Legal Reference Resources for Public Librarians

When Can You Refer Someone?

Sometimes a patron needs assistance beyond what a librarian can provide. In those situations, it is helpful to provide the patron with a referral to an organization that can assist with the question. Situations when a referral may be useful include when a person is facing incarceration, when there is a disability or a language barrier, when the person is facing serious financial or social consequences (e.g., paying fees, custody decisions, immigration decisions), when the person is asking for legal advice, or when you are not sure of the answer or what resources are available. 

What Kinds of Referrals Are Available? 

There are many levels of legal assistance available, and which one a person needs or qualifies for will depend on their circumstances. 

Full Representation

Full representation is the highest level of legal service. This means the person will be represented by an attorney, who will handle their case and/or appear for them in court. Low-cost or free options for full representation are extremely limited, and usually only include legal aid organizations. If a person wants full representation but does not qualify for legal aid, they would have to hire a private attorney. Some private attorneys offer services on a sliding fee scale, or will occasionally take cases pro bono (for free). 

Brief Legal Advice

Brief legal advice includes services like legal clinics offered by law libraries, law schools, and bar associations. A person is able to meet with an attorney for a set period of time to receive help with a particular task or get a few questions answered. Some attorneys also offer consultations where people intending to represent themselves can get answers to a few questions. There are also online services that answer questions without a guarantee of full representation. 

Self-Help Centers

The lowest level of service is self-help centers. Usually, these include court-run or law librarian-run services that offer assistance with finding legal information, but do not offer legal advice. These are great resources for individuals needing help finding forms or other resources.

Sources for Legal Referrals

The State Law Library has compiled lists of organizations that provide full representation, brief legal advice, or self-help resources. These lists are not intended to be exhaustive. 

In our positions as librarians, not lawyers, we can suggest resources but cannot give legal advice (such as which form to file) or legal opinions (such as how a statute might apply to particular facts). To do so could be considered the unauthorized practice of law. Even though we try to suggest materials that will be of help, more research is often required to find a complete and correct answer. For many questions, the best answer may be to consult an attorney.