LawReader : OUR MAIN - LAW DIGEST INDEX : WHY COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES SHOULD PROVIDE LAWREADER

In 2005 the Legislature vastly increased funding for your County Law Library. In many cases this funding was tripled! The Library is required by law to provide access to their resources for "state and county officials". Now every county can afford to provide access to a complete online law library via LawReader, to fulfill these statutory requirements.

In 2007 the Legislature approved sharing of County Law Library resources with your local Public Library. (HB 273). This means that they can purchase a LawReader site license for the Courthouse and for the Public Library (and your judges, prosecutors and County Judge-Executive.) LawReader offers a discount when a subscription is provided by the County Law Library for the local Public Library.

THE PROBLEM:

The County Law Library is required to be accessible six days a week (KRS 172.110). most courthouses are only open five days a week. Usually the library is locked for security reasons, and your access is limited. Books tend to get lost or outdated.

By purchasing a subscription for the local public library, which is open six days a week, you can bring your County Law Library into compliance with KRS 172.110.

With LawReader available online, you will never again look for a book and find someone has checked it out!

THE SOLUTION:

LawReader provides more Kentucky law than any other online resource / Fifty-state and Federal Court case law data base, KRS annotated, Rules annotated, Weekly synopsis of all Ky. Appellate decisions within hours of their release, jury instructions, pleading and practice forms, and much, much more.

We suggest the Trustees of your County Law Library consider purchase of a LawReader site license for your County Law Library, your Public Library, and subscriptions for your Judges, Prosecutors, and County Judge-Executive.

LawReader is offering special discounts which make this program affordable for every county. For details call us at (502) 732-4617, or E-mail Firstjudge@aol.com.

See what users are saying about LawReader

New LawReader Member Frank M. Mungo of Covington, says: "The free trial was an excellent promotional offer. It worked!! I am now a member. I had no idea that LawReader contained such an abundant amount of well researched memorandum ranging from DUI strategies to collecting civil judgments. Thanks for all your help."

LawReader makes a good Judge look better. A Trial Judge told us recently that he was confronted with two cases about which he didn’t know much law. By using the LawReader search engine from his bench, he quickly called up important cases, and was able to understand the issues and effectively question the attorneys. If we can make a Judge look good, think what we can do for you! No other online resource has more Kentucky law.

Trial Lawyer Tasha Scott, Florence, Ky. “I love LawReader!”

Message to LawReader on Aug. 31 from a Circuit Judge:

“I am proud to say that I am now an official subscriber to LawReader - I already love it - I find it much easier than Westlaw - … I am excited to be here! Thanks – Judge _____”

T. M. - from West Kentucky - "I just completed three briefs using LawReader. The prosecutors are amazed...don't tell them my secret!

A.F. - Louisville - "Just wanted to call and thank you for the great resources on LawReader...I just mailed in a brief to the United States Supreme Court..and couldn't have done it without LawReader."

Marc Carey- Erlanger - "LawReader is like a Swiss Army Knife...after using it for a few days I couldn't live without it."

W. A. - Williamstown - "You won a suppression motion for me today...I read your article on the new court decision that forbides a party who has subpoened a witness from discharging that witness without the courts permission. I couldn't get service on a Commonwealth witness but the Commonwealth did. At the start of the trial they told the witness he didn't have to appear...and I needed that witness...and LawReader gave me the citation that held it was improper for a party to discharge a subpoened witness....you guys are

JENNIFER LAWRENCE of the Lawrence Firm, Covington, Ky.:

“LawReader is the most comprehensive research tool for the practice of law in Kentucky. It’s search engines are easy to use and it has Statutes, Regs., U.S. Code, Rules, tutorials, plus a real 50 state case law data base, and every week they publish a synopsis of every new KY appellate decision. No other state has a research source so focused on their state’s law. LawReader has helped to improve my capabilities as an attorney by allowing me to do legal research on any topic within a matter of seconds.“

Nick Nighswander has been to the “Big Show” and knows excellence when he sees it. In l974 he played offensive center for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He was recognized for his ability to make long snaps under pressure. One of Nick’s teammates that year was O.J. Simpson. Nick now plays defense in courts all over Northern Kentucky.

