Reference Service for General-Public Patrons

The library staff welcomes the opportunity to assist the general public in legal research.  Staff members are limited by law, under section 454.23, Florida Statutes, as to the help they can offer. 

LIVE CHAT with Research Staff: Our LIVE chat hours are Tuesday & Thursday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (NOON)

Find a Law Library near you - In Florida, law libraries that are open to the public and that have the legal materials that may be helpful can be found in many courthouses, in some local libraries, and in law school libraries. 
[Restrictions may apply during the COVID health emergency.]

Representing Yourself? | COVID-19 Resources for Self-Represented Litigants

Read the list of Prohibited Items when visiting the courthouse.

The law library staff are allowed to:

• Answer questions regarding the library and its collection
• Assist in locating law-related materials using specific citations
• Assist in locating relevant printed legal resources within the library such as statutes, cases, court rules, legal encyclopedias, form books, and treatises
• Instruct as to how to use these print resources effectively
• Demonstrate how to locate and use online legal resources, including Westlaw Patron Access and HeinOnline
• Refer patrons to appropriate agencies
• Suggest lawyer referral resources
• Photocopy and mail, fax, or e-mail limited print resources when requested by specific citation, for a nominal fee, restricted by copyright law

The law library staff are not allowed to:

• Perform research on behalf of a patron in response to a legal question or in response to a request for legal advice
• Advise any patron on legal rights or liabilities
• Advise any patron on the meaning of a statute, regulation, case, or other legal resource, or how it might impact a particular situation or case
• Choose or recommend a specific statute, case, regulation, or other legal resource which may apply to a particular situation or case
• Advise any patron on what the law is on a particular issue
• Advise any patron regarding legal procedure, court rules, or jurisdiction
• Recommend the use of any particular legal form for any particular purpose, or assist in filling out any legal form 
• Review any document drafted by a patron
• Explain how to file a document, what document to file, or how to proceed with court actions
• Intervene with a judge or court on any party's behalf
• Mail, fax, or e-mail documents or information directly from Westlaw, as prohibited by the terms of our Westlaw contract
• Read textual material (including, but not limited to, definitions, laws, cases, or rules) over the phone
• Provide advice or instruction concerning the correct formatting of legal citations
• Recommend any particular attorney or law firm
• Perform any other action that could, in the opinion of the staff member, be construed as providing legal advice

Library staff cannot do anything which might, in the opinion of the staff member, constitute the unauthorized practice of law, under section 454.23, Florida Statutes.  Because of the complicated nature of many legal problems, the services of a qualified attorney might be required.  Information provided by the law library staff is not a substitute for legal advice.

Phone, e-mail, or fax reference services are limited to short, specific reference and information questions, referrals, and/or suggestions of sources.

These websites might be useful:

• Florida Law Help at http://floridalawhelp.org/
• Legal Services of North Florida at http://www.lsnf.org/
• Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service at http://www.floridabar.org/lawyerreferral