Utah State Law Library

When disasters hit, people need immediate help getting medical treatment, food, water, clothing, and shelter. But, people also need help with a wide range of legal issues related to those disasters. Here is a list recently posted by Matthew Burnett on www.techno.la of some national online resources on disaster law:

DisasterLegalAid.org – A national disaster law resource for both lawyers and the public by the American Bar Association, Legal Services Corporation, National Legal Aid and Defender Association and Pro Bono Net.

KatrinaLegalAid.org for Katrina-specific resources.

ABA Disaster Law Resources – Legal information for victims and lawyers about disaster preparedness, resources and recovery by the American Bar Association, including the ABA’s Principles for Rule of Law in Times of Major Disaster (PDF) and the State Implementation of ABA Model Court Rule on Provision of Legal Services Following Determination of Major Disaster (PDF).

Disasters & the Law Database – An excellent database of disaster law resources by the UC Berkeley School of Law.

Immigrants and Disaster Assistance - Fact sheets, issue briefs, advocacy resources, articles, reports, and community education materials by the National Immigration Law Center, as well as links to disaster resources from other nonprofits and government agencies.

Posted by Mary Jane Ciccarello at 02:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Are you renting a house or an apartment that is being foreclosed?

Thanks to new Federal legislation, you may have the right to stay in the foreclosed property up to 90 days after the date of foreclosure or through the end of your lease, depending on whether the property will be used as a primary residence by the new owner. You'll want to consult the law to see what provisions apply to your situation.

President Obama signed Public Law No. 111-22 on May 20, 2009. The act protecting renters living in foreclosed property is part of the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009.

Posted by Mari Cheney at 08:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The wireless password for the week of May 25, 2009 is owner.

More information about wireless access in Utah's courthouses.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 06:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We're back from our library road show. We met with librarians, court staff, and the public throughout Southeastern Utah, with stops in Price, Moab, Monticello, and Mexican Hat.

The librarians were trained on court resources, especially those available for free, so they could become navigators of the Courts' website for their own patrons. Library patrons attended public information sessions, where we focused on resources for self-represented parties, including OCAP, other court forms, and the Self-Help Center. We encouraged librarians and patrons to call with any legal reference questions, emphasizing that we are a state-wide law library. We also met with court employees to share resources and brainstorm about how to update employees in rural areas with new forms and changes to Court resources.

One of the most interesting visits was with an attorney practicing on the Navajo Reservation near Mexican Hat. While he represents clients mostly in Navajo court, he occasionally refers people living outside of the reservation in Utah to district court. We provided him with information about the Courts' website and the Self-Help Center.

Posted by Mari Cheney at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The library and all Utah State Courts will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.

According to Federal law, Memorial Day is a legal public holiday to be celebrated on the last Monday of May. See 5 U.S.C. § 6103. In 1950, Federal law changed the date of celebration from May 30 to the current date. However, some states continue to hold Memorial Day celebrations on May 30.

For more information about the origins of Memorial Day, check out the Department of Veterans Affairs' website and the Library of Congress' page called "Today in History: May 30."

Posted by Mari Cheney at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The wireless password for the week of May 18, 2009 is north.

More information about wireless access in Utah's courthouses.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thinking about filing a small claims case? Want to learn more about the small claims process in Utah?

The Utah State Law Library is offering a free class for the public about small claims cases tonight. Topics include:

• Small claims process
• Rules of Small Claims Procedure
• Small claims forms
• An overview of collecting a judgment
• Appealing a small claims case

When
Tonight - Thursday, May 14th
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Instructor
Tim Shea, Senior Staff Attorney, Utah State Courts

Space Still Available!
Please call 801-238-7990 or email library@email.utcourts.gov to reserve your spot.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 08:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There's a new Changing Lawyers web page on the court's website that explains the issues surrounding the withdrawal of an attorney, substitution of counsel or notice of appearance, and provides forms for these situations.

This page is linked from our Finding Legal Help page, which provides a number of suggestions for ways to deal with legal issues.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 01:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There's a new Proof of Service form available on the Utah State Courts' website. It's linked from our Service page, which is one of many resources you can access from the Self-Help Resources page.

Another useful service-related resource is our Finding People for Service of Process page, which offers nearly two dozen suggestions for ways to find people to notify them about a lawsuit filed against them.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Are you caring for your mother who can no longer make decisions about her care? Are you responsible for a disabled adult child? Do you have questions about how to establish a guardianship for an adult?

The Utah State Law Library is offering a free class for the public about asking the court for a guardianship of an adult. Topics include:

• Who can be a guardian
• Why you might want a guardianship
• The difference between a guardianship and conservatorship
• The rights and responsibilities of a guardian
• How to request a guardianship appointment
• How to terminate a guardianship appointment

When
Thursday, June 18th
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Where
Matheson Courthouse, 450 South State Street

Instructor
TantaLisa Clayton, Attorney, Utah Legal Services

Register Today!
Class size is limited. Please call 801-238-7990 or email library@email.utcourts.gov to reserve your spot.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Utah State Law Library is offering a free class for the public about landlord-tenant law in Utah. The class will cover the basic rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants, as well as provide a description of the eviction process.

When
Thursday, June 25th
5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Where
Matheson Courthouse, 450 South State Street

Instructor
Ken Bresin, Attorney, Utah Legal Services

Register Today!
Class size is limited. Please call 801-238-7990 or email library@email.utcourts.gov to reserve your spot.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Many laws passed by the Utah Legislature during its 2009 session become effective today.

To review a list of those laws, go to the Utah Legislature's Bills Passed page. Click on the Effective Date column header to sort the list by effective date and scroll down to the listings for May 12, 2009.

The 2009 Digest of Legislation provides a subject index of passed legislation, and summary of each bill.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

As a reminder, some of the court's civil filing fees will increase on Tuesday, May 12th.

You can see all the fee changes by reading the enrolled copy of Senate Bill 184.

A few sample increases:

• Divorce or Separate Maintenance - increasing from $155 to $310
  
• Expungement - increasing from $65 to $135
  
• Garnishment - increasing from $35 to $50
  
• Modification of a divorce decree - increasing from $40 to $100
  
• Trial de novo from a Justice Court or small claims case - increasing from $75 to $225
  

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The wireless password for the week of May 11, 2009 is marsh.

More information about wireless access in Utah's courthouses.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thanks to a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant administered by the Utah State Library, two members of the law library staff are headed to Southeastern Utah to offer classes and information about the Utah State Law Library and the Utah State Courts to public librarians and residents.

On Monday, May 11, we'll be in Price, offering sessions to both public librarians and residents of Price and surrounding areas. On May 13 and 14, we'll be in Moab, offering similar sessions.

Our goal is to familiarize Utahns statewide about the resources available on the Courts' website, especially the resources available for people who are representing themselves in court. We're also hoping to encourage more people outside of Salt Lake to call or email the law library for help with their legal reference questions.

If you'd like more information about our outreach efforts throughout the state, contact us at 801-238-7990 or at library@email.utcourts.gov.

Posted by Mari Cheney at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

There's a new page on the Utah State Courts' website which provides information about answering a complaint or petition and an Answer form for civil matters.

This is one of many resources you can access from the Self-Help Resources page.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The wireless password for the week of May 4, 2009 is logan.

More information about wireless access in Utah's courthouses.

Posted by Jessica Van Buren at 07:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Utah State Courts webpage on Small Claims has been updated. The new page contains loads of information about handling small claims cases and forms for all aspects of a small claims matter.

Posted by Mary Jane Ciccarello at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)