Events
 Monthly Ask a Lawyer Debt and Bankruptcy Clinic -- May 30, 2025
Legal Access Alameda and the Alameda County Law Library are collaborating to provide an Ask a Lawyer Debt and Bankruptcy Clinic. The clinic provides free 20-minute appointments to consult with an attorney in-person or over Zoom to discuss debt and bankruptcy issues.
The May 30 time slots are all filled, however, there may be a limited number of appointments available on Wednesday, May 28 between 10am - 12pm via Zoom. Call the law library's Reference Desk at (510) 208-4832 to arrange an appointment.
Flyer available here
 Fair Housing Training
Virtual event: Thursday, June 12, 2025, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
No MCLE credit
No-cost, free event
Program Description
Join us over Zoom for a Fair Housing Training.
Topics include:
- State and federal fair housing laws
- Who is protected under the law
- Reasonable accommodations and modifications for tenants with disabilities
- Renting to families with children
- Occupancy standards
- Advertising guidelines
- AND MORE!
About the Speaker
Angie Watson-Hajjem is the Fair Housing Coordinator for ECHO Housing. She investigates housing discrimination complaints in Alameda County and provides fair housing counseling, education, and mediation to both tenants and housing providers.
Register via Humanitix
Flyer available here
 Calendaring in State Court -- Steps and Traps for the Unwary
Virtual event: Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
1 hour participatory California MCLE credit
No-cost, free event
Program Description
We will be streaming via Zoom the videorecording Calendaring in State Court Steps and Traps for the Unwary by Julie Goren, the author of Litigation By the Numbers. (Julie will not be on the Zoom call).
Calculating deadlines in California State Court? Learn from other people’s mistakes, not your own, with this step by step video with practice exercises.
This video is for new and experienced practitioners, staff, students … anyone who has to calendar even a single CA state court deadline! Learn the complexities of calendaring in California state court, including the steps that must be taken to calendar deadlines correctly. Find out about the types of changes that are made to codes, rules, etc., that affect calendaring. Learn about common mistakes and traps and ways to avoid them.
Several included calendaring exercises allow you to immediately practice the steps and see how easily you can fall into a trap or misapply a rule. Focus is on calendaring deadlines for pleadings, discovery, and motions. One hour in length not including pausing to do the exercises.
About the presenter (on videorecording)
Julie A. Goren, Esq. has been involved in various aspects of California litigation for more than three decades. She wrote the first edition of Litigation By The Numbers® (“LBTN”) in 1982, as a self-taught legal secretary. Having previously searched in vain for a book which would show her, step by step, how to prepare, file, serve, and calendar documents in California state court lawsuits, she decided to fill that need herself.
After self-publishing the first edition, Julie entered Loyola Law School. Her many years of experience gave her a tremendous advantage — she graduated in the top 3% of the class of 1987.
Julie later held associate positions at the prestigious law firms of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and Buchalter, Nemer, Fields & Younger in Los Angeles.
Julie created and taught the California Procedures online course at UC Berkeley. She has presented on various topics, including: California State court calendaring; how to keep track of California’s rules, forms, and codes; the California Electronic Discovery Act; and annual summaries of rule, form, and code changes. She has presented to bar associations, paralegal associations, legal secretary associations, law school and paralegal classes.
Register via Humanitix
Flyer available here
 Court Accounting Workshops in 2025
The Contra Costa County Public Law Library is offering a series of free Court Accounting Workshops throughout the year via Zoom to provide hands-on training and assistance with court-required accounting reports and conservatorship accounting. Workshop attendees MUST sign-up in advance. Sign-ups end two (2) days before the scheduled class. Please call the Contra Costa County Public Law Library at (925) 655-4627 to sign-up and obtain additional information or email: reference.questionsCCCPLLIB@gmail.com. See the flyer for more details.
Flyer available here
 The Alameda County law Library will be closed Monday, May 26, 2025 for Memorial Day. We will reopen Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 9:00am.
 The National Consumer Law Center has published a blog post with 10 tips to find answers to consumer law questions and make the most of the NCLC Digital Library.
Law Library cardholders can request the NCLC Digital Library login and password from library staff for remote use or can use it on our public research computers in the library.
The NCLC Digital Library provides access to the complete text of all 21 National Consumer Law Center treatises on consumer law topics including: debt collection and debtor rights, foreclosures and mortgage lending, student loans, truth in lending, unfair and deceptive acts and practices, credit reporting, credit discrimination, consumer warranty law, and repossessions, among other consumer protection issues. The Digital Library also provides access to HUD Housing Programs: Tenants’ Rights (The Green Book).
