California Jury Instructions
California's official jury instructions are a fast, free way to start your legal research.
California Secondary Sources Free Online
Secondary sources are books and articles about the law. Although they are not the law themselves, they are a good starting point for legal research because they summarize the law and provide citations to relevant statutes, cases, and regulations on a specific topic.
Because most secondary sources are copyrighted, you will usually need to go to a library to use them (see Libraries and Self Help Centers.)
However, a few secondary sources are available for free online:
- California Courts Self-Help CenterThe California court system's official page describing the basic steps for resolving common legal issues, such as small claims, divorce, and traffic claims.
- Judicial Council of California Jury InstructionsThe California court system publishes standard jury instructions listing the elements plaintiffs must prove in lawsuits and prosecutors must prove in criminal cases. Each jury instruction is annotated with references to the cases, statutes, and secondary sources the instruction was drawn from, making it an excellent starting point for legal research.
- California Department of Consumer Affairs Legal GuidesOnline legal guides by the department of consumer affairs on topics such as contracts, credit cards, and landlord tenant law.
- Los Angeles Department of Consumer AffairsBasic information on common consumer issues such as identify theft, contracts, cars, renting, buying and selling a home, mediation, and small claims.
- California Bar Pamphlets and Legal GuidesBasic information on common legal issues from the California bar.
