A legal help center for those in need

NORWALK — It has been almost three years since the law library's initial article in the Norwalk Reflector. The purpose of that article was to inform the community that there was an existing local unknown treasure known as the Huron County Law Library and that this library is open to the public. Many law libraries are not open to the public so the fact that Huron County's law library affords public access is huge. We are a "public" law library. The mission of the board of trustees of Huron County Law Library is to make available to judges, attorneys, county officials and all citizens of the county, outstanding legal resources and services that will enable users to perform at the highest level of research and practice. From the text alone, one naturally recognizes that the public is as entitled to "outstanding legal resources and services" as are judges, attorneys and county officials. So please, use the law library if you have the need. Huron County Law Library is a catchall resource for people who cannot afford to hire an attorney on the one hand, or who do not qualify for legal aid assistance on the other. Many of these people do not know what their rights are, how to obtain legal help, or how to gain access to resources they need. Our law library fills an important role in assisting individuals with navigating the legal system within a number of legal areas. These self-represented litigants can find information regarding such things as evictions (for both landlords and tenants), divorce, child custody, establishing paternity, domestic abuse, expunging criminal records, debt collection and defense, elder law, property law, small claims, probate, obtaining court forms, or even starting a new business. You name the area of law that is your concern and the librarian can probably direct you to the appropriate legal resources. And resources the Huron County Law Library has! The law library's reference and general services include (1) an extensive collection of traditional legal research and case law books, (2) the on-line legal research tool that attorney's use, LexisNexis, (3) internet and general computer access for legal purposes, (4) self-help handouts explaining legal/judicial processes, (5) access to court forms, (6) documents identifying legal information websites, (7) printers, copiers and scanners, (8) authoritative legal dictionaries, in English and Spanish, (9) a Find An Attorney Desk Manual, and (10) a neutral, quiet and nonconfrontational workspace. Further, it's all free! The law field is complicated and challenging. It's always best to check with an attorney before jumping into any issue involving legal matters. Nevertheless, if you decide to personally handle the issue, the law library can most likely provide you the resources to help yourself. The library is located in the Huron County Common Pleas Courthouse at 2 E. Main St., Courthouse, Third Floor, Norwalk. It is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.