  Alameda County Law Library at the Bay Area Book Festival
On Sunday, June 1, the Alameda County Law Library will be at the Bay Area Book Festival in downtown Berkeley, tabling alongside hundreds of authors, publishers, and community organizations. Stop by to learn about our legal resources, services, and how we support access to justice in our community.
See https://www.baybookfest.org for more information.
 New 2025 limited Civil Appeals Fillable Form Briefs
Effective January 1, 2025, Rule 8.883(b)(4) of the California Rules of Court now permits the use of optional Judicial Council approved template form briefs in limited civil cases. Prior to this, briefs in limited civil cases had to be written following legal formatting requirements.
Read more on our Advance Sheet blog post
View the slideshow on our Instragram post
Criminal Pretrial Services Center Available at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse
In a press release published on April 14, 2025, the Superior Court of Alameda County announced the opening of the Pretrial Services Center (also referred to as the Pretrial Resource Center) as a “one-stop shop” designed to help criminal defendants comply with court-ordered conditions of pretrial release from jail, such as attending required classes and appearing for scheduled hearings.
Criminal defendants can access these services without an appointment on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the office of pretrial services located in Department 1A on the second floor of the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse. You can find additional information on court locations and hours in Alameda County here: https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/general-information/locations-contact-information. Defendants may also call the center at 510-891-6100.
[Read more]
Support Federal Funding for Libraries
Libraries are an indispensable resource, connecting people to justice, education, and opportunity every day.
Here’s how you can help:
- Learn how Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) & Executive Orders impact your library
- Sign EveryLibrary’s (the advocacy group for libraries) petition: https://buff.ly/zBzUVGx
- Take action with ALA’s #FundLibraries campaign
- Use guidance from the California State Library to find your Congressmember: house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Send them this message:
"Dear Representative XXXXX:
Grants to support local libraries that California receives from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services have a big impact on [NAME OF YOUR COMMUNITY]. Please don’t vote to end the good things that come from this small financial investment.
Federal funds have helped make community-centric programs and projects possible throughout [CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT X]. Studies show libraries create a solid financial return on taxpayers’ dollars, generating between $3 to $6 in direct and indirect benefits for every dollar invested.
One innovative program – Zip Books – uses the online marketplace to get books to Californians in rural areas faster and helps libraries have more copies of the books people want to read – at lesser cost. Federal funds are used by the state to administer the program.
Libraries connect families, seniors and veterans to essential services. During emergencies, libraries serve as heating and cooling centers, and community meeting places where residents gather to receive critical information on disaster relief efforts. Libraries provide free Wi-Fi, charging stations, and internet access not just during and after storms and wildfires but every day.
Libraries also help create stronger readers and better English speakers. Stronger readers do better academically and professionally.
Losing federal funding, which totals $15 million for California, means these important services aren’t going to be provided -- particularly in rural areas.
Please continue to support your local public libraries."
See our Instagram post here
 How to Find Court Forms
The Alameda County Law Library has created a new slideshow/guide. Filling in the blanks—literally! From complaints to judgments and everything in between, swipe through to learn all about court forms. Download the slideshow here or view on Instagram.
 Immigrant Family Preparedness Plan Program
Legal Access Alameda is introducing a program for immigrant families who may want to get legal advice on family preparedness planning in the event that one or both parents are detained or deported. Their volunteer attorneys can help families:
- Develop a child care plan
- Understand short- and long-term immigration options
- Understand the risks and benefits of each option
- Find trusted legal and immigration help and resources in Alameda County
Child Care Plans:
- Help parents plan ahead for alternate caregivers if they can’t be there
- Create clear communication between parents, caregivers, and schools
- Protect families and parental rights
For more information see the flyer here
 New Alameda Law Library Merchandise
🚨 This is not a drill! Fresh Alameda County Law Library swag just dropped! Rep your local law library — a vital resource connecting people to legal information — all while looking fire. Tap this link to shop and support!
Live Chat Now Available for the Superior Court of Alameda County Family Law Clerk’s Office
On March 10, 2025, the Superior Court of Alameda County published a press release announcing the availability of a live chat function as another avenue people may utilize to access information from family law court staff. The live chat widget can be found on the Family Law Court landing page.
[Read more]
New Titles and Editions Added in February and March
The law library added the following new titles and editions in February and March:
California Antitrust & Unfair Competition Law (LexisNexis, 2012-2024)
California Courts Directory and Fee Schedule (California Court Association, Inc., 1983- )
California Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial: Statutes of Limitations (The Rutter Group, 2007- )
California Practice Guide: Employment Litigation (The Rutter Group, 2001- )
California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities (California Department of Real Estate, 2025)
Debt Collection Practice in California (Continuing Education of the Bar - California, 1999- )
HUD Housing Programs: Tenants' Rights (National Housing Law Project, 2025)
Judicial Council of California, Civil Jury Instructions: CACI (Thomson Reuters 2003- )
See the list in our library catalog
 Toolbox Tuesday: Finding California Supreme Court Briefs
Patrons at the law library ask for briefs quite regularly, and for the most part, they can find California briefs on Westlaw or Lexis. But what if you need to find a California Supreme Court brief and can’t get in to the law library or to one of the Alameda County Public Libraries that have partnered with the Alameda County Law Library to provide access to Lexis and Westlaw? Are California Supreme Court briefs accessible for free?
