Criminal Law: Laws that are punishable by imprisonment and the procedures for enforcing them.
LA Law Library Resources:
Community Connections: Meet with our Community Resource Specialist to learn about available resources in your area and access services, benefits, and support. Make an appointment today.
- Call us at 213-785-2585. If we don’t answer right away, please leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
- Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Come in to the Library and ask for our Community Resource Specialist.
Lawyers in the Library: This program provides free 20-30 minute consultations with volunteer lawyers for people who have legal problems to discuss but do not have a lawyer representing them. Consultations may be either in person or by telephone depending on the patron’s preference and the availability of lawyers with expertise on the requested topic.
Live Classes: Learn the basics of common areas of law, and how to take the next step.
- Zoom:
IN PERSON LIVE ZOOM: Cleaning Your Criminal Record: Where You Begin- Thursday, April 03, 2025: 12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
- Thursday, October 02, 2025: 12:00 p.m.-1:15 p.m.
On Demand Videos: Access to recordings of some of our most popular classes.
- Know Your Rights When Interacting With Police
- Holding Public Officials Accountable to the Rule of Law
- Cleaning Your Criminal Record: Where You Begin
- Facing Charges? Release and Bail Reduction Services
- ¿Enfrentado cargos? Servicios de liberación y reducción de fianzas
- MCLE: Litigating Prisoners’ Rights: A Case Study
External Resources:
Criminal Law and Criminal Court:
- Criminal Law, Legal Information Institute
- Criminal Court, LA Court
- Criminal Forms, LA Court
- Criminal Courthouses, LA Court
- Criminal Division Rules, LA Court
- Criminal Law, California Courts
- Criminal Law, CA Courts Self-Help Guide
- Criminal Court, CA Courts Self-Help Guide
Cleaning Criminal Records - Reduce the impact of your California criminal record. Although true expungement does not exist in California, there may be options to clean your record depending on your situation.
- Clean Your Record, CA Courts Self-Help Guide
- Record Cleaning for Non-Citizens, CA Courts Self-Help Guide
- Understanding & Cleaning Up Your Criminal Record, Root & Rebound
- Expungement, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Expungement & Occupational License, A New Way of Life Reentry Project
- Prop 47, Law Offices of Los Angeles County Public Defender
- Prop 47 Criminal Division - LA Court
- Cannabis Dismissals, Law Offices of Los Angeles County Public Defender
Public Defender:
- Public Defender, Legal Information Institute
- Do I need an attorney? - Criminal Division - LA Court
- County of Los Angeles - Law Office of the Public Defender
- County of Los Angeles Alternate Public Defender
- OSPD – Office of State Public Defender
- CA Public Defender and Legal Aid Contact List — Clear My Record