How would you like to be able to access more than 20 million law-related documents at no cost? Sounds like a dream come true, right? It turns out that this dream has already been realized by librarians and researchers worldwide.
Here are the top 10 free online law libraries available today, with their pros and cons and the number of documents available on each site.
What is a law library?
A law library (also known as a law library, public law library or public access legal information center) is an institution that provides legal information to lawyers and their clients, students of law and to members of the general public.
A typical law library will contain one or more areas or rooms with a large number of shelves for books, periodicals and loose leaf services. Some have study carrels for individual work and quiet areas for group work.
Benefits of using online law libraries
There are many benefits of using free online law libraries. First, they are a great resource for researching issues, identifying laws and statutes, and gaining legal knowledge.
These resources can also help you make informed decisions about your business or personal legal matters.
They can be especially beneficial for finding answers to common questions about family law and criminal justice without having to pay for those answers.
Since these services are available online 24/7, you can access them at any time that is convenient for you.
Online law libraries are also more convenient to use than hard copy resources, especially if you don’t have access to a nearby law libraries
If you live in a rural area where there is not much public transportation, an online law library may be easier for you to access than a brick and mortar one.
The convenience of using online legal information will allow you to do your research from home or on your mobile device.
Top 10 free online law library
There are many top law libraries on the internet. We are discussing the best library.
These libraries help us to find an answer to any legal questions.
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Now we will discuss the Top ten law libraries from where you can find the best legal related information in less time and without any cost.
1) Cornell University Law School
Cornell University Law School offers an online collection of legal resources, including Legal Information Institute (LII) and FindLaw. LII is a free service from Cornell University.
Students and members of the public can use it to research, study, and cite legal sources on all 50 states’ constitutions and much more.
The library also includes an archive of laws from most state legislatures dating back to 1789 as well as other legal documents such as historic federal court cases.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the Cornell University Law school free online law library
https://guides.library.cornell.edu/onlinelegalresources
2) HeinOnline
HeinOnline is a comprehensive, searchable online law library that provides access to a variety of legal resources, including federal and state case law, statutes, regulations, and court records.
The library also includes an extensive collection of legal journals and periodicals. HeinOnline is free to use for personal and research purposes.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the HeinOnline free online law library
https://library.upei.ca/heinonlinetrial
3) Singapore Law Online Library (SLOL)
A new online law library has been launched in Singapore. The library, which is known as the Singapore Law Online Library (SLOL), provides free access to a range of legal materials, including statutes, case law and legislation.
The library is the result of a collaboration between the National Library Board (NLB) and the Supreme Court of Singapore.
It offers users access to a range of resources, including an online legal research guide and a directory of legal practitioners.
The NLB has stated that it plans to add more content to the SLOL in the future, including e-books and journal articles.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the Singapore Law Online Library (SLOL) free online law library
https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/law-singapore
4) CanLII
CanLII is a Canadian online law library that provides free access to case law, legislation, and government publications from all levels of government.
It also includes a search engine and a directory of legal resources. CanLII is maintained by the Federation of Law Societies of Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Legal Information Institute.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the CanLII free online law library
https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2018CanLIIDocs161
5) The University of Michigan Library:
The University of Michigan Library is a free online law library that contains thousands of legal resources, including cases, statutes, and regulations.
The library is searchable by keyword or subject area, and you can also browse the collection by topic.
The University of Michigan Library is an excellent resource for lawyers and legal professionals, but it’s also useful for anyone who needs to research a legal topic.
The library’s website is easy to use, and you can download PDFs of the resources you need.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the University of Michigan law library
https://michigan.law.umich.edu/law-library
6) The Harvard Law School Library:
The Harvard Law School Library is one of the most comprehensive law libraries in the world. The library has an extensive collection of legal materials, including books, journals, and databases.
The library also offers free online access to a number of legal resources, including case law and statutes.
