Class recorded October 24, 2024

L.A. Superior Court judges will explain the LA County criminal court process from arrest through post trial appeal, including definitions of commonly used terminology. This class will be useful for anyone involved in the criminal process, including friends and family members of those involved with the criminal justice system.

• Differences between civil and criminal cases
• Basic terminology used in the criminal process
• Step-by-step overview of how a criminal case makes its way through the system
• Introduction to the resources and people involved in the process
• Difference between felonies and misdemeanors

Presented by:

Judge Kevin Rosenberg, LA Superior Court (LA Court)

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

Class recorded October 24, 2024

The process of discovery in a civil lawsuit allows a party to obtain information and documents relevant to the suit. This helps the parties know ahead of time what evidence might be presented at trial, or to resolve the case prior to trial. This class explores when and how to use two different tools for getting a party to a lawsuit to answer questions in writing – interrogatories and requests for admission (“RFAs”) – in California state court civil cases.   

Class covers:

• The purpose of interrogatories (questions to another party regarding contentions, facts, witnesses and documents in the case)
• The purpose of requests for admissions (RFAs – statements another party must deny or admit)
• Common uses for these discovery tools
• How to use official “form" interrogatories and requests for admission
• When to bring motions to compel responses
• How to respond to these discovery requests, including how to make appropriate objections

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

Developed by practicing attorneys and presented by LA Law Library Reference Librarians

Registration fee: FREE - Reservation reserves spot

Presented by: Ryan Metheny, Director, Reference & Collections, LA Law Library (LA Law Library - Home Page)

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, Oct. 24, 2024 | Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

 Are you thinking of appealing the trial court decision in your civil lawsuit? Do you know the purpose of an appeal? Do you know the basics of court procedure? Learn about the appeals process from clerks at the California Court of Appeal who have extensive experience providing assistance to unrepresented litigants. 

Class covers:

• The purpose of an appeal
• Deadlines and calendaring
• Where and how to file
• Brief writing
• And more!

Presented by:

Melissa Real, Deputy Clerk at the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District (http://www.courts.ca.gov/2dca.htm)

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, Oct. 24, 2024 | Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

 The two pillars of a case on appeal are the appellate records and the briefs. The record consists of the documents filed in the trial court (the “Clerk’s Transcript”), plus a record of the oral proceedings in the courtroom (the “Reporter’s Transcript” or a substitute). The briefs are written legal arguments that present a party’s position on appeal.

Class covers:

• The purpose, content and importance of the Clerk’s and Reporter’s Transcripts
• How to designate a record that is adequate to help the appellate court assess error
• The purpose and contents of an appellate brief
• What rules guide the appellate court’s decision about whether the trial court decision should be reversed
• The different, and equally essential roles of the factual history and the legal arguments in a brief
• Format, filing and service requirements
• Deadlines and time limits

Presented by:

Zoe Dolan, Supervising Staff Attorney, Public Counsel (https://publiccounsel.org/)

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.