Tools for legal reference

Below are some tools to help with legal reference. Remember, we're not lawyers here at radical reference, but we can at least point you to some information. Thanks to Rebecca for collecting these sites. Please contact Radlib for comments or suggestions of other resources.

Everybody’s
Legal Dictionary


Created by NOLO , a company which specializes in self-help materials. Allows
search by legal term and retrieves “plain English” definition.

Find Law

All -purpose legal research site. The “For Legal Professionals”
section lets you browse by type of law (federal or state), by jurisdiction (state)
or by subject.

Know
Your Rights


Online version of a pamphlet by the National Lawyers Guild that explains your
legal rights if you are questioned by the police, FBI, customs agents or immigration
officers.

Know Your Rights Wallet Card

Print and carry this at a glance resource that advises you to say early and often, "I do not consent to a search."

Legal Aid Society

Legal services for those who cannot afford a lawyer.

Legal Information Institute

Compiled by Cornell Law School. Good collection of federal material including
U.S. Supreme Court opinions from 1990 , MY Court of Appeals decisions and state
laws categorized by topic.

Midnight Special Law Collective

An independent non-profit organization dedicated to providing legal trainings and accessible, relevant, democratic and accountable legal support to a wide range of activists participating in the struggle for social change.

National Lawyers' Guild

an association dedicated to the need for basic change in the structure of our political and economic system. The Guild unites lawyers, law students, and legal workers as an effective political and social force in the service of the people. If you are arrested or detained, call the National Lawyers Guild at 212-679-6018. They will also have 400 to 500 lawyers and legal observers in the crowds on Sunday. They are wearing green hats.

New York Civil Liberties Union

Articles on efforts to limit police tactics and to protect First Amendment rights
at RNC. Also contains section on Civil Liberties post 9/11.

New York Courts and Law Guide

Compiled by the New York Law Journal and New York Court system. Contains links
to New York law on legal topics and to information about New York state and
federal courts.

NY: American Law
Sources Online


Menu based search for New York law. Includes legislation, court cases and regulations.
Links to NYC Charter and Administrative Code.

People’s Law Collective

PLC is operating a Legal Hotline for the RNC. Website contains information on
the ins and outs of the NYC criminal justice system., directions to the courthouse,
important phone numbers and advice on local laws, and how to handle the NYPD.

Reporters' Committee for Freedom of the Press

The RCFP has arranged legal help for credentialed press covering the convention.
Attorneys from Levine, Sullivan, Koch & Schulz, LLP will be available via
the 24-hour "Media Hotline" to offer cost-free legal advice and representation with regard to convention access and coverage. The hotline phone number is (212) 850-6122. So get your press credentials NOW!

Homeless Law Blog

This blog is intended to be a research guide for homeless people trying to learn about their legal rights and liabilities. It presents typical legal questions that arise in homeless life and then answers them by introducing likely areas of law to investigate, showing search terms, and giving leads to primary law sources.