Legal Services

Self-Help Packets
Self-Help packets previously available at the Lake County Law Library are now available for free download on the Lake County Clerk of Courts’ Website. These packets contain valuable information for those who wish to represent themselves in legal matters, usually relating to family law. The forms may be printed from any computer with Internet access, including public computers at any County library. When downloaded and printed at a County library, the patron will be charged only for the cost of printing.

Family Law Forms
If one needs only one form, or if a particular form is not available at the Lake County Clerk of Courts’ web site, individual family law forms are available via the Florida State Courts web site.

Lake County Library System has compiled a list of useful websites in conducting legal research. If further assistance is needed, please visit a Reference Librarian at your local library.

Web Sites Useful in Legal Research

• Online Sunshine
  Online Sunshine is the official Web site for the Florida Legislature. Online Sunshine will give you information regarding Florida Statutes, Laws of Florida, Florida Senate, and the House of Representative. Online Sunshine will also explain the process of how an idea becomes a law.
  
• Florida Law Help
  Florida Law Help contains self help information on various issues of law. Florida Law Help will also provide information regarding legal aid provider in your area.
  
  
• My Florida
  My Florida is the official Web site for the State of Florida. My Florida contains information on various government agencies, job vacancies, tourism and much more.
  
  
• Google Scholar
  Google Scholar offers an extensive database of state and federal cases. You may also search by entering a citation to a case in the search box.
  
  
• Public Library of Law
  (PLOL) offers cases from the U.S. Supreme Court (1754-present), U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal (generally 1951-present, with a few exceptions), and state cases (1997-present).
  
  
• My Florida County
  My Florida County allows users to pay traffic fines and/or child support, and order official records. A person may also verify if child support has been paid from this Web site.
  
  
• Municode
  Municipal Code Corporation is a private sector host for City/County ordinances. The Lake County Code of Ordinances can be located from this Web site.
  
  
• State Library and Archives of Florida
  The State Library and Archives of Florida contain links to various government agencies and departments. The Web site also contains a very interesting frequently asked questions portion which answers questions from absentee ballots to renter’s rights.

Cooper Memorial Library, located at 2525 Oakley Seaver Drive in Clermont, houses a small collection of essential legal-related materials. The law collection housed at Cooper Memorial Library contains Historical Laws of Florida, Florida Statutes, Attorney General Opinions, Florida Supplement and other various legal materials such as Florida Cases 2d. For more information regarding the legal collection housed at Cooper Memorial Library please call the Reference Department at 352-536-2275.

Someone who represents themselves in a legal procedure without the aid of an attorney is acting “Pro Se. “ Pro Se (pronounced 'pro say') literally means "on one's own behalf" -- you choose to act on your own without hiring an attorney. If you decide to represent yourself in a court of law, understand the Court will expect you to follow the same rules and procedures that an attorney must follow. Library personnel may assist you with locating court procedure however; very often there is a fine line between procedural information and legal advice. Library staff CANNOT give legal advice.

Prior to acting “pro se” it is recommend you consult an attorney. The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service is designed to make it easy for consumer to contact a lawyer. Under The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service, lawyers charge clients $25 for the initial half-hour office consultation. You may contact the Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-342-8011 or by following this link.