La Retama Central Library
Location
805 Comanche
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Hours:
Sun. - Mon.: Closed
Tue. - Sat.: 10AM to 6PM
Call Us:
(361) 826-7000
(361) 826-7046 - Fax
Email Us:
library@cclibraries.com
For Branch Library Information Click Here....
Virtual Reference
Legal Resources for the Layperson
There are many books and websites available specifically to help the lay person obtain information on legal topics. The resource may be written to provide a general overview of the subject or may be geared to laying the foundation for self-representation in legal action.
Most often information will need to be gathered from multiple sources. To successfully accomplish your legal research goal, allow plenty of time to thoroughly read the materials.
When using either printed information or Internet resources it is important to note the date of the document and to consider if the law may have changed since that time.
It is most important to evaluate Internet sites that may be used for legal help. While many reliable sources do exist on the Internet there are also sites which provide misinformation. Some suggestions for evaluating what you find on the Internet are:
- Who is the actual publisher of the information?
- Is this a reliable source?
- Is the information up-to-date?
- Is the information source clearly designated?
- Does the coverage of the topic appear to be complete?
Educating oneself with adequate information is the first step in wise decision making. Self-educating does not replace professional legal advice. This information brochure is a guide to self-education, it does not constitute legal advice of any kind. An attorney should be contacted for information about specific legal issues.
Top of pageLegal Aid Agencies
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Corpus Christi Law Center
Nueces County Courthouse
901 Leopard St.
Room 105
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 888-0282
Texas Legal Services Center
Hotline 1-800-622-2520
For Texas citizens age 60 or over.
Internet Resources
Top of pageTexas Law and Legal Issues
TexasLawHelp.org
Designed to help Texans understand their legal rights and options in civil matters this site provides free information, forms, legal aid offices and volunteer legal programs.
FreeTexasForms.org
Free forms for divorce, paternity, judgments and more.
TexasOnline.com
Use this site to order Texas birth, death, marriage and divorce records. Also links to city, county and state information.
Texas Law Librarians
Designed for Texas legal librarians this site links to Texas and federal legal information.
Harris County Law Info Page
Links to Texas and Federal law provided by Harris County.
Texas Sex Offender Registry
Texas Department of Public Safety online sex offender registry.
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice site includes victim services, offender location information, and TDCJ unit information.
Texas Legal Services
The Texas Legal Services Center website provides information sheets on many legal topics of interest. A hotline is provided for Texans 60 years of age or older.
Texas Advocacy Project
Texas Advocacy Project provides information and hotlines for family law, sexual assault, family violence, technical advocacy and the Teen Justice hotline.
Texas Tenant Advisor
Texas Tenants Advisor offers general information about tenant rights in Texas.
Coastal Bend Better Business Bureau
Advocacy Inc.
Austin non-profit for the advocacy to protect and advance the legal, human and service rights of people with disabilities.
Law Libraries
The Law Library of Congress
The Law Library of Congress provides this annotated guide to law online which includes selected links to reliable legal information. Sites offering the full texts of laws, regulations, and court decisions are given. Links to federal, state and international sites are provided.
Texas State Law Library
Texas State Library links to Federal and Texas courts and court rules, Texas law, self-help information and other state and federal information.
Unversity of Texas School of Law Library
University of Texas School of Law Library provides links by subject area to multiple legal sites.
SMU Law Library
Underwood Law Library website at SMU in Dallas offers links by topic including Texas general and specific law.
Washburn School of Law
A free service of Washburn University School of Law this site offers extensive links to State, Federal and International law sources.
Southern Illinois Law School Library
Southern Illinois University School of Law Library links to websites by topics.
Internet Law Library
The Internet Law Library links to a large number of legal resources relating to Federal, State and foreign laws. Included is a link to the Code of Federal Regulations online.
General Legal Information
Findlaw.com
This free website is designed to help find answers to everyday legal issues and as a source to find an attorney when needed. The site includes case law, state and federal statutes, and legal news.