“I have found LawReader.com to be an effective tool for research and for court information in the tri-state area. The cost of the service is just right for my practice as a sole practitioner.” –

George E. Riggs, Jr. Louisville, KY

“The lawreader service is the best on line legal services available to lawyers. …….. Believe it or not, you are not charged any additional fee for having this information available nor are you charged for time in doing your research. I was always afraid of the other on line providers because of my lack of knowledge on the computer. It is amazing that I have at my desk top, every needed bit of information on the laws of Kentucky, other states and the Federal laws. Being a lawyer has been made fun again with the information that the lawreader web-site provides to an individual practitioner like myself.“

John Stewart – Louisville, KY & Adams, TN

“Now that I have access to LawReader, I don't have to maintain two separate libraries in my two separate offices, covering two states. I can research anything from my desktop, even when away from either Office.

I can research any subject; download any statute or opinion and carry a printed version to court. Law libraries and expensive periodicals are a thing of the past. I gave "last rites" to my expensive law library in 2002 - as soon as I had subscribed to LawReader.”

YOUR LAW LIBRARY CAN GO WIRELESS, AND ALLOW JUDGES, LAWYERS, AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO ACCESS LAWREADER FROM ANYWHERE IN THE COURTHOUSE

We also suggest that you ask your County Law Library trustees to install a Wi-Fi set up for your courthouse. With Wi-Fi the Library installs a modem and router on their computer, and this broadcasts a signal throughout the courthouse. This allows you to access the internet on your laptop from the courtroom or conference rooms.

The cost of this setup will depend on the size of your courthouse, but will generally require purchase of hardware costing only about from $200 to $300.

You must provide access to the Internet, and then the Wireless Router connected to this Internet access allows users throughout the courthouse to log on to LawReader and other Internet resources.

With such a Wi-Fi system, the internet access already maintained by the County Law Library can be shared throughout the building. This has been found very useful for lawyers during trials who have brought their laptop which usually has a wireless access card built in.

The LawReader subscription does not include Internet access.(You might ask the Fiscal Court to provide the Internet Access.) We will be glad to recommend a technician who can install the hardware necessary to make your courthouse a local Wi-Fi site.

STATUTORY AUTHORITIES REGARDING COUNTY LAW LIBRARIES

(This newly amended statute allows the County Law Library to share resources with the local Public Library.)

KRS 172.100 County law library -- Location -- Books -- On-line legal resources.

(1) A county law library shall be established in each county seat and the fiscal court of

each county shall designate sufficient room in the courthouse, in a building of good

construction adjacent to the courthouse, in the local public library, or in a building

where sessions of the District or Circuit Court are regularly held, or a combination

of the foregoing, where such library shall be located and where the books and

materials of the library may be safely kept.

(2) The books of the county law library shall consist of all volumes belonging to the

state heretofore sent to the various county officials directed by law to receive such

books, and all volumes hereafter sent to such library by the state, and all books now

owned or hereafter acquired by the county for the library. The counties may provide

on-line legal resources and may acquire books, maps, or other articles for the library

by purchase, gift, or devise.

Effective: June 26, 2007

History: Amended 2007 Ky. Acts ch. 35, sec. 1, effective June 26, 2007. -- Recodified

1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 2438c-

(The following statute authorizes the sharing of resources with “county and state officials i.e. judges, prosecutors, public defenders, etc. – It also contains the provision about access being made available six days a week.)

KRS 172.110 Circuit clerk is librarian -- Duties -- Salary -- Inventory.

(1) The circuit clerk shall be ex officio librarian of the county law library, and he shall

see that county and state officials have access to the library at reasonable hours each

day except Sunday and holidays.He shall receive a salary of not less than fifty

dollars ($50) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) per month for his services

as librarian.

(2) He shall keep the library rooms in order, preserve, arrange and index all the books,

charts, maps and furniture belonging in the library, and see that no books or other

things are taken from the library rooms without a receipt being given therefor.