The library’s website is a valuable resource for legal research, and it offers a variety of tools and resources to help students conduct their research.
The website includes a comprehensive guide to legal research, as well as tutorials on how to use the library’s resources.
Visit the link below to get to see more about The Harvard Law School Library
https://hls.harvard.edu/library/
7) The Bluebook (Bluebook Online)
The Bluebook is a traditional set of rules and guidelines for legal citation in American law schools. It’s basically used to ensure that you are citing cases and statutes correctly. A lot of online resources (like Lexis) will automatically use Bluebook if you are citing a case.
Though most lawyers don’t refer to it much anymore, almost all judges use it when they cite cases in their opinions.
If you’re writing a paper or an argument and need to cite something, check out The Bluebook Online.
Visit the link below to get to see more about The Bluebook (Bluebook Online)
https://www.legalbluebook.com/
8) WestlawNext US Supreme Court Cases
This online library holds every US Supreme Court case since 1990, when Westlaw was created.
The database is searchable by keywords, docket number, name of justice and vote.
It also includes links to court documents, summaries of each case and citations to secondary sources like law journals.
The cases are current through today’s decisions.
Citations are in LexisNexis format; all other documents can be exported into Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format for editing.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the WestlawNext US Supreme Court Cases
https://ucsd.libguides.com/c.php?g=90738&p=971873
9) The University of California, Berkeley Library:
The University of California, Berkeley Library is one of the most comprehensive law libraries in the world.
The library has a large collection of primary and secondary legal materials, as well as a number of online resources.
The library also offers a number of free online law resources, including access to Westlaw, LexisNexis, and Bloomberg Law.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the University of California, Berkeley Library.
https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/hours
10) AustLII
AustLII is a free online law library which provides access to judgments, legislation and secondary sources from around the world. It contains over 1.5 million pieces of content, making it one of the largest legal databases in the world.
The library is searchable by topic, jurisdiction and keyword, and can be browsed by category or date.
Visit the link below to get to see more about the AustLII
https://unimelb.libguides.com/australianlaw-freeonlineresources
Requirements to access a free online law library
Any person who has internet access can use these resources, however, in order to make most use of them you will need a library card (which anyone can get) and enough understanding of your local legal system to know how to find information within it.
If you don’t have a library card and/or you aren’t sure where to start with locating sources within your state or country, contact your local law librarian for help.
FAQ
How can I find law library books?
If you want to find law library books, start with a search engine. If you know of a particular title, try typing it into Google and adding law library or legal library to your search terms.
Is there any free online criminal law library?
Many people do not understand that in today’s world of technology and advancement, there are plenty of resources to seek out if you want to gain knowledge about different topics and issues.
For example, you can use a free online criminal law library if you want to learn more about criminal law.
This resource is an excellent place for anyone who is learning about different ways that people can be charged with crimes.
One way that people can gain a deeper understanding of their legal rights and obligations is to use online criminal law libraries.
These online resources are filled with information about different types of crimes and what you should do if you find yourself charged with any kind of crime.
If you need help getting started, then here is a short list of free online criminal law libraries. These resources will provide ample material for anyone who wants to learn more about how they can have legal representation when they need it.
Is the Texas law library online?
Texas law libraries have existed for many years, giving members of legal communities a place to meet and work. For others, going to a library seems like an outdated process that is too time-consuming and expensive. Luckily, technology has made it possible for you to access Texas laws online in a matter of minutes. Keep reading to find out how.
Are all online law libraries public?
There are many online law libraries; however, not all of them are available to everybody. Some are only open to professionals and university students, but most (if not all) of them are available for public use. Still, if you’re not sure about how useful one online library is compared to another, make sure you check their privacy policy before using it.
Conclusion
There are many online legal resources that can help you with your case. There is a plethora of information available on different legal topics through online law libraries. Some of these resources are free, while others may require registration or subscription fees. Take advantage of these valuable tools and utilize them to your benefit in all aspects of your life.