Legal Resources

It is unlawful for York County Public Library staff to help users interpret legal materials or advise them how the law might apply to their situation since these actions would constitute the unauthorized practice of law. Library staff must limit themselves to advising you which materials might be helpful to you, where they are located, and how to find information in them.

Library Resources

CaseFinder Web
Produced by Geronimo Development Corporation, CaseFinder Web is a complete, online Virginia legal research system. Twenty databases are updated daily with the latest decisions, statutes, and amendments. When logging in to CaseFinder Web, use the Customer ID: YORK03W, Password: exlibris, and Profile Name: YCPL.

Gale Legal Forms
Gale Legal Forms provides a wide selection of state specific, Federal, business, personal, real estate, and general legal forms. It includes real estate contracts, wills, pre-marital agreements, bankruptcy, divorce, and many other forms. Also included is a comprehensive state attorney directory and a dictionary of legal definitions explained in laymen’s language.

Nolo Publications
Search the library catalog for do-it-yourself books for consumers and small-business owners from Nolo Publications.

Universal Class
Universal Class offers self-paced, online, introductory courses in legal terminology, contract law, and employment law fundamentals.

Westlaw Patron Access (in-library only)
Westlaw provides access to primary materials from both federal and state courts. Information includes cases, statutes, court rules, regulations, briefs, legal forms, secondary sources, KeyCite, Litigation Analytics, Practical Law, and more. To end your Westlaw research session, click "Sign Off" at the top of any page. Session-based tools, such as history and preferences, are wiped clean after each user to ensure patron privacy.

Recommended Websites

Virginia Law Portal
The Virginia Law Portal is the online home of the Constitution of Virginia, Code of Virginia, Uncodified Acts of Assembly, Regulations of Virginia, Charters and Authorities of Virginia Localities, and Compacts of Virginia. Visitors can search across all of Virginia Law to find the information they want, without having to know where the information resides.

Virginia State Bar Public Resources
The Virginia State Bar seeks to increase public access to legal services by providing information about free and low-cost legal resources.

Virginia’s Judicial System
Access information for all courts in Virginia including the Supreme Court of Virginia, the Court of Appeals of Virginia, circuit courts in thirty-one judicial circuits, general district and juvenile and domestic relations district courts in thirty-two districts, and magistrates in offices in thirty-two districts. Information is available for citizens, the legal community, and for students/teachers.