Carson City Clinics for Self-Represented Litigants

Nevada Legal Services will be holding the following clinics in Carson City in November and December.  If you are interested in clinics and educational classes in other parts of the state, check out NLS' News/Events page, as well as the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada's Calendar.  

November 2012
11/13: Self Help (Supreme Court Law Library) 1:30–3:30 pm
11/20: Guardianship (Supreme Court Law Library) 12:30–2:30 pm
11/29: Self Help (Carson Public Library) 1:00–3:00 pm

December 2012
12/11: Self Help (Supreme Court Law Library) 1:30–3:30 pm
12/20: Self Help (Carson Public Library) 1:00–3:00 pm

The Self Help forms completion clinics include general instruction regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available. Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.

The Supreme Court Law Library is located at 201 S. Carson Street. Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  The Carson City Library is located at 900 N. Roop Street.

New Library Conference Room Available for Reservation





We recently converted the microfiche room into a conference room. Like our other conference rooms, it is available for reservation (call 775-684-1640). Unlike our other conference rooms, it does not have video or teleconference capabilities, so you will need to use Room 104/105 or Room 107 if a party is appearing telephonically. Room 103 seats six to ten people.

 



Upcoming Nevada Legal Services Clinics in Carson City

Nevada Legal Services has announced its legal aid clinic schedule for Carson City for the rest of the year.  If you are interested in clinics and educational classes in other parts of the state, check out NLS' News/Events page, as well as the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada's Calendar. 

October 2012
10/9: Self Help (Supreme Court Law Library) 1:30–3:30 pm
10/25: Ask a Lawyer (Supreme Court Library) 9:00 am–12:00 pm (topics include family law, bankruptcy, wills/probate)
10/25: Self Help (Carson Public Library) 1:00–3:00 pm
10/25: Mortgage/Foreclosure/Short Sale – You have options (Carson Public Library) 3:30–5:00 pm

November 2012
11/13: Self Help (Supreme Court Law Library) 1:30–3:30 pm
11/20: Guardianship (Supreme Court Law Library) 12:30–2:30 pm
11/29: Self Help (Carson Public Library) 1:00–3:00 pm

December 2012
12/11: Self Help (Supreme Court Law Library) 1:30–3:30 pm
12/20: Self Help (Carson Public Library) 1:00–3:00 pm

The Self Help forms completion clinics include general instruction regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available. Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.

The Supreme Court Law Library is located at 201 S. Carson Street. Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  The Carson City Library is located at 900 N. Roop Street. 

Social Media Use By Jurors

There's an interesting article on Third Branch News - the U.S. Courts news website - on an update to the model jury instructions used by Federal judges to deter the use of social media by jurors during trial. 

A Judicial Conference Committee has updated the model set of jury instructions(pdf) federal judges use to deter jurors from using social media to research or communicate about cases on which they serve. The new guidelines provide detailed explanations of the consequences of social media use during a trial, along with recommendations for repeated reminders of the ban on social media usage.

September Nevada Legal Services Forms Completion Workshop

Nevada Legal Services will hold a free self-help forms completion clinic at the Supreme Court library on Tuesday, September 11th from 1:30 to 3:30.  General instruction regarding the completion of self-help forms will be provided and a Notary Public will be available. Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214. The Library is located at 201 S. Carson Street. Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court. This program will be repeated the second Tuesday of each month.

Nevada Legal Services holds the same forms completion workshop at the Carson City Library, usually on the fourth Thursday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.  An educational clinic follows from 3:30 to 5 p.m.  Check the Events page for information on the educational clinic schedule.

Information about additional NLS clinics is available on its NLS News and Events page.

Westlaw Search Tip - Stop Words

You may be used to using the number sign (#) on Twitter as a hashtag.  Searching for #HR4636 from the example below will retrieve other tweets with #HR4646.

Check out THOMAS' Top Ten legislative items, compiled on 8/12/2012 thomas.loc.gov/home/topten/to… #HR4646 #HR1776#HR1627 #HR3012#HR4348
— THOMASdotgov (@THOMASdotgov) August 13, 2012

The number sign has a different function on Westlaw.  Use it to turn off auto-equivalents (1 or one), alternative spellings (color or colour) and plurals (join and joins) in your boolean search.  It also makes stop words searchable.  Stop words are common words like after, before, between and adding the number sign before the word forces Westlaw to include it in the search result. You can read more about stop words in the September/October 2010 issue of Westlaw Edge.

New Acquisitions

We wanted to highlight a new title recently added to the collection.

Limited scope legal services : unbundling and the self-help client / Stephanie L. Kimbro.   Published by the the ABA Law Practice Management Section and available from the ABA Bookstore.

