Free Access to Lexis (and more!) to Help You #StayHomeWorkSafe

As we all #StayHomeWorkSafe here in Harris County through April 30, access to legal research databases that are typically available at the Law Library may be hard to find. That’s why our law librarians are constantly working with our vendors to make more information available to you remotely during this difficult time. While you’re doing all you can to help stop the spread of COVID-19, we’re still here to help… virtually, of course.

Free Access to Lexis Advance

Access to professional legal resources, like LexisNexis, is essential for legal researchers. Tools like citators, headnotes, and annotations that help researchers determine if a case or statute is still “good law” are copyrighted and only available through expensive database subscriptions (learn more with our on-demand video training Blending Your Legal Research). That’s why free access to Lexis Advance is such a big deal and why we’re very pleased to announce that Harris County Law Library patrons can now sign up for a free 30-day account. Visit the registration page to sign up for your free account now.

Document Delivery from the Law Library’s Legal Research Databases

Even with free access to standard tools from Lexis at your disposal, not every copyrighted practice guide, form book, and treatise is available to you. Under normal circumstances, everyone has access to robust subscriptions from Lexis eBooks, Westlaw, Lexis Advance, HeinOnline, State Bar of Texas Practice Manuals, and more within steps of the courthouse on the Law Library’s research computers. To help maintain access while we’re all working remotely, our law librarians can make many of these materials available to you via email through our Virtual Reference Desk. If you need a document, let us know and one of our law librarians will provide it to you via email (subject to limitations set by the vendor) as soon as possible.

Additional Options to Stay Connected

More free access to legal research databases to keep you working while we #FlattenTheCurve:

• The Texas State Law Library offers access to several databases to all Texans through its website. If you are in Texas, you can sign up for a free account and learn more about accessing Lexis eBooks, Fastcase, HeinOnline, and more at https://guides.sll.texas.gov/electronic-databases/remote.

• Casetext is offering free access to its AI-powered legal research platform through April 23 for attorneys who are unable to access their usual research resources. More details at https://casetext.com/covid-access/.

• Texas Bar Books is offering free access to the Texas Guardianship Manual Online through May 31. The Manual includes a wide range of power of attorney and advance directive documents that many attorneys will find useful while assisting clients during the current public health concerns.

• New Emergency Procedure Forms from the Texas Family Law Practice Manual are now available for free online. The new forms help attorneys and litigants request modification of deadlines, leave to appear remotely, and other procedures in family courts during times of public emergency.

• Visit the Harris County Law Library’s Online Legal Research Tools page to learn more about free access to digital legal materials at your fingertips!

---

Blending Your Research Resources

Learn more about incorporating free online resources into your legal research routine with the Law Library’s one-hour, on-demand CLE video titled “Blending Your Legal Research” Stream it now on our Legal Tech Institute Learn On-Demand page.

The Law Library is open... virtually!

Like many public spaces, the Law Library is currently closed to the public as public health concerns continue. However, many of the valuable services and resources are still available through our Virtual Reference Desk.

As many professionals in our local legal community transition to working remotely, access to the legal databases that they typically access in the Law Library remains important. Likewise, self-represented litigants have fewer options to access the resources they need to access justice as public spaces are temporarily closed.

The Law Library is here to help. We have worked with vendors, including Lexis, Westlaw, HeinOnline, and the State Bar of Texas, to make valuable resources available through document delivery via our Virtual Reference Desk. Our law librarians are standing by to help you find the legal research materials you need to Stay Home and Work Safe!

Our law librarians are also collecting the information you need to comply with emerging tech requirements. For example, as local courts transition to video conferencing for hearings and more depositions take place remotely, our Video Conference Resource Guide helps you find the learning opportunities you need to keep working in the new normal. Download your copy here!

Learn more about remote depositions and video conferencing with a new video CLE from the Houston Bar Association!

Now is a great time to improve your tech skills with training opportunities from the Law Library’s Legal Tech Institute. Visit the Learn On-Demand page to find learning opportunities that are available at home or on the go.

Video Conference Resource Guide

In the near future, courts across Texas will begin using Zoom for hearings and other matters. Attorneys will likely want to incorporate more social distancing into their practice while maintaining client relationships using video conferencing as well. To help Harris County’s legal community get ready, the Law Library has assembled the Video Conference Resource Guide. Find links to a variety of video conferencing platforms and guides to help legal professionals incorporate these platforms into practice.

Need help finding more resources to support your legal research while you #StayHomeWorkSafe? Visit our Virtual Reference Desk!

COVID-19 Crisis Resources from the National Consumer Law Center Digital Library

COVID-19 has become a global public health crisis, causing countless individuals around the world to experience personal medical crises. Yet for many, these problems are compounded by, or even outweighed by, financial crisis resulting from the pandemic.

In recognition of this, the National Consumer Law Center is offering free and discounted resources available to all, online, through its excellent Digital Library.

Additionally, NCLC’s Digital Library also now features an expanding, up-to-date list of new US consumer protections being rolled out in response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation.

These resources are invaluable for any lay person facing financial difficulties as a result of the crisis, as well as attorneys looking to keep abreast of the swiftly changing landscape in these uncertain times.

Latest & Greatest – Representing People with Mental Disabilities: A Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Best Practices Manual

Edited by Elizabeth Kelley

Published by American Bar Association

KF 9240 .R47 2018

Photo Credit: Helen Hartman

A criminal defense lawyer’s job is never easy, and that job can become even more challenging if the client is one with a mental disability. In such cases, many more issues can arise. Not only does the lawyer need to be well versed in criminal law but also he should have some understanding of how those laws can affect a mentally disabled client.  Sound intimidating? It can be, but editor and criminal defense lawyer Elizabeth Kelley has been in your shoes and can offer some guidance in the form of a new book, Representing People with Mental Disabilities: A Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Best Practices Manual. Written by criminal defense lawyers and mental health experts, Representing People with Mental Disabilities delves into some of the unique issues faced by defendants with mental disabilities, such as competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, and the use of mental disability as mitigation. In addition, there are discussions about forced medication, jail and prison conditions, and special courts, such as mental health courts and veterans treatment courts. On a more personal note, the editor has included chapters devoted to practical tips and advice for working with clients, families, and experts. 

Each chapter begins with an introduction by the editor, and in the back of the book, you will find a list of suggested works for further reading. These titles are arranged according to chapter and include books, articles, and websites. Representing People with Mental Disabilities is meant to be a practical guide and is “the resource [Elizabeth Kelley wishes she had when she] started practicing.” You can find it in the Criminal Law section at the Harris County Law Library.