On June 10, SCLS hosted Serving the Legal Information Needs of the Public at the Fitchburg Public Library. The program was organized and provided by the Wisconsin Court System and included a stellar list of presenters:
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Gail Richardson, District Court Administrator, 5th Judicial District
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Hon. Shelley Gaylord, Circuit Court Judge, 5th Judicial District
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Carlo Esqueda, Clerk of Circuit Court, Dane County
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Louis Mineau, Register in Probate, Rock County
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Marsha Mansfield, Professor, UW-Madison Law School
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Julie Tessmer, State Law Librarian, Wisconsin State Law Library
Much of what I know about the legal system comes from reading legal thrillers or watching them on television. What a treat to hear from local experts in the court system about the information needs of people who represent themselves in court. Here’s a sampling of what I learned:
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It takes a lot of people in the court system to keep everything running smoothly
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People representing themselves in court are held to the same rules and standards as lawyers - no special treatment
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Very few cases actually go to trial
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The Clerk of Courts is a 4 year, partisan, elected position
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Clerk of Courts is a big job that includes collecting fees, fines, and forfeitures; being the legal custodian of courts records, and jury management
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Register in Probate handles more than estates and wills - guardianship cases are handled here
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Someone who has been named as an executor or personal representative in a will can decline the job
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When helping patrons with legal information, avoid the word “should” as we can’t give legal advice
Resources
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Wisconsin State Law Library - Legal Topics A-Z (over 450 topics covered!)
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Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources, Inc. has a helpline for “assistance on issues related to guardianship. protective placement, advance directives and more”
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The Wisconsin Register in Probate Association created a publication called “A Personal Representative’s Guide to Informal Estate Administration in Wisconsin” (pdf)
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The State Bar of Wisconsin has a Lawyer Referral and Information Service, a Modest Means Referral Service and a Lawyer Hotline
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Legal Assistance
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Family Law Assistance Center, Dane County Bar Association
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Small Claims Assistance Program, Dane County
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Veterans Law Center, UW Law School
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Economic Justice Institute, UW Law School
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Consumer Law Clinic
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Consumer Mediation Clinic
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Family Court Clinic
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Neighborhood Law Clinic
- Immigrant Justice Clinic
Whew - that was quite a lot for a sampling. Happy Learning!