In this rapidly changing economic and legal climate, lawyers are seeking new methods for delivering their services efficiently and effectively while attracting new types of clients. For many firms, limited scope representation--also known as à la carte or unbundled legal services--may be the solution. By providing representation for a clearly defined portion of the client's legal needs, such as preparing a legal document or making limited court appearances, lawyers can market their practice to an entirely new client base and give their firm a competitive advantage. The only book available on the topic, Limited Scope Legal Services provides lawyers of all types--from solo to big law--with practical, tested solutions for setting up unbundling practices in their firms. This book offers everything you need to get started with limited scope services, including:

•A step-by-step checklist for implementation
•Tips for unbundling in various practice areas
•An overview of ethics concerns and guidance for avoiding malpractice risk
•Best practices for billing and marketing
•Guidance about using technology to unbundle your services
•Case studies from a variety of firms
•Monitor your network with ease
•Sample limited scope agreements
•Advice about creating and building your brand

This book is available for check out.  Our loan period is two weeks and anyone with a valid Nevada library card, Nevada bar card or Nevada license or ID card may borrow library materials.

August Forms Completion Workshop

Nevada Legal Services will hold a self-help forms completion clinic Tuesday, August 14 for people who are filing without legal representation.  General instruction will be provided regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available.  Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.  The clinic will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 107 of the Supreme Court Library, 201 S. Carson Street.  Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  This program will be repeated each month on the second Tuesday

Presumptive Maximum Amounts of Child Support, July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013

Another fiscal year has ended and the presumptive maximum amounts of child support has been revised.  The presumptive maximum amounts for July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 (PDF) may be found on the Supreme Court's website under Documents and Forms | Self-Help/Pro Se | Family Division Forms. PMAs back to July 1, 2003 are also available from the court's website.

How to hire a good attorney for your business

There's an interesting article on the Vegas Inc. website this morning.  "How to Hire a Good Attorney" contains useful links to the Clark County Bar Association and the suggestions include to check with the State Bar of Nevada to see if potential attorneys or firms have been the subject of disciplinary actions.  The State Bar also runs a lawyer referral and information service, as does the Washoe County Bar Association. 

Nevada Legal Services will hold a self-help forms completion clinic on Tuesday, July 10 for people who are filing without legal representation.  General instruction will be provided regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available.  Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.  The clinic will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 107 of the Supreme Court Library, 201 S. Carson Street.  Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  This program will be repeated each month on the second Tuesday

Lyon County Small Estate Probate Forms

The Third Judicial District Court* recently posted forms for settling small estates (estates not exceeding $20,000).  There is an Affidavit of Entitlement For Estates, an Ex Parte Petition For Order Directing Transfer of Property Under NRS 146.080, and an Order Directing Transfer.  There is also a document containing NRS 146.080 (link to NRS on Legislature's website) and a Civil Cover Sheet.  All documents are MS-Word files.  For those in Southern Nevada, there are probate forms on the Clark County Court's website. 

*Click on the + next to Courts and again on the + next to Third Judicial District Court to display folders.

Forms Completion Clinic at Supreme Court Library

Nevada Legal Services will hold a self-help forms completion clinic next Tuesday, June 12 for people who are filing without legal representation.  General instruction will be provided regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available.  Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.  The clinic will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Room 107 of the Supreme Court Library, 201 S. Carson Street.  Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  This program will be repeated each month on the second Tuesday. 

Nevada Legal Services to Offer Forms Completion Workshops at Law Library

Nevada Legal Services will hold a self-help forms completion clinic for people who are filing without legal representation.  General instruction will be provided regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available.  Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.  The clinic will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in Room 107 of the Supreme Court Library, 201 S. Carson Street.  Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court.  This program will be repeated each month on the second Tuesday. 

Day 5 of National Library Week - Two Truths and a Lie

Today's the last chance to show how well you know our library's staff.  Can you spot Ann's lie?

1. Speaks Polish.
2. Has been P.E. teacher, High School swim coach, and Flight Attendant.
3. Won a poetry writing contest.

 Leave you answer in a comment below.  Answers will be posted on Monday.

  

Day 4 of National Library Week - Two Truths and a Lie

Next up is Gretchen.  Can you spot the lie? 

1. My favorite vegetable is spinach.
2. I sang with Nancy Wilson of the band "Heart."
3. I love to water-ski.

Leave your answer as a comment and be entered to win vendor swag.  We will announce the correct answers on Monday, April 16.

Westlaw Training at Nevada Supreme Court Library

The Supreme Court Library will be hosting a Westlaw* Patron Access training session on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, from 10-11 a.m. in Room 107.

Topics include using Westlaw Library Patron Access to:

• Use West editorial enhancements to get better results in both cases and statutes;
• Understand and use KeyCite graphical indicators to improve search results and citation validation;
• Review of natural language, and terms & connectors searching, and
• Review of online workflow tools such as using the “Copy with Reference” feature, Limit document display by fields, and efficient statutes browsing.

