Written by Christa W.
While legal concerns and documentation can often feel overwhelming and expensive, your library card can access many resources! In addition to the many print books found by searching on our library catalog, legal forms, Nolo guides, “how-to” instructions and more are available online 24/7.
Here are a few ways to get started with a wide-range of legal issues with Sno-Isle Libraries:
- Sno-Isle Libraries print collection, searchable in the Online Catalog.
- Legal Information Source
- Legal Forms (specific to Washington State)
Legal Information Source
Providing online full text for many of the top consumer legal reference books, Legal Information Source contains more than 310 full-text publications and thousands of legal forms. Many of the full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation's oldest and most-respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses.
This database offers the everyday user the necessary tools and detailed “how-to” instructions to independently address a wide-range of legal issues including business law, financial planning, family law, property & real estate and rights & disputes.
The Basic Search screen is the default search screen in Legal Information Source on Explora and offers keyword searching as well as the ability to browse by topic.
To create a Basic Search:
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Enter your search terms in the search box on the home screen.
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As you type, the Autocomplete feature will anticipate your search terms, so even if you misspell a term, relevant popular searches and publications appear in the drop-down menu. Click a popular term or publication in the menu or click the magnifying glass to run your search.
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The Result List displays. Click on the title to view the article details screen, or click the Access options button to view the available full text options.
- You can filter your results using the options below the search box.
- Click the bookmark icon to save the article to the dashboard.
Notes:
- To revise your search, you can apply the limiters under the search box or click the All filters button to view all available limiters.
- If you click the Explora logo, you are returned to the Home Page with your search terms cleared and search parameters reset.
- If you click the Advanced Search link below the search box, you are taken to the Advanced Search Screen with your search terms carried forward.
For more tips on using Legal Information Source, visit their Quick Start Guide.
Legal Forms
Thousands of legal forms are available with more forms being added daily. Official, State Specific, Federal, Business, Personal, Real Estate and General forms covering hundreds of legal subjects and issues.
The form areas listed on the home page for your State are only a small sample of the form areas included. To locate other forms, you should use the search feature located on the left menu. This page provides information about how to use the search feature to locate forms.
General Guidelines
- Do not use connectors such as "and" or "or".
- Do not use quotes in your search.
- Do not use ( ) in your search.
- The Search allows you to use one word or a combination of words.
For more tips on using Legal Forms, see "Search Help" or view their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Community Resources
- Washington Law Help - A guide to free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Washington. This site provides legal education materials and tools that give you basic information on several legal problems, and in some cases, detailed instructions and forms to help you represent yourself in court. You can also locate information on free legal aid programs in Washington, including basic eligibility and contact information. This website is maintained by staff at the Northwest Justice Project (NJP).
- Snohomish County Legal Services - Staff attorneys are available for immediate emergency assistance and highly complex cases, volunteer attorneys and paralegals for advice and legal representation, and a series of clinics and workshops that empower clients in self-advocacy and self-sufficiency (housing justice, divorce, wills, and debt/bankruptcy). Snohomish County Legal Services offers a monthly general legal clinic in the Mill Creek Library.
- Snohomish County Bar Association – Provides lawyer consultation referrals for a 30-minute phone consultation with an attorney for $75 + a non-refundable processing fee of $2.48. The consultations are for advice, not document review or emergencies.
Need More Help? Ask Us!
Still have questions about how to access legal resources from Sno-Isle Libraries and in the community? Book a Librarian to arrange for a personalized virtual or in-person session with a library professional. Receive one-on-one, step-by-step instruction on downloading editable forms or accessing Nolo Guides online and discovering other community resources.
Information provided by the Sno-Isle Libraries does not imply recommendation or endorsement, is not interpreted and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a (law, engineering, financial, health care, etc.) provider.
