I’m not an attorney, but I am the only judgment broker in the country. Based on my California experience, this article is my opinion and not legal advice. You should always consult a lawyer if you need legal advice, additional info?
The majority of people do not have legal backgrounds and work in law firms. Most judgments aren’t large enough for a lawyer to be cost-effective. In some cases, enforcing judgments may require non-trivial paperwork and legal procedures. If judgment owners are required to do their own research, law libraries will be a great resource.
Most counties have law libraries that are either located next to or in a courthouse, or part of it. The majority are sponsored by the local bar association. In this economic climate, most law libraries are rarely crowded. Even though law libraries were designed for attorneys, they are mainly used by attorneys. However, most of them allow well-dressed, quiet, and polite mortals access to all the materials.
In most law libraries, only one or perhaps two staff members are on duty. They are there to answer questions but not to teach. The purpose of law libraries is to allow you to do some research and then leave. Almost always, workers are polite. Whenever they can, workers are usually very helpful.
Law libraries offer a wide range of legal information that can be used to answer many questions about any type of law, such as the enforcement or judgment. There are books on judgment recovery for every state. You can access Westlaw and Lexis Nexis databases (at least in limited quantities) at nearly all law libraries. You can find public records which may show the assets of your debtor. You will have to pay a small fee to use their printer.
The law libraries contain information on many different topics, including bond claims, how to collect them, Rutter’s BK Practice Guide, laws and case law. The California Pleading and Practice books can be very helpful. There are thousands of books in many libraries that would be expensive to buy.
Some judgment enforcers operate their business primarily in a law library. They are discreet and work mainly there. Some recovery specialists will rent out rooms at a nominal price for meetings. They meet with judgment owners or judgment debtors in the courthouse, recorder’s offices and law libraries.
If you use law libraries regularly to conduct business, be respectful and quiet. You can also bring donuts or bagels at least once a week. You might want to find another law library if there is a limit on how long you can stay in the library per day.
You can use the copiers in law libraries for a small fee. Some law libraries offer printer connections for laptops so you can print any documents and agreements. For example, It is cheaper to drive to and from an office or your home than to pay 50 cents a page. You can meet at the law library and get your documents notarized nearby.