Law Library FAQ
Location
The Law Library is located on the first floor of the Main Library, next to the Gellman Room. The address is 101 East Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23219.
Hours
Generally, the Law Library is open Monday – Friday, 10 am -5 pm. We suggest that you call ahead to make sure the Law Library is open and staff are available to assist you.
Library card
You do not need a library card to use the Law Library or its materials. All of the materials are considered reference materials and can only be used in the building.
Write My Document
No, we are not allowed to explain law or write documents for you as that could be seen as practicing law, which is prohibited by State law. We do have resources that can provide you with samples. For general information about the Virginia legal system, please see the resources at Virginia Judicial System Court Self-Help: Resources for Self-Represented Litigants in Virginia.
Appointments
To request an Appointment, please contact the Law Librarian, Meldon Jenkins-Jones, at 804-646-6500 or email meldon.jenkins-jones@rva.gov.
Legal Forms
Court-approved Virginia forms are available at
The Law Library has books of forms which must be retyped and personalized.
The Law Library also offers free online access to Gale Legal Forms from within the Library or from your home computer with a Library Card.
Westlaw® and Lexis Nexis® forms can be accessed on the Law Library computers.
For further assistance with finding forms, please call the Law Librarian at 804-646-6500.
Case Information
Information on some Virginia cases is available on the Virginia Courts website. For other sources, please consult with our Law Librarian.
Referral
No, we cannot refer you to a lawyer. For information about finding a lawyer, please see the Find a Lawyer page on Virginia Judicial Court System’s Self Help Site. You may also contact the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society or the Virginia State Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service.
Books
None of the books in the Law Library can be checked out. However, the Main Library and some of our branches have some consumer-oriented law books, such as those published by Nolo, that do circulate.
Databases
Usually, Westlaw and Lexis Nexis subscription databases can only be used at the Main Library. For use of Westlaw during the Covid-19 pandemic, please see “WESTLAW ACCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC” at our Law Library main page.
More Information
For more information, please see: Virginia Judicial System Court Self-Help: Resources for Self-Represented Litigants in Virginia.