(3) He shall receipt for all books, maps and furniture placed in the library. The receipts

shall be given to the state law librarian and preserved in his office at Frankfort.

(4) He shall take an inventory each December of all the books, maps, charts or other

property in the library belonging to the state and report the inventory under oath to

the state law librarian before January 1 of the following year.

History: Amended 1956 Ky. Acts ch. 142, sec. 1. -- Amended 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 42,

sec. 22. -- Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from

Ky. Stat. sec. 2438c-8.

(This newly amended statute specifically allows the purchase of on-line legal resources such as are provided by LawReader.)

KRS 172.200 Appointment of trustees -- Powers -- Duties -- Limits on indebtedness -

County not to be liable -- Treasurer, duties.

(3) The trustees shall be in charge of the county law library, and they shall make

purchases of the various state and federal case reports, textbooks, legal

encyclopedia, and all other books usually incident to or customarily found in law

libraries, or necessary to the protection of the rights of litigants, and they shall cause

same to be properly arranged in the county law library, directing the ex officio

librarian in the exercise of his duties. The trustees may also provide on-line legal

resources for the use of library patrons.

(5) The trustees shall designate one (1) of their number as treasurer and he shall be

accountable for the receipt, deposit, and disbursement of all sums received for the

operation of the county law library. He shall be bonded by a corporate bond, the

cost of which shall be paid out of the receipts of the library fund. He shall deposit

all sums received by him as treasurer in a regular banking depository, and he shall

pay for all purchases made by the trustees by check or draft, keeping a true and

accurate account of all sums received and expended by him. He shall annually file a

written report with the Circuit Judge of the county showing all sums received by

him, together with the court from which they were received, and an itemized

statement of all expenditures made by him. The treasurer shall turn all funds over to

his successor, together with a full inventory of the county law library, and together

with a full and complete itemized statement of all outstanding accounts.

WHEN FRANKFORT COMES TO REVIEW YOUR STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLIC FUNDS PROVIDED TO YOUR COUNTY LAW LIBRARY...

WHAT WILL YOU REPORT?

The County Law Library is an Executive Branch agency authorized by Chapter 172 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes. There are two funding options detailed in Chapter 172, but most counties have elected to set up a Board of Trustees to collect the funds and and to bypass the Fiscal Court.

All County Law Libraries are required to account annually for all their receipts and expenditures. A report is required to be submitted to the Chief Circuit Judge. An annual report of library resources is also required to be made to the State Law Librarian at AOC.

The Legislature vastly increased County Law Library funding in 2005. In 2007 they authorized libraries option to purchase on-line legal resources. They also authorized the County Law Library share their resources with the local Public Library.

In 2008, the Legislature seized excess funds held by a number of state agencies. These funds were ordered to be transferred to the General Fund for use for other financial needs of the state.

Considering the budget crisis faced by schools, highways, jails, prisons, etc. the Legislature may in the future extend their financial seizure actions to review the stewardship and annual needs of the various County Law Libraries.

AOC statistics on caseloads for all counties is available, and from this caseload data, the estimated annual revenue provided to your County Law Library is easily determined.

In 2005 and in 2007 the Legislature has improved funding for County Law Libraries. It is entirely possible that in 2009, they will be examining whether or not these funds are being wisely expended for legal resources.

If your County Law Library has not found a use for this funding, and instead has just accumulated a large bank account, then it is possible they will determine that you really don’t need that much funding, and they may choose to seize your excess funds and place them in the General Fund or share them with other counties which does not generate enough from the new tax to fund their library needs.

When the Legislature comes to inspect your County Law Library Trustees’ stewardship, will they be able to show that they have demonstrated a need for this funding? Have they taken steps to provide access to legal resources as required by Chapter 172? Or have they just accumulated a large bank account?

A LawReader subscription allows you to comply with Kentucky law, to provide your patrons access to the most Kentucky law, and allows you to feel confident about your stewardship of taxpayer money.

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