Thursday, September 14, 2023: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

A motion for summary judgment or summary adjudication allows a party to obtain judgment in their favor for an entire case or part of a case. These motions are based entirely on written submissions and avoid the time, expense, and uncertainty of a trial. Learn how to determine whether a summary judgment motion might be appropriate in your case, how to bring one before a California state court, and how to respond when one is brought against you.

Class covers:

• When summary judgment and summary adjudication are appropriate
• Timing and notice requirements
• Requirements for submitting evidence
• How to respond to this type of motion

Class approved for Court Interpreter Minimum Continuing Education (CIMCE) credit.

Presented by Ryan Metheny:

Ryan Metheny is the Managing Librarian, Legal Education at LA Law Library. After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Ryan practiced First Amendment law at a public interest firm in Berkeley. He then transitioned to librarianship to focus on his passions of research and education, and earned a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Washington. When not on the reference desk, Ryan coordinates the educational programming at the law library, the law student internship program, and the Members Program. He also teaches legal research at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Registration fee: FREE, Reservation reserves spot

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Thursday, July 6, 2023: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Trial is the culmination of a civil lawsuit, where evidence is presented and a decision made by either a jury or a judge (i.e., a “bench trial”). In this class, learn basic rules, strategies and tips about how to present evidence and handle your own trial in a California state court.

Class covers:

• Presenting testimony from friendly witnesses
• Cross-examining unfriendly witnesses
• Getting documents admitted into evidence
• How to stop improper evidence by making effective objections
• Making opening and closing arguments

Class approved for Court Interpreter Minimum Continuing Education (CIMCE) credit.

Presented in partnership with the L.A. Incubator Consortium

Registration fee: FREE, Reservation reserves spot

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Thursday, October 12, 2023: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

What happens if a party refuses to, or can’t, pay a civil judgment? In this class, learn about the procedures and methods involved in getting paid on a money judgment in California, and the legal protections available to those who have had a judgment entered against them. 

Class covers:

• Typical steps to enforcing a judgment (getting paid)
• Characteristics of different enforcement tools, including liens, levies and more
• When different methods of enforcement may be appropriate
• Exemptions and other legal protections for judgment debtors who can’t afford to pay

Class approved for Court Interpreter Minimum Continuing Education (CIMCE) credit.

Presented by Ryan Metheny:

Ryan Metheny is the Managing Librarian, Legal Education at LA Law Library. After graduating from UCLA School of Law, Ryan practiced First Amendment law at a public interest firm in Berkeley. He then transitioned to librarianship to focus on his passions of research and education, and earned a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Washington. When not on the reference desk, Ryan coordinates the educational programming at the law library, the law student internship program, and the Members Program. He also teaches legal research at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

Registration fee: FREE, Reservation reserves spot

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.

Thursday, August 3, 2023: 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

--- ZOOM INFORMATION WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTRANTS PRIOR TO CLASS START TIME FOR CLASSES HELD VIA ZOOM---

A civil lawsuit starts with the filing and service of a written complaint. The complaint serves many purposes, including the identification of the parties involved in the lawsuit, the plaintiff’s reason for filing a lawsuit, and the type of relief that is sought.  The defendant must then respond to the complaint by filing an answer or another type of response. The complaint and the defendant’s responses are called pleadings, and they set the stage for all that comes afterward in the lawsuit. In this class, learn how to prepare, file, serve and respond to civil case pleadings in California state courts.

Class covers:

• Is filing a lawsuit a good idea?
• Identifying possible legal theories
• Drafting the complaint
• Service of summons and complaint
• Answers and other responsive pleadings

Class approved for Court Interpreter Minimum Continuing Education (CIMCE) credit.

Presented by: Mary Garcia, Reference Librarian, LA Law Library (https://www.lalawlibrary.org/)

Registration fee: FREE

Reservation reserves spot

LA Law Library does not provide legal advice:
LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. LA Law Library provides legal resources and assistance with legal research as an educational service. The information presented in this program is not legal advice and is provided solely as an educational service to our patrons. For legal advice, you should consult an attorney.