Hidden gem provides legal knowledge
| Sunday, Nov 22 2009 06:21 PM
Last Updated Sunday, Nov 22 2009 06:21 PM
Do you have a legal matter you would like to take care of but feel you can't afford an attorney? Or maybe you would just like to take care of it yourself but don't know how to get started? Well, you might be interested to know that there is help available, and it costs nothing.
The Kern County Law Library and Self-Help Center sits on the third floor (Room 301) of the Kern County Superior Courts building at 1415 Truxtun Ave. It's available to anyone willing to do a little research, ask questions or attend a workshop pertaining to a legal problem. They have been serving Kern County since 1891 as a special district funded, not by tax dollars, but by a portion of civil filing fees for the Kern County Superior Court. And yes, it's open to the public and free.
The purpose of the library is to provide access to legal information services in a timely manner so everyone may have equal access to justice. No worries if you are not a legal expert. The staff is beyond knowledgeable.
Although the staff cannot give legal advice, they will refer patrons to self-help reading materials that can brief you on critical information. And the staff will answer procedural questions.
Law librarian Annette Heath says the library is used by the public much more than it used to be, probably due to the current economic situation. This library is not part of the public library system; but, there are centers at Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest.
Those needing help with small claims can get some help here. Every Monday at 10:30 a.m., the Law Library and Self-Help Center provides a free small-claims workshop on basic procedures, a clinic for both plaintiffs and defendants. You get to learn, among other things, procedures such as jurisdiction, statute of limitations, properly naming the defendant, and appealing and enforcing a judgment.
Are you a landlord having a hard time collecting rent from problem tenants? Need to get them out of your rental property? Mark your calendar for Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to noon when the Self-Help Center provides a free workshop on "How to Begin the Eviction Process -- A Clinic for Landlords."
Heath says people stop by the center for a variety of issues, but the most popular legal topics include: evictions, small claims, collections and expungement of criminal records -- this can help improve your chances of getting a job.
Others are also interested in bankruptcy, wanting to know when should you consider declaring bankruptcy and if there are better alternatives. Of course, a few want to know more about employment termination, such as knowing some steps you might want to take if you get a pink slip.
The library is a great service to our community and I wish we could support it more. Heath says people have tried to make contributions to the library but it doesn't have a charitable foundation to accept donations. So how can we support it? Call your legislator and let them know.
The Kern County Law Library is truly a little-known gem in our community.
Lou Gomez is a community columnist for The Californian. These are his opinions and do not necessarily reflect those of The Californian.