Attorneys can earn one general credit towards their Nevada CLE requirement.

*Free to search; results may be printed at $0.10 per page; downloading and emailing not available at this time.

*****************

Who:  Patrick McCahill, Research Specialist, Government Sales & Account Management

What:  Westlaw Training
When:  Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Where:  Supreme Court Library, Room 107
Why:  Learn to use Westlaw more efficiently to obtain better results in less time

No need to sign up in advance, drop-ins welcome.

Day 3 of National Library Week - Two Truths and a Lie

Today we are featuring the library's newest employee, Amanda.  Two of the following statements are true and one is a lie.  Can you spot the lie?

1. I have over 800 books.
2. I got my driver’s license when I was 18, not 16.
3. I love to knit.

Leave your answer in a comment below to be entered into a drawing for fabuluous vendor swag.

Day 2 of National Library Week - Two Truths and a Lie

Today we are featuring Christine in our Two Truths and a Lie game.

1. I played the string bass in the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra.
2. I won a trophy for faceting a 35 caret aquamarine.
3. I spent a lot of time in the Ozarks.

Which do you think is the lie?  Post your answer in a comment.  Correct answers will be entered in a contest to win some fabulous vendor swag. 

National Library Week - Two Truths and a Lie

How well do you know your library staff?  Today we are playing Two Truths and a Lie.  Post your answer in the comments and those who guess the lie correctly will be entered in a contest to win some awesome vendor swag.

1. I’ve driven cross-country five times.
2. My favorite book is Moby Dick.
3. When I was 28 years old, I was mistaken for 14. 

Paula

 

 

National Library Week

We are celebrating National Library week here at the Supreme Court Library with a variety of events. 

To start the week off, we are going to have a representative from the Carson City Library here from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Room 107 to give out Carson City Library cards.  State workers are eligible to obtain cards regardless of where they live.  The library card not only lets you use the Carson City Library's great collection of downloadable ebooks and audiobooks, but also to use the CLAN databases are available from the Nevada State Library and Archives.  CLAN databases include Ancestry.com and Learning Express. Use your barcode and password to access the Law Library's free WiFi without having to request a guest login and password.

On Friday, April 13, Nevada Legal Services will be holding a self-help forms completion clinic for people who are filing without legal representation.  General instruction will be provided regarding the completion of self-help forms.  A Notary Public will be available.  Register by calling 775-284-3491 x214.  The clinic will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. in Room 107 of the Supreme Court Library, 201 S. Carson Street.  Please use the Stewart Street entrance to the Supreme Court. 

During the week we will have a crossword puzzle, 2 Truths and a Lie contests to see who knows the most about library staff, and of course, a variety of treats.

Picture of the Week

Not many libraries maintain print card catalogs, though the Law Library still has one for those folks who like the serendipity of thumbing through cards or don't want the hassle of logging onto a computer.  For those that prefer electronics, the library also has an online catalog through its membership in the Cooperative Libraries Automated Network.  There is even a mobile version of the online catalog so you can access the library's holdings from your phone or tablet.  

Picture of the Week

The Law Library has a collection of superseded Nevada code volumes that includes every edition of the Nevada Revised Statutes.

U.S. Reports on HeinOnline

Do you know the Law Library subscribes to HeinOnline?  Most people think of the Law Journal Library (PDFs of law review articles) when they think of HeinOnline, but wait, there's more.  

HeinOnline is Hein’s premiere online product with more than 70 million pages of legal history available in an online, fully-searchable, image-based format.  HeinOnline bridges the gap in legal history by providing comprehensive coverage from inception of more than 1,600 law and law-related periodicals.  HeinOnline provides exact page images of the documents in PDF format just as they appear in the original print. This means that all charts, graphs, tables, pictures, hand written notes, photographs, and footnotes appear where they belong!   What makes HeinOnline unique aside from its image-based PDF content is its historical value and the availability of titles back to their inception.

Today we want to highlight the U.S. Supreme Court Library, which contains U.S. Reports from v. 1 (1754) to v. 551 (2007), U.S. Reports Preliminary Prints from v. 535 (2002) to v. 555 (2009) and slip opinions (2002-date). 

HeinOnline is available in the law library and is free to search.  Documents may be printed for $0.10 per page. 

Currency of Nevada Revised Statutes

The Nevada Legislature adjorned sine die on June 7, 2011 and all laws enacted by the legislature have been codified in the 2011 Reprint of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS), which was published in November, 2011 and updated (2012 R1) in January, 2012.  The Supreme Court Library has three copies of the 2011 NRS Reprint, all of which are current.  The online version on the legislature's website is current through the 2012 R1 supp., although it is unannotated.