FindForms.com
A search engine designed to find free legal forms and documents including contracts, agreements, letters, court forms and pleadings.
FindLegalHelp.com
This consumer guide for legal help provided by the American Bar Association lists specific state resources. Included are guides to self-help, state courts, lists of free legal services and lawyer referral.
AARP Legal Issues
AARP's guide to legal issues which affect those 55+.
ILRG.com
Hundreds of public legal forms are available from this site. The secret is to scroll down past the ad to sell the form to the actual form. Highlight the information, copy and paste it into your word processing document.
Seniors.gov
Law, regulations and issues concerning seniors.
Books
Books are shelved by Dewey Decimal Code, which corresponds to the general subject of the book.
| Affirmative Action | 342.0873 |
| Americans with Disabilities Law | 346.013 |
| Attorney & Client | 340 and 340.23 |
| Authors/Publishers | 343.0780705 |
| Automobile Law | 343.0946 |
| Aviation Law | 343.097 |
| Bankruptcy Law | 346.078 |
| Child Custody Rights | 346.0173 |
| Child Custody Law | 346.764017 |
| Children's Rights | 345.73 |
| Civil Rights | 342.085 |
| Constitutional Law | 342.02 and 342.73 |
| Construction Contracts | 343.078624 |
| Consumer Protection | 343.071 |
| Contracts | 346.022 |
| Criminal Procedure | 345.05 |
| Cyber Law | 343.09944 |
| Debtor's Rights | 346.077 |
| Dictionary/Thesaurus | 340.03 |
| Directories | 340.025 |
| Dispute Resolution | 347.739 |
| Divorce | 346.76401 |
| Eminent Domain | 343.0252 |
| Employee/Employer Rights | 344.01 |
| Employment Law (Texas) | 344.76401 |
| Environmental Law | 344.046 |
| Estate Planning | 346.05 |
| Estate Taxes | 343.053 |
| Family Law | 346.764015 |
| Family/Medical Leave | 344.7301 |
| Flood Insurance | 346.0861 |
| Forms (Law) | 347.7355 |
| General Forms (Texas) | 347.764055 |
| Grand Jury | 345.07 |
| Grandparent's Rights | 346.015 |
| Gun Rights | 344.0533 |
| Immigration Law | 342.082 |
| Insanity Defense | 345.04 |
| Jury | 347.0752 |
| Landlord & Tenant | 346.76404 |
| Law School Admissions Test | 340.076 |
| Law-General | 349.73 |
| Legal Research | 348.072 |
| Legal Rights (Texas) | 349.764 |
| Lemon Law | 343.0944 |
| Living Wills | 344.04197 |
| Medical Malpractice | 346.0332 |
| Music Law | 344.097 |
| Name Change | 346.764012 |
| Parent & Child | 346.017 |
| Patents/Intellectual Prop | 346.048 |
| Pension Protection | 344.01252 |
| Personal Injury | 346.033 |
| Power of Attorney | 346.029 |
| Prenuptials | 346.016 |
| Pro Se | 347.5 |
| Public Education Rights | 344.071 |
| Real Estate Contracts | 346.043 |
| Restaurant Law | 343.07864795 |
| Self-Employed | 343.0526 |
| Senior Rights | 346.013 |
| Small Business Law | 346.0652 |
| Small Claims | 347.7304 |
| Social Security | 344.023 |
| Special Education | 371.90973 |
| Tax Issues | 343.04 |
| Texas Business Law | 346.764065 |
| Texas Constitution | 342.764 |
| Texas Corporations | 346.764 |
| Texas Estate & Probate | 346.764052 |
| Texas Penal Code | 345.764 |
| Texas Wills & Trusts | 346.764054 |
| Traffic Violations | 345.0247 |
| U.S. Statutes | 345.11 |
| Unmarried Couples | 346.016 |
| Vernon's Texas | 348.764 |
| Victim Rights | 344.03288 |
| Wills, Estates, Probate | 346.052 |
| Women's Rights | 346.0134 |
| Worker's Comp Law | 344.021 |