| Law Library
221 South Mooney Boulevard, Room 1
County Courthouse
Visalia, California 93291
Phone (559) 733-6395
Office Hours: 8:00 AM -5:00 PM Monday-Friday
Closed on weekends and county holidays
Send e-mail to:
abernard@co.tulare.ca.us
Anne R. Bernardo
Director
Diane E. Mathis | Research
Assistant
Florence van der Tas |
Research Assistant
A team of highly skilled professionals, the staff provides appropriate
resources to meet the legal research and information needs of the Library's
patrons. The director and staff members serve at the will of the Board of
Law Library Trustees.
Mission Statement
The Tulare County Public Law Library is established under the authority of
Chapter 5 of Division 3 of the California Business & Professions Code,
comprised of sections 6300 through 6365 of that Code, and Tulare County
Ordinance, Section 1-03-2130. The primary obligation of the Library is to
provide legal information and information services to members of the legal
community and citizens who reside or practice in Tulare County. It is the
goal of the Library to provide current legal material which supports the
knowledge of law in Tulare County. The collection will be maintained in good
order and accessible to all users. Public service will be provided to assist
Library users in the utilization of the Library's holdings. The Library also
seeks to make available the benefits of new technology to enhance and widen
services.
Open To The Public
Use of the Public Law Library's collection is free to all who enter the
Library.
The Tulare County Public Law Library is a free law library serving the
bench, bar, and citizens of Tulare County. California statutes have provided
for a County Public Law Library system - a separate governmental entity - in
each county of the State since 1891. The Tulare County Public Law Library
focuses on practice materials for attorneys and lay persons. Funded by a
small share of the county's superior court civil case filing fees, the
Tulare County Public Law Library receives no tax support or contribution
from the county's general fund.
Board Of Law Library Trustees
The Board of Trustees establishes library policy and budget. Membership
consists of five Superior Court judges, the chairman of the Board of
Supervisors or representative, and an attorney appointed by the Board of
Supervisors. The Director of the Law Library serves as Secretary to the
Board. Board meetings are open to the public and agendas are posted on the
Public Law Library's hallway bulletin board.
- Judge Paul Vortmann, President
- Commissioner Brett Alldredge
- John P. Bianco, Esq.
- Judge Ronn Couillard
- Commissioner Hugo Loza
- Michael Sheltzer, Esq.
- Judge Martin Staven
- Dr. Sally Reynoso, Education Liaison
Bar Association Advisory Committee
Appointments are made by the president of the Tulare County Bar
Association.
- Peter Sherwood, Esq., Chairman
- G. Scott Benker, Esq.
- Peter Cowper, Esq.
- Tim Donohue, Esq.
- Carla Khal, Esq.
- Don Gallian, Esq.
Services
Reference Assistance
Library staff is available to guide and
instruct patrons to appropriate legal materials in print or electronic
format. Telephone reference is limited to reading short sections of cases,
statutes or secondary sources when a specific cite is given by the caller
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL LEGAL ADVICE BE GIVEN.
CD-ROM and Internet workstations
Contains California cases, codes,
regulations, and attorney general's opinions, U.S. Supreme Court and Federal
Court cases, U.S. codes, Shepard's California citations, the Rutter Group
and Witkin Libraries, ALR, and CCH Tax Series. Can print or save to disk.
Photocopiers
Two self-help copiers for 8 1/2x11" and 8
1/2x14" sheets at 20 cents per page.
Other Services And Features
Interlibrary loans, WESTLaw ®, WESTCheck ®
LexisNexis, & Internet, public FAX, office software programs, typewriters,
family law facilitator computer, and conference rooms.
The Collection
A reference library only, the collection is
organized by legal subject / areas of law. More than 18,000 volumes and
compact disks contain:
California and Federal codes, statutes,
administrative regulations, court opinions, and selected agency decisions,
court rules, ordinances for Visalia and surrounding cities and Tulare County
and surrounding counties.
California and Federal practice and research
tools including digests, encyclopedias, form books, Shepard's, Continuing
Education of the Bar and Rutter Group publications, jury verdicts, and jury
instructions.
Law journals, law-related periodicals and
newspapers, dictionaries and directories, and self-help law books.
Links To Related Websites
Send e-mail to:
abernard@co.tulare.ca.us
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