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Navigating the legal system on your own is challenging, but we are fortunate in Minnesota that we have access to a wealth of reliable legal resources written so everyone can understand them. Whether you are representing yourself in a court case or trying to learn about the law on your own, these resources can be helpful places to start your research.
State Law Library Research Guides
As you may already know, the law librarians at the State Law Library have compiled a variety of subject guides that gather links to statutes, court rules, forms, fact sheets, videos, books, and other resources on a particular topic. If you are starting to research a legal issue, our Legal Topics pages are a great place to start.
LawHelpMN
LawHelpMN is an excellent resource on many common legal issues, including family law, debt collection, landlord-tenant law, and consumer law. The website includes fact sheets on these topics, but also provides an interactive guide to help you locate relevant information or helpful referrals. In addition, LawHelpMN hosts the texts of six booklets that educate Minnesotans on their rights:
All of these resources are specific to Minnesota law and are regularly updated by Legal Services State Support staff. Many of the resources have also been translated into Spanish, Hmong, and Somali as well.
Attorney General Booklets
The Office of the Minnesota Attorney General has long been a resource for protecting Minnesotans' rights. The office publishes free booklets and fact sheets on consumer issues, including housing, healthcare, insurance, fraud, and credit/debt. The AG booklets are written in easy-to-understand language and include links to the statutes or court cases related to each topic. If you prefer to access the booklets in hard copy, you can find copies of popular titles at many county law libraries or the State Law Library, or you can request one directly from the AG's Office.
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Nolo Books
Nolo publishes a series of books that provide an easy-to-understand background on the law. While these titles are not Minnesota-specific, they cover general topics like criminal law, estate planning, immigration, and bankruptcy. Nolo books are available at the State Law Library and many county law libraries, and quite a few public library collections include Nolo titles as well.
If you prefer an electronic version, the State Law Library offers access to Nolo titles through the Legal Information Resource Center. You will need to contact Ask a Librarian to get a password, but then you can search through all of Nolo's current titles.
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At the start of this year's legislative session, Minnesota courts heard several consequential and high profile cases. Did you know that when Minnesota courts have a case that garners significant press interest, records for that case are available on the courts' website? Visit the Media Resource Center: Covering Cases to see current and archived high profile cases.
If you have an email account that you haven't checked for a couple of days, chances are you have felt overwhelmed by the number of messages when you log back in. Email aliases are a way to organize the clutter. Using an alias helps your email provider automatically sort messages into categories (such as newsletters, bills, marketing, etc.), allowing you to prioritize important emails first. Curious about setting up email aliases for your own account? This guide includes instructions for setting up this system for your Gmail, Outlook, or iCloud (Apple) inboxes.
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