LexisNexis and West also publish versions of the Nevada Revised Statutes -- Michie's Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated (NRSA) and West's Nevada Revised Statutes Annotated (West's NRSA) -- and both are in the Library's collection.  Unfortunately, as of the date of this posting, neither is current through the 2011 session.  Our LexisNexis and West representatives have informed us they expect to ship the 2011 cumulative supplements (pocket parts) in mid-April, 2012.

Westlaw's Nevada Statutes database (NV-ST-ANN for all the Classic Westlaw users among us) is current through the the 2009 75th Regular Session and the 2010 26th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature.  There should be red KeyCite flags for any section that has been amended by the 2011 session and links to the Nevada Legislative Service (NV-LEGIS) database which contains the 2011 session laws.

Track Filings in Federal Cases Using Pacer RSS Feeds

Automatic Notification Available for PACER

Federal courts now provide automatic case notification through the use of RSS feeds, allowing the public to easily stay informed of newly docketed events.

To do so, anyone can subscribe to a court’s RSS feed, which is free and includes automatic notification of activity in individual cases the user selects.

While the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has not yet implemented RSS feeds, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada has. 

Free Westlaw Training at the Supreme Court Library

Did you know the Supreme Court Library offers free access to Westlaw*?  The Supreme Court Library will be hosting a Westlaw Patron Access training session on Thursday, February 23, 2012, from 10-11 a.m.

Topics include using Westlaw Library Patron Access to:

1. Use West editorial enhancements to get better results in both cases and statutes;
2. Understand and use KeyCite graphical indicators to improve search results and citation validation;
3. Review of natural language, and terms & connectors searching,  and
4. Review of online workflow tools such as using the “Copy with Reference” feature, Limit document display by fields, and efficient statutes browsing.

Attorneys can earn one general credit towards their Nevada CLE requirement.
 
*Free to search; results may be printed at $0.10 per page; downloading and emailing not available at this time.

Filing an Answer in Justice Court

The First Judicial District Court Clerk's Office has posted Instructions for Preparing, Filing, Serving an Answer in Justice Court on its page of Justice Court forms.  (There are sample District Court forms as well, although no Answer as of this posting.)

NOTE: This document has been prepared as a courtesy and to assist you with completing your Answer. It is not to be construed as providing legal advice or representation on how to prepare your case or defense.

If you’ve been served with a Summons and complaint in the Justice Court and have been named as a defendant in the case, you have the option of preparing, filing, and serving an Answer in response to the complaint. An Answer is your formal reply to the court and the plaintiff’s attorney (or the plaintiff if he doesn’t have an attorney.) You must reply to each paragraph/allegation in the complaint by admitting it, denying it, or denying it because you don’t have enough knowledge or information to be able to admit it. You only have 20 days from the day you were served with the Summons and complaint to file and serve your Answer. If you don’t file an Answer in the court and serve a copy to the plaintiff’s attorney (or the plaintiff, if he’s unrepresented) within 20 days of the day you were served, then the plaintiff may obtain a default judgment against you.

WARNING: The filing of an Answer affects your legal rights. If you file an Answer, you have agreed that the court in which you file your Answer has good and proper jurisdiction over you to decide your case.

If you are in Reno, there is a sample Answer on the Reno Justice court civil forms page.  In Las Vegas, the Clark County Civil Law Self-Help Center has information on civil actions including what to do if you've been sued, as well as small claims actions. 

Rule Amendments

Don't forget there is a lag between when a rule is adopted/amended/repealed and when it makes it into the print NRS.  There is a new sortable table available on the Supreme Court's website which has links to the Administrative Docket and orders amending court rules.  The table includes the ADKT number, rules affected, links to both the ADKT and order, a short description of the amendment and effective date and each column is sortable.

Attorneys practicing before the Nevada Supreme Court might be interested in the 11/4/11 order on ADKT 467 amending NRAP 3C, 3E, 28.1, 28.2, 32, 40, and 40A and Associated Forms - "Concerns format and length of briefs, fast track statements and responses, and petitions for rehearing and reconsideration" which is effective 1/3/12. 

Westlaw Pop-Up Blocker Fix

If you are having trouble printing Westlaw* documents, odds are the issue is caused by your browser's pop-up blocker. 

For IE, go to Tools | Pop-up Blocker | Pop-up Blocker Settings and type the following into the Address of Website to Allow box:

*.westlaw.com 

then click on Add and then add the three URLs listed below, click on Close and you should be good to go.  

print.westlaw.com
next.westlaw.com
web2.westlaw.com

*Actually this works with any sort of pop-up blocker issue, but we needed to use it for our public access Westlaw computers.