[Read more]
 FAQ Friday: Executive Orders
Since Executive Orders have been in the news so much lately, you might be wondering where you can view them. In fact, you might be wondering what they are. An Executive Order is a declaration by the President which has the force of law based on existing statutory powers. Congress does not have to approve of the action for the Executive Order to take effect.
Read our blog post for a non-exclusive list of some places where you can find Executive Orders, including the White House website, the Federal Register, The American Presidency Project, Lexis, and Westlaw.
 Video Recording of the Dealing with Debt: Legal Rights and Options presentation from February 27, 2025 Now Available
We've made a video recording of the Dealing with Debt: Legal Rights and Options presentation from February 27, 2025 available on our YouTube channel.
Program Description
Learn about the different types of debt, how to assert your rights when dealing with debt collectors, and what to do if you have been sued.
Presenter Bio
Nisha Ajmani is a staff attorney at HERA. She focuses her work on tenant advocacy, including helping tenants resolve issues related to credit reporting, debt collection, housing discrimination, habitability, and landlord disputes.
Prior to joining HERA, Nisha was a Housing Staff Attorney at Family Violence Law Center, in Oakland, where she advocated on behalf of domestic violence survivors who were dealing with housing legal issues. Her work there included in-court representation of survivors in obtaining restraining and move-out orders and defending against evictions. Nisha has also spent a substantial portion of her legal career advocating on behalf of system-involved youth.
Nisha was a summer legal intern at HERA in 2011 and a post-graduate attorney fellow at HERA in 2013. Nisha earned her J.D. in 2012 from the University of Oregon School of Law, where she was a Managing Editor on the Oregon Law Review. Nisha was born and raised in the Bay Area and earned her B.A. from Bowdoin College in 2006. She enjoys painting in her free time.
View the video here
Small Claims Court: Digital Evidence Portal
On February 11, 2025. the Superior Court of Alameda County introduced a new Small Claims Digital Evidence Portal.
As noted in the court’s release: “All evidence for a trial from videos to documents can be uploaded via the Court’s portal at https://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/online-services/digital-evidence-portal. ” Use of the portal is not mandatory but is encouraged to be used for all cases in small claims court.
[Read More]
 Alameda County Law Library Immigration Resources Slide Deck
Our latest slide deck focuses on immigration resources available at the Alameda County Law Library and beyond. Whether you need information on asylum, deportation, visas, or immigrant rights, we’re here to help.
Download the slide deck here or view it on Instagram
 An Introduction to Property Deeds & Property Titles -- Legal Access Alameda Video Now Available Online
Legal Access Alameda has made available online a video entitled An Introduction to Property Deeds & Property Titles. The video is designed to help people understand the legal terms and definitions related to real property ownership, the importance of having a clear title—particularly when disaster strikes and FEMA aid is sought, and the different ways to take title and their tax implications.
You can watch the video here
Law Help Interactive: Online Software for Alameda County Residents Who Want Help Filling Out Certain Forms
Law Help Interactive is a free website that can help you fill out legal forms generated from answers you provide to interview style questions.
You can find a list of issues that Law Help Interactive covers on the Superior Court of California County of Alameda Law Help Interactive webpage. Generally, the tool helps with forms for various issues related to:
- Divorce/Legal Separation/Nullity
- Restraining Orders
- Name Change
- Parentage
- Eviction – Unlawful Detainer
- Guardianship Petition
[Read more]
Self-Study MCLE Credit for MCLE Videos on the Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel Now Available
You can now watch videos of some of our past MCLE events for California Self Study MCLE credit. We have put links to the MCLE written materials in the description fields of the MCLE videos on the Alameda County Law Library YouTube Channel's Self-Study MCLE playlist. You can watch the videos, download and read the written materials, and keep a record of your self-study activities on a California State Bar MCLE Personal Log, which can be downloaded from: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/forms/mcle/MCLE-Personal-Log_ADA.pdf
Note that self-study credit can be received only from videos that were prepared in the preceding five years (see MCLE Rules – Attorneys (effective October 1, 2023), Rules of the State Bar, Title 2, Div. 4, Rule 2.83 Self-study at: https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/rules/Rules_Title2_Div4-MCLE.pdf)
Videos
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