Lisa LaCivita
Sometimes we need the advice of a lawyer, but their services can be expensive. Sometimes our problems come from a lack of funds which makes hiring a lawyer that much more problematic. Fortunately, there are reliable legal resources online, that can provide us with forms, information and help us determine if we need a lawyer or not. This blog will introduce you to some of these online resources.
The Library subscribes to Gale Legal Forms which gives you access to the information on this website. To utilize Gale Legal Forms, you must enter from the library’s webpages.
- On the Library’s homepage, put your cursor over Research and Learn
- Look in the “Discover” column
- Click on “A – Z Resources”
- Scroll down to “Legal”
- Click on the “Visit Resource Website” button.
Using this route, our subscription should provide you with access to the information on the website. Note that our subscription only provides forms for the Commonwealth of Virginia, but tax forms and the attorney directory include other states.
On the upper left side of the Gale Legal Forms homepage is a list of options. One of the especially useful features is “Legal Definitions” which applies more broadly across states. The law is full of obscure terms not found in everyday life, so having a reliable source for defining the language in a legal document is essential to understanding it. Other titles in this list will provide useful information such as “Helpful Topics” at the bottom of this list. This link should help you refine your search for information within the 87 topics listed. Finding an applicable category is a good starting point, allowing you read about the subject before you search for a related form. Below this first list is another list of the “Most Popular Legal Form Searches”
The Covid-19 Pandemic has brought on a host of questions related to unemployment, debt/money issues, foreclosures and evictions, wills, health directives and guardianships. The pandemic is affecting millions of people and resources have been made available. The Virginia Poverty Law Center has posted a COVID-19 Civil Legal Response for Virginia. The site includes information on unemployment, housing, healthcare, public benefits, family law, domestic violence, and immigration resources.
https://vplc.org/learn/covid-19-civil-legal-response-in-virginia/
Additional websites that may be of use are:
If you qualify, you can ask a non-criminal legal question and will receive an email answer. This site also provides links to Other Resources.
VIRGINIA LAWYER REFERRAL SERVICE
You can talk to a lawyer for up to ½ hour for $35.
Provides information on Virginia’s court system.
Provides access to codes and laws of Virginia
The four links above can also be accessed from the library’s homepage, as described above, by either going to A – Z resources or Community and Legal Resources. The library, by law, cannot give you legal advice, but we can help you find legal information.