Were you the victim of a crime? Learn if you are eligible for financial reimbursement from the New Jersey Victims of Crime Compensation Office (VCCO). If you qualify, you may be reimbursed up to $25,000 for emotional or physical injuries caused by violent crime.
- Head to the Immigration hub to learn about asylum, citizenship, naturalization and more. Know your rights when interacting with ICE, get suggestions for preparing yourself in the event of an ICE raid and find links to the ICE Online Detainee Locator System and other outside resources.
You can also apply online for free legal help from the LSNJLAW Hotline which provides telephone advice, information and referrals to low-income people in civil legal matters.
Need help interacting with any of these resources? We can’t give you legal advice, but we can help you conduct research and organize your findings. Schedule a one-on-one appointment to help navigate databases